The recent article in the New York Times[1] criticizing Amazon’s corporate culture as a “brutal” and cutthroat culture has the business pundits all atwitter. It seems this company that has enjoyed astronomical success in on-line retailing may not be everyone’s idea of a great place to work. Employees are reportedly expected to work up to 16 hours a […]
Accountability
Culture Of Engagement Requires “Generosity Gene”
I’m presently reading The Real-Life MBA: Your No-BS Guide to Winning the Game, Building a Team, and Growing Your Career by Jack and Suzy Welch.1 So far, it’s chock full of practical suggestions on how to be a great leader in business, including how to push employee engagement up. And given their track records (Jack […]
Tom Selleck’s Lesson For Corporate Culture
Regarding corporate culture, there is a famous quote in Time Magazine from Warren Buffet that goes: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” Never has that quote been more appropriate than in an age where social media can have a huge impact on an employer’s reputation. Do something […]
Not My Fault: Nurturing Employee Responsibility
Shun Fugimoto was a perfect example of employee responsibility. “Monteal 1976 – After severely breaking his kneecap during the floor exercise, Japan’s Shun Fugimoto ignored his injury as long as possible, knowing such news could shatter the confidence of his teammates. The injured gymnast continued to the pommel horse routine, miraculously scoring a 9.5 out […]
Conflict Management – Check The Facts Before Blaming Others
This past Saturday I learned a thing or two about conflict management. My wife, CJ and I pulled into the parking lot of a local camera store where I was picking up some prints. CJ is wheelchair bound, so we drive a wheelchair ramp van with handicap plates. Unfortunately, the only handicap spot was occupied […]
NINE STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING GENERATION GAPLESS
By Meagan Johnson and her dad Larry Johnson Adapted from their book, Generations, Inc.-From Boomers To Linksters: Managing the Friction Between Generations At Work According to one study, today’s college kids communicate with their parents an average of 13 times a week, which includes phone calls, emails, text messages, and Skype. We call this crop of […]
LESSONS FROM BRIAN WILLIAMS ON BUILDING A TEAM CULTURE OF HONESTY AND INTEGRITY
Last week, we learned that the NBC anchor person Brian Williams lied in 2003 about his involvement in a Gulf War helicopter raid, saying that he’d been riding in a Chinook Helicopter that was hit by an RPG fired by Iraqi ground troops. It turns out that he was in a helicopter that night, but […]
Taking Personal Responsibility for Excellence Is a Selfish Act
In my travels as a consultant and trainer, I stay in lots of hotels and therefore eat lots of room service meals. After completing my dinner one evening at a well-known hotel, I did what the room service waiters always tell you to do – put my tray in the hall outside the door. The […]