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The Ultimate Competitive Advantage: Translating Learning into Action

Posted on 08/05/2013 by ·
The Ultimate Competitive Advantage: Translating Learning into Action by Laura Stack #productivity

"What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand." -- Confucius, ancient Chinese philosopher "Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education." -- Mark Twain, American humorist. Every business leader worth their salt recognizes the value of training team members to fit their jobs better. Who among us hasn't attended conferences, seminars, classes, and workshops designed to improve our productivity? And you send your team members to the same. Most companies have no problem with training; they know it's necessary, and actively pursue it for their employees. That said, the new learning we absorb from our training sometimes fails to make the jump from theory to practice, for reasons varying … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Performance · Tagged: ,

Embracing Chaos: The Reality of Modern Leadership

Posted on 07/31/2013 by ·
Embracing Chaos: The Reality of Modern Leadership by Laura Stack #productivity

"I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people." -- Mahatma Gandhi, Indian leader "Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people." -- John D. Rockefeller, American industrialist. everything changes. That's the ironic paradox at the heart of our profession—and at some level, it's become essential to the continued growth and development of American business. Change stirs things up, cross-fertilizing ideas and aerating the waters of creativity. We may enjoy equilibrium—and humans certainly find it more comfortable not to have to scramble—but inactivity soon sours into stagnation. You can't rest on your laurels, because some hungry young company will always be pushing the envelope and trying to steal … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Leadership & Teamwork · Tagged: , ,

The Politics of Motivation: Who Really Owns Engagement?

Posted on 07/29/2013 by ·
The Politics of Motivation: Who Really Owns Engagement? by Laura Stack #productivity

"As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others." -- Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft. leadership actively encourages engagement can testify to its effectiveness. The basic recipe for ensuring engagement is surprisingly simple, though the ingredients and the precise amounts of each can vary according to the workplace and team. At the very least, any engagement initiative must include these factors, flowing from the leadership to the workforce: Knowledge of the organization's strategic goals. Clarification of the employee's place within that framework, and why their work matters. Sincere and explicit encouragement to take the initiative. Empowerment without unreasonable censure. A willingness to trust. Delegation of authority as well as … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Leadership & Teamwork · Tagged: ,

Reasons for Optimism: The Results of the 2012 American Time Use Survey

Posted on 07/26/2013 by ·
Reasons for Optimism: The Results of the 2012 American Time Use Survey by Laura Stack

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." -- Mark Twain, American author, who attributed it to British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. "I'm a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." -- Coleman Cox, American inspirational author. For the past several years, I've reviewed and written about the annual American Time Use Study conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While the data can be a bit confusing, it offers an intriguing snapshot of how we use our time. This past June 20, the BLS released its 2012 edition, covering everything from hours spent working and sleeping, to how long we watch TV and play video games. One thing to keep in mind as you read this post (and especially as you data-mine the study … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Performance · Tagged: , , ,

Productivity vs. Paralysis: On Accepting the Reality of Imperfection

Posted on 07/24/2013 by ·
Productivity vs. Paralysis: On Accepting the Reality of Imperfection by Laura Stack

“Practice doesn't make perfect. Practice reduces the imperfection.” -- Toba Beta, Indonesian author. problem of perfectionism. We can become so tightly focused on getting things "just right,” it’s difficult to let anything go. Of course, there's always something you can improve, if you just keep nitpicking at it. But at what point do you hit a point of diminishing returns? Eventually, the improvements you introduce are no longer worth the time you spend on them—and if you keep at it, you'll roll past your deadlines and crash your schedule. Let's face it: perfection rarely occurs in this world, and as Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy pointed out, “If you look for perfection, you will never be content.” Refusing to let go of something until it's perfect is akin to jamming a broomstick … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Time Management · Tagged: , ,

Stop Thinking and Start Acting: Seven Tips for Making Executive Decisions

Posted on 07/22/2013 by ·
Stop Thinking and Start Acting: Seven Tips for Making Executive Decisions by Laura Stack #productivity

There's an image making the rounds on the Internet titled "Executive Decision Making System." It shows a picture of both faces of a penny, heads labeled "Yes" and tails labeled "No." From an outside perspective, that may seem hilariously true—and as a leader yourself, you've probably run into cases where you'd prefer to just flip a coin to settle something, rather than wade through all the pros and cons. You may even have done it once or twice. And don't you feel better after having made a decision? Most of us do. Rita Mae Brown, an American activist and novelist, once said “A peacefulness follows any decision, even the wrong one.” She was certainly no stranger to high-level decision making. Though the world mostly knows her as a writer of cozy mysteries, Brown is an ardent civil … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity · Tagged: , ,

Active Alignment: Strengthening Your Team Via Goal-Setting

Posted on 07/17/2013 by ·
Active Alignment: Strengthening Your Team Via Goal-Setting by Laura Stack #productivity

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” -- Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich As a leader, you bear most of the responsibility for whatever your team, division, department, or organization becomes while under your supervision. Yes, the performance of individual team members can determine your crew's success or failure; and yes, organizational rules may constrain you somewhat. But nonetheless, the onus is on you to make sure your people produce. If your team fails, you've failed. Of course, if your team fails, you can try to simply duck any accountability, as many business leaders have done in recent years—or you can face the music, as Lee Iacocca did in the 1970s and 1980s. More than once, Iacocca cut his own annual salary to $1 a year while cleaning up Chrysler. It was his … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Leadership & Teamwork · Tagged: , ,

Facing Down the Beast: Understanding and Overcoming the Bureaucratic Mindset

Posted on 07/15/2013 by ·
Facing Down the Beast: Understanding and Overcoming the Bureaucratic Mindset by Laura Stack #producctivity

"The greatest evil is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices." -- British author C.S. Lewis, in his preface to The Screwtape Letters. “Bureaucracy destroys initiative. There is little that bureaucrats hate more than innovation, especially innovation that produces better results than the old routines." -- Frank Herbert, American author. Say what you will about bureaucrats—they serve an important function. If it weren't for them, who would take care of all the details the rest of us don't have time to deal with, and keep us on the straight and narrow both fiscally and procedurally? Administrators … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity ·

Dangerous Ideas: Achieving Success Through Innovation

Posted on 07/12/2013 by ·
Dangerous Ideas: Achieving Success Through Innovation by Laura Stack #productivity

One of the many things the late Peter Drucker taught us was that only two things really make a business money: marketing and innovation. Everything else is an expense. Some people would add a few other profit-makers to the list, but few would deny marketing or innovation their places. At least, not publicly. But what about privately, or at least subconsciously? That's another matter. Many of us just don't want to deal with innovation, because it's too much trouble. New ideas push you out of your comfort zone, requiring you to scramble, to work harder, and to think more. For those of us already overstressed by a challenging work environment, that's asking a lot. Oscar Wilde, an Irish playwright and poet, said, “An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all.” … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity · Tagged: , , , ,

Agile Project Management: Refining the Tactics of Productivity

Posted on 07/10/2013 by ·
Agile Project Management: Refining the Tactics of Productivity by Laura Stack #productivity

"Agility means that you are faster than your competition. Agile time frames are measured in weeks and months, not years." -- Michael Hugos, American business writer. "Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion." -- Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Tools & Systems · Tagged: , ,