Management Craft

Bad Apples

This comes from SHRM Online:

The coughing, sneezing and malaise of flu and cold season can impact the workplace, but bad vibes from one employee are just as contagious, infecting and hurting the rest of the work team, says a new study.

The effect of the “bad apple” employee on co-workers is the subject of a research paper appearing in the December 2006 issue of Research in Organizational Behavior.

“If only for bottom-line reasons, you should pay attention to it because it will have a dramatic impact" on co-workers' job satisfaction, the group's ability to function over time, and the group's productivity and performance,” lead researcher and University of Washington doctoral student William Felps told HR News.

There's a difference, though, between bad apples and employees whose thinking challenges the status quo, something that's not always appreciated, caution Felps and co-researcher Terence Mitchell.

Unlike bad apples, “positive deviants” help spark organizational innovation, they note. “People with divergent ideas can be a real asset to the company or organization. They need managerial protection, not prosecution,” Felps said. Don’t single someone out just because he or she is different, he warns.

Bad apples are employees who do not do their fair share of the work, who are chronically unhappy and emotionally unstable, or who bully or verbally attack people around them, according to Felps and Mitchell.

Check out the whole article. I am guessing that we all knew this and felt this, but this is just more reinforcement that chronic bad behavior - like negativism, complaining, and lack of engagement - affects the whole workplace and is a valid performance problem that needs to be fixed - one way or the other. It is not OK to have people who are destructive to the vibe of the workplace just because they do some other aspects of their jobs very well.

The information in this article is good, but their suggestions seem quite wimpy. They suggest ways to ensure the bad apple has less power over the group. Sure, if you must keep a bad apple, then these coping techniques are worth trying. But as managers and leaders, it is our jobs to ensure that these bad apples become good apples or they become bad apples for someone else.

I have seen this happen MANY times. We finally (months or years late) let the bad apple go and a fog lifts from the entire organization. Think about the opportunity costs that were lost. Being a productive member of the organization is a job duty and requirement. Counseling and/or letting someone go for a destructive communication style is job related and valid. We work in organizations, not collections of individualized work pods.

What if the bad apple is the owner or CEO? Work somewhere else. Don't fool yourself that things will change.

Fireside Chat with Raj Setty

Are you Memorable? If not, you might be or become a commodity - Chat with Raj Setty

In this 35 minute podcast, I chat with author, blogger, and entrepreneur Rajesh Setty. We discuss ways we can distinguish ourselves at work, strategies to help us avoid becoming a commodity, and the true measure of leadership. Raj is the author of the book Beyond Code: Learn to Distinguish Yourself in 9 Simple Steps! and the blog Life Beyond Code. Raj is also an entrepreneur involved with several companies including being the President of Suggestica and the Chairman of iPolipo.

Want to know what one thing Raj looks at to evaluate the efficacy of a leader? Listen to this podcast!

You can listen to my podcast with Raj Setty by clicking here:

You can also download an MP3 version of the podcast here: MP3 Download

And just a reminder.....

Here is the Podcast Feed for the entire Fireside Chat podcast series:

To see the complete list of podcasts in this series, select the Podcasts and Webcasts category on this blog or see the list on my main website here.

You can also find this series on iTunes (and several other podcast sites), just search under my last name for Fireside Chat.

Improving Pace at Work - 5 Ways

I know, many of you feel overwhelmed and over hurried already. Why should you want to improve pace? I equate pace with energy and energy with focus. When people are overwhelmed and hurried, that's not pace - that's actually a lack of pace.

Imagine walking upstream through a stream with big lumpy moss covered rocks.

Now imagine walking downstream a smooth flowing stream bedded with small pebbles and no moss. This is what real pace feels like - it drives things forward smoothly but with great energy.

Impetus #1: I did a teleseminar for Kaplin University as part of their enrichment series and talked about energy's important connection to focus.

