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 […]
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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 […]
Job Ownership: It’s The Feeling That Counts
In my seminars for supervisors and middle manager, I often ask the group to list what they think are the most effective motivating factors in the workplace. Invariably, money is mentioned but after some discussion, the group realizes that although money can attract good employees and dissuade them from leaving, unless it’s tied directly to […]
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 […]
How Much Time Should a Manager Spend With Her or His Direct Reports?
In my management workshops, I have always encouraged managers to not rely on the annual performance review to give employees feedback on their performance. Let’s face it, having to wait for six, eight or ten months to hear how you screwed up or did well defeats the purpose of the feedback doing anything to change […]
A Culture of Trust Is Good Business
If you’ve ever returned something to Costco, Home Depot, Target, or Nordstrom Department Stores you know that the norm in retailing these days is a “no or few questions asked return policy.” The idea is to make the customer WANT to do business with you by making it as easy as possible to return purchased […]