It’s no wonder comedians love politicians. Over the past few weeks, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger blew up two families and whatever was left of his acting career; New Jersey Governor Chris Christie repaid the treasury for two state police helicopter trips to see his son play baseball; and congressman Anthony Weiner of New York […]
I am not a frequent flyer. I don’t get to hang out in the USAirways club, board first, or drink champagne in the front of the plane. I do, however, travel enough by plane to have invested recently in a pair of Bose noise-canceling headphones (QuietComfort 15), and I’m shocked to be writing that they […]
If you’re in a leadership position, you’ve probably had the following happen to you: You’re teaching someone how to do something, and they keep nodding and saying they understand what you want them to do. Then you let them do it on their own, and what they produce isn’t remotely close to what you were […]
Joe worked for years at the same company, but ownership changed and he saw the handwriting on the wall: They wanted to bring in some new faces. Joe updates his resume and applies to your company when you list an opening for a sales director. You hired Joe because of his longtime experience and you […]
This past week, Sean McDermott was fired as Defensive Coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles football team. In the aftermath, a debate arose in the media about whether it’s more important to have great players (around whom you build an effective system) or a great system (into which you can plug good players without needing superstars). […]
The news here in Philadelphia lately has been dominated by headlines about Carl Greene, the now-suspended CEO of the Philadelphia Housing Authority. Greene allegedly harassed female employees and had a reputation as a ruthless leader who used intimidation to get what he wanted from just about everyone. The reported bad behavior overshadowed his transformation of […]
The world of sports often provides food for thought about leadership, and that’s what this month’s feature is all about. Reading someone else’s copy? Click here to subscribe and get a free report on managing meetings more effectively. Is This Goodbye? The Right (and Wrong) Way to Handle a Departing Superstar Last Thursday night, in […]
If you want to learn about outstanding customer service from some guys who could write a book about it, visit The American Family Super Market in Narberth, PA. I’ve been going there for years. I thought what I was getting was excellent meats, cheeses, fish, chicken, and homemade chicken sausage that’s so good I swear […]
Regardless of why someone is separating from your company or team, departing employees are a gold mine of information: * They can provide perspectives you might not learn from current employees. * They can clue you in to problem supervisors. * Their comments can reveal a gap between what is promised in your recruitment material […]
One of the more challenging tasks of leadership in a rocky economy is making sure that your best people stick around. There are all kinds of reasons why valued staff members decide to move on. And those reasons may have nothing to do with their level of satisfaction with their job, or your company or […]