Impetus #2: I did a brisk walk around my neighborhood with my orange shuffle. I have changed up the exercise music on this new iPod - faster paced stuff, stuff like Rodrigo y Gabriela (I highly recommend them). I felt like I was walking down stream - very fast. Pace and focus went through the roof!

So as managers, what can we do to make it feel like we are walking while listening to Rodrigo y Gabriela? And do it in a way that is smooth and energizing? I am talking about affecting the drumbeat of the organization (I am using the term "drumbeat" like we do for manufacturing processes).

1. Obliterate constraints that get in the way - get rid of the big, lumpy, moss covered rocks.
2. Get things flowing - improve the processes of how work gets done. Don't forget the de facto processes like communication, decision making, and prioritization.
3. Be the drumbeat you seek. Focus like and work like you have Rodrigo y Gabriela in your head all day long.
4. Realign roles so that everyone's job matters and the tasks that they are doing make sense.
5. Pump up the fun and color in the workplace. Ditch the sterile gray and taupe and let the office look and feel a bit more energizing.

Bonus: Secretly pipe in Rodrigo y Gabriela music and exotic aromatherapy. Get an espresso machine and have 3pm latte chats around it. Productivity will soar! Buy everyone orange iPod shuffles for the ride to and from work and breaks. Preload all the iPods with Rodrigo y Gabriela.

These are good things....

Here are a few posts I have been meaning to share:

LOVE this quote - oh, so true....

Johnnie Moore shares his thoughts about A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder--How Crammed Closets, Cluttered Offices, and On-the-Fly Planning Make the World a Better Place. Great book title. Here's a nice wee snippet:

It's crammed with interesting anecdotes to support the notion of healthy amounts of disorder. One central theme for me is how we attach a certain moral superiority to order, so that sometimes the only problem with mess is that we feel bad about perpetrating it. Actually, there are lots of benefits to disorganisation...

As a sometimes slob, I think the thesis is right on :-)

Here's a great blogging conference for you to check out. It's called the SOB Con 7, in Chicago on May 11 and 12th. Find more details here. Many of our favorite relationship bloggers will be speaking including Phil, Mike, Starbucker, and many more. I wish I could go, but, alas, I cannot. So YOU go and tell me what you think. One thought about Starbucker's name - I wonder if he got it because he drinks gallons of Starbucks a day? Imagine if we were named after the food we indulge in most - I'd be called Lady Godiva..... hahaha.....

Being a new member to the dark side, I found this post from David Lorenzo very funny - and also spot on. It's called, Tell Me Why You Need a Blackberry. David is among the best at saying it like it is. Here's a snippet:

The entire time I was observing this disturbing scene I was thinking: “Why can’t you check your e-mail after the meeting?  Are you really that important?  Does someone need to contact you during the 3–hour window when you are with a client?”

The answer is “NO”.

Priceless. True. Hang on while I check mine. I have SO gone to the dark side. The key reason why I am glad to have my bberry is that is reduces stress and sense of panic. OK, I am anxious and paranoid - I admit. When I am away from my computer or traveling, I love taking just a couple seconds to check to see if there are any emails I need to worry about. If not, I relax. I know what you are thinking, "how many consulting emergencies do you get each day?" I know, it's silly. But in my defense I NEVER leave it on during meetings - I agree with David, that's rude.

This rant from Cranky Middle Manager Wayne is wonderful. Here's a slice:

All those claims may be true or not… but here’s what really outrages me. My limited understanding of the usual HR process tells me that the managers who apparently are throwing spanners in the normally smooth-running machinery of Business were hired by the very directors who are griping about them- so who’s fault is THAT?

I could be wrong, but here are a couple of things that could explain this:...

Check out the whole post. Hey Wayne - you go!

David Zinger offers a great post about Marcus Buckingham's newest book, GO Put Your Strengths to Work and his Strengths Finder. I chatted with Marcus on my podcast here - it's a good show.

Make the OD Lady Stop - this is funny. I would bet I have been this OD lady on occasion.....

Dick shares reasons to zip your lips. Oh, yes, how many times have we wanted to say, "be quiet already!" We don't REALLY want to hear your opinion about everything. Sorry if this news is crushing....

I love this post by Rajesh Setty called Point to ponder: Your Last Few Phone Calls. Tough pill to swallow and great to think about.

Amazon Shipping Two Weeks to a Breakthrough

Amazon.com has started shipping my latest book, Two Weeks to a Breakthrough. I sure would appreciate your support, so please pick up a copy here.

I will be doing a 10,000 mile book tour on my motorcycle named Hazel. You can read more about the stops and plans here. Downland a free excerpt here. If I am coming to your hometown, I would love to meet you.

I love many things about this book, but one of my favorite things is that I have several endorsement blurbs from MC readers (who took the time to read a draft copy of the manuscript complete with typos and dangling participles*). Thanks so much! Here's what some of you have said (and no bribes were involved :-):

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“Two Weeks to Breakthrough has set off dynamite in my mind. Truly a book so innovative in thinking, and so do-able, it’s a hands-on masterpiece. Lisa’s thoughts on positive thinking, proactivism and coaching are excellent.” - Shanath Kumar, Professor and Head of Management Studies, Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology

“Two Weeks to a Breakthrough is an atomic shot in the arm for anyone who wants to achieve big things. The principles and ideas that Lisa Haneberg clearly presents are easy to put into practice because she emphasizes the small things that lead to amazing results. It is easy, even for someone as skeptical as me, to appreciate the effect that the recommended practices will have even before you try them. I am going to recommend this book for all of the leaders that work for me.” - Rich Stone, VP/Applications Systems Manager, Northern Trust Company

“If you’re stuck and needing to move forward, Two Weeks to a Breakthrough is just what the doctor ordered to get you out of your rut. Buy the book, do the exercises, and you’ll realize that by focusing on the right actions, the lessons found in this book, EVERY DAY you’ll be one step closer to being unstoppable. With Lisa Haneberg as your guide on your Two Weeks to a Breakthrough, anything is possible!” - Phil Gerbyshak, author, 10 Ways to Make It Great!

“Engaging, relevant, life changing. Want to make positive changes in your world? Lisa has a strategy that will help you speed up the process and make it happen.” - Craig Huggart, Trainer, Bradley Arant Rose & White LLP

“If you are looking for 14 easy steps to improve your life, keep looking. If you are willing to do the hard work, Lisa Haneberg has a program for you. Two Weeks to a Breakthrough is well designed and developed to maximize its effectiveness. Tired of simplistic checklists that never lead to change? Invest in yourself, read and apply Lisa’s new book.” - Roger Shank, CPA and Controller, City Securities Corporation

“As someone who tends to lose interest quickly when adopting new techniques, many of the ‘improvement’ books I read are beyond my disciplinary aptitude to sustain. This book is different. The prescriptive nature of Two Weeks to a Breakthrough, coupled with its rapid results, have proven to be just the ticket to keep me on task and give me the quick wins I need to keep going. And - best of all - this book is now a repeatable process in my personal toolbox.” - Dwayne Melancon, Software industry executive; author, GenuineCuriosity.com

“Are you ready to achieve your wildest dreams? Pick up this book. Have you read other books but not put their wisdom into action? Read this book. Do you feel like you should be achieving your goals but resist them because you don’t know how to create the plan? Lisa Haneberg has assembled a structured way to transform your life. Follow the instructions in her book and see if you don’t find yourself in a new world in 14-days.” - Blake Ragsdell, Manager, Change Management

“The best way for businesses to flourish is to have self-aware leaders who lead by example. Lisa’s new book Two Weeks to a Breakthrough will challenge and reward those leaders who are ready to dig deep and recognize their own growth opportunities in order to take their companies or organizations to places they’ve never gone before. This book will assure amazing breakthroughs for those who are ready to take on these challenges. This will be the must-have book of the year!” - Jodee Bock, owner, Bock’s Office Transformational Consulting, and author, The 100% Factor: Living Your Capacity and youalreadyknowthisstuff.blogspot.com.

“This fine, nourishing, nurturing book is worthy of the attention of anyone wanting to make improvement in health, wealth, creativity or relationships. I read so many books of this genre and am always delighted to find one that is not of the cookie-cutter mode: a book that is thoughtful and adds something new to the world. And I am always happy to find a book that lays out practical steps without being insulting. I will be recommending this one.” - Stephanie West Allen, JD, Principal, Allen & Nichols Productions, Inc.

“Lisa Haneberg, expert on real-life management and focus, gets you all juiced up thinking about breakthroughs, with the right mix of thoughts and practical how-to. If you are in need of a refreshing look at your work/life, you’ve come to the right place.” - Yuval Yeret, Assistant VP R & D, Expand Networks

“Two Weeks to a Breakthrough is going to be the least expensive and arguably the most effective purchase you will make if you truly want to change the direction of your life. Packed with practical examples and clear ideas for action, Lisa Haneberg’s book provides a proven pathway to help you shift your focus and allow yourself a new set of choices for your future. Whether you want to find catalysts to provoke needed change or develop momentum to carry you through to success, this book shows you how and provides examples to inspire your journey. If you truly want to produce a breakthrough in your life, follow the daily practices Lisa prescribes and stand well back — the eruption of creativity and inspiration will amaze you.” - Adrian W. Savage, author, Slow Leadership: Civilizing the Organization

“A simple, concise and powerful set of practical advice to give you the right mindset and momentum towards your goals.” Bhushan S. Jawle, Manager, Barclays Services Japan Limited

“In her new book Two Weeks to a Breakthrough, Lisa Haneberg will switch you on to the excitement of key word possibilties: abundance, catalyst, manifestation, evangelism. Regardless of where you are in your personal or professional life, Lisa will guide you in rethinking success-provoking key words. Follow her advice to relax and meditate as you read–your synapses will be sparking with ideas and insights. You will be emailing her requesting a pre-publication copy of her next book!” - Marnie Sweet, M.A., C.T.A., Luxury Travel Consultant

“Lisa’s chapter on goal setting goes beyond the smart approach and brilliantly outlines steps for defining life-changing, breakthrough-level goals that aren’t simply fantasy. This chapter alone is worth the investment in the book! The structure of the book is fantastic. The combination of step-by-step instruction, Lisa’s ebullient style, and the notes from previous program participants (both good and bad) make the program seem very doable for anyone. A very detailed roadmap to a breakthrough!” - Michael A. DeWitt, Technology and Change Management Consultant, eFunds Corporation

“Stuck? A positive direction for change is not always easy to create. Use Lisa’s Two Weeks to a Breakthrough to keep a constant positive discourse with yourself. You will find a breakthrough every two weeks!” - Thomas Cooper, U.K. Business Consultant, Carroll J. T. Corporation

“Two Weeks to a Breakthrough is about manifesting possibilities! It is a must-read for all those who want to break the mindset of scarcity vs. abundance once and for all. I cannot recommend it highly enough!” - Nettie Hartsock, editor, Must Read Business Books Blog (Allbusiness.com)

“It’s one thing to tell someone to, ‘go off and make a breakthrough.’ It’s quite another to tell them specifically how they might go about it. Lisa Haneberg does the latter, laying out a cogent, achievable action plan for getting what you want efficiently and reliably. She identifies things to do, things not to do, things that facilitate progress and things that retard it. You may be a hard-core procrastinator, you may be very busy, or you may really value your time. Whatever the case, you will find wise advice and council herein.” - Steven Weiss, President, Watermark Consulting Limited

“Lisa Haneberg, takes us to the crossroads of coaching, self-help and personal development. She brings into the equation knowledge from the ‘new’ sciences of complexity and chaos, but in a very direct, pleasant and to–the-point style. She shares a very personal view of how to attain a breakthrough in two weeks. Above all, the real interest of the book is the very practical way it pushes us into action. Great work!” - Emmanuel Cuny, Coach and Facilitator, Arbovista

“Lisa Haneberg’s excitement and belief for people creating a better future leaps off the page. Her trust in the method and process of tying well thought out action to immediacy will surely create breakthroughs for many.” - Christopher Hastings, Consulting Analyst, Accenture

*Confession: I would not know a dangling participle if it hit me on the head.

