As a business owner I have noticed that entrepreneurs talk about a range of topics and we share some pretty personal details; what doesn’t happen is the talk about violence. We speak about managing teams and dealing with problem performers, but we very rarely speak about what happens when those situations go horribly wrong. To get to the bottom of this I got some advice from … [Read more...]
Can a CEO be brutally honest?
Can a CEO be brutally honest? Everyone from sales clerks to CEO’s have been talking about the ‘burning platform memo’ from Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop. In the memo, Elop points out where the company is failing compared to its competitors and effectively asks what the staff plans to do about it. ( Read the full memo here, here.) In the memo, Elop takes a hard and critical look … [Read more...]
Women Leadership and Reshaping
There is a scene in the film “The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio” starring Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson that struck me like a bolt of lightning. They are the parents of ten children just living their lives in a small town. She is a housewife and he is a machinist. The era is the happy days of the fifties spilling over into the early sixties. They call each other … [Read more...]
10 Ways to be a Better Team Player
You have described yourself with this skill, time and time again; you are a “team player.” Now what to do? You find yourself in a situation where you are the strongest player assigned to the team. How can you maintain the integrity of the team and affect the outcome for the positive? Here are 10 ways to increase your team's productivity and overall chance … [Read more...]
Work Drama Mimics Family Drama
“Can you believe it?” said the frustrated voice on the other end of the line. .. “She did it again!” the voice was getting louder. “I think it may be time for me to quit, I can never please her.” This was the essence of the frantic phone call from one of my coaching clients. “Real life is much more intriguing than fiction” was my thought as I began to dig into the drama … [Read more...]
Leadership and Helping Hands
It was a miserable day. Not the worst of my life, mind you, but high enough up there that I can remember every moment of the hurts and insults, courage and frustration that happened from morning to late in the afternoon. I was in an awful position. I was scheduled to teach about resilience and the importance of primary relationships at an all-day meeting for children and … [Read more...]
Just Say “No”
Post by Jane K. Stimmler, contributing Women on Business writer For those of us out here in the business world, the name of the game is seeking opportunities to get new clients and new assignments. We give and receive tips on how to build relationships, promote our accomplishments and communicate effectively – all with the end game of getting more and better work. For … [Read more...]
Leadership and Emotional Pollution
Did you ever throw a paper cup on the ground and walk away? The women who read this blog would not think to do that. The cup would find a home in a trash can. And, if you look down and there is a candy wrapper lying on the pavement, do you pick it up and throw it in a waste basket? Most likely you would take the moment to help clean up the area. So, why do we walk past … [Read more...]
5 Lessons I’ve Learned about Leadership
The economic waves have settled a bit and my company is getting ready to hire several new employees. As the resumes have rolled in, more than I can ever remember, I thought back to my very first professional job and the anticipation of the world that was unfolding before me. When you started your career what was front and center on your work agenda? I was armed with a … [Read more...]
Are Your Rules Made To Be Broken?
Blog from Maribeth Kuzmeski of Red Zone Marketing Sometimes the rules and regulations that are created are so ridiculous that it seems that they can’t possibly have been designed to follow. It makes you wonder if some rules really were just meant to be broken, even in our own businesses. Last week I was on a flight from Detroit to Chicago. There was a line of … [Read more...]