Things Change, Things Stay the Same

I was reflecting on a variety of things on my way back from my MFA residency yesterday. As I crossed the Sound on the ferry, I thought about business and change.

So much is changing, yet so much is the same when it comes to management. I remember Gary Hamel challenging us to come up with new models for management when he spoke at last year's Global Institute for Leadership Development. Yes, some new models would be nice.

• For dealing with global teams, perhaps.
• For dealing with virtual workplaces, perhaps.
• For developing nimbleness, perhaps.
• For better using technology as part of your managerial practice, perhaps.

But when it comes to managing and leading people, I think less has changed. The gold standards are the gold standards. I don't think we need another management book to tell us these things. Perhaps new books allow us to reinvent our management and give us new energy for what we already know are the best practices. New books certainly allow for different voices, which is always a good thing.

So much is changing, but so much is still the same.

We love working for people who bring out our best talents.
We love working for likable people.
We love working for people we feel we can trust.
We love working for people who demonstrate the courage to do what's needed and right.
We love working for people who reduce hassle and increase opportunities to work on challenging tasks.
We love working for people who can plan and get results. We want to be members of winning teams.
We love working for people who are great coaches and catalysts.
We love working for people who fill our teams with rock stars.
We love working for people who clarify and share a compelling vision. And we love it when we get to provide our input - put our thumbprint on the vision.

Perhaps it's the context of management and leadership that has changed and through which we need to produce excellence - but not management and leadership itself. Logic then, would suggest that management education and writing ought to focus on the contextual issues. Yes, that would be logical.

One problem - this logic assumes that because the best practices of management and leadership are enduring, that most managers and leaders have incorporated these practices into their regimens. Of course, we know this is not true. There are still many managers and leaders who would not be described by their employees as the people I have listed above.

So the management and leadership classes and books are still needed for these folks. But I wonder if these ineffective managers are more or less likely to attend classes and seek out reading. Alas, I suspect that the ineffective managers are not the ones seeking improvement - seeking to understand the best practices and apply them.

Ah, perhaps the management and leadership classes are needed for new managers. Yes, I can see that we will have thousands of new managers each year who need to learn the best practices. So yes, good management and leadership training is needed and it should focus on transition points - new management, going from supervision to middle management, middle management to senior management, and so on.

But what about books, don't we already have lots of great books? We still want people to read Peter Drucker, Peter Block, Eli Goldratt, and Warren Bennis, right? Yes, these are important reads. New voices are nice, too, but how many is enough? I think that fads and programs du jour arise because people are trying to say the same thing - the best practices - in new ways. Some of the enduring ways are just fine.

I am likely guilty of this too, although I hope that my writing clearly acknowledges what we know to be the best practices and does not impose unnecessary fads to the task just so that I can feel original. Actually, I don't feel very original at all - not in content, anyway. Perhaps my original mark is my voice and how the writing addresses the ever changing contexts.

This post has gotten a bit longer than I intended - I know that our (my) attention spans are not so tolerant of large blocks of text. Another contextual change....

I am just musing, here, because I wonder what I can do next that will be of greatest help to managers and leaders. No fads, no programs du jour. I find that most of my readers and clients - you - are already more enlightened. You value continuous growth and are open and coachable. You want to scale the next mountain, even if you have been there, done that, and gotten the shirt already. I really like that about you.

Your context - the conditions under which you manage and lead - is always changing. This keeps things interesting, no? And stressful, and overwhelming at times. But the gold standards of management and leadership are the gold standards.

Our active brains seek rejuvenation and reinvention in our changing and not changing worlds.

MC Archive - The Smoke and Mirrors of Great Place to Work Initiatives

I've gone back into the Management Craft archive, to posts from February 2005. Here's one called, The Smoke and Mirrors of Great Place to Work Initiatives. Enjoy.

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I was talking with Dr. Tony Zeiss, author of Get’em While They’re Hot: How to Attract, Develop, and Retain Peak Performers in the Coming Labor Shortage (thanks to the 1800CEOREAD blog for turning me on to the book). Dr. Zeiss is also President of Central Piedmont Community College in North Carolina (the largest college in NC). Interesting guy....

Dr. Zeiss is up in arms about the coming labor shortage and wants to issue a wake up call to American Companies. He says we are facing the greatest labor shortage in the history of America. 10 million worker shortage by 2011 and also a skills shortage with many people with obsolete skills.

One of the suggestions he has for attracting and retaining talent is to build a great reputation as a great place to work. 

That got me thinking about how companies become great places to work. The reality runs the gamut:

1. There are a few companies that really “get it” when it comes to being a great place to work.

2. There are many companies that have no real interest in being a great place to work.

3. There are many companies that say they want to be a great place to work but it is largely lip service.

And there are companies between these extremes. Most companies have their plusses and minuses and few are awful. But if Dr. Zeiss is right, this will not be good enough as the worker shortage widens.

Most of the companies I have worked for have been #2s or #3s. I have never worked for a company that really “got it.” Many start off with good intentions, but then the reality sets in. They want to be able to say they are making this a great place to work, but are either uninterested or unwilling to take the steps that will affect the way people feel about their jobs and the company. There’s always some low hanging fruit that does not require resources or a change in management’s behavior that gets through OK, but as soon as the real meaty stuff comes up, the initiatives die.

You see, for many companies, a paradigm shift needs to occur. Their practices and assumptions are so out of date (some with a fresh coat of Buzz Words, but little substantive change).

If being a GPTW will be a competitive necessity, I wonder what the tipping point will be that facilitates more companies making choices they have been previously unwilling to entertain? My guess is that changing the context will play a large role.

What will a great place to work look and feel like in 10 years? Since education, healthcare, and law enforcement are leading the labor shortage - how will these industries need to change to compete for talent? Who will want to do these jobs? How will that change our taxes, health premiums, and services?

Perhaps we need to help CFOs and HR professionals get together and understand the compelling ROI numbers. They should study and visit companies that are truly great places to work AND making money hand over fist AND retaining their best people.

I think the toughest person at the executive staff meeting is going to need to be the HR professional. To help the company get beyond the smoke and mirrors of GPTW initiatives, he or she is going to need to be resolute, uncommonly creative, a master relationship builder, clear, passionate, and steel tough.

What's it like where you work? What does great place to work mean for you?

 

Dr. Zeiss is up in arms about the coming labor shortage and wants to issue a wake up call to American Companies. He says we are facing the greatest labor shortage in the history of America. 10 million worker shortage by 2011 and also a skills shortage with many people with obsolete skills.

One of the suggestions he has for attracting and retaining talent is to build a great reputation as a great place to work. 

That got me thinking about how companies become great places to work. The reality runs the gamut:

1. There are a few companies that really “get it” when it comes to being a great place to work.

2. There are many companies that have no real interest in being a great place to work.

3. There are many companies that say they want to be a great place to work but it is largely lip service.

And there are companies between these extremes. Most companies have their plusses and minuses and few are awful. But if Dr. Zeiss is right, this will not be good enough as the worker shortage widens.

Most of the companies I have worked for have been #2s or #3s. I have never worked for a company that really “got it.” Many start off with good intentions, but then the reality sets in. They want to be able to say they are making this a great place to work, but are either uninterested or unwilling to take the steps that will affect the way people feel about their jobs and the company. There’s always some low hanging fruit that does not require resources or a change in management’s behavior that gets through OK, but as soon as the real meaty stuff comes up, the initiatives die.

You see, for many companies, a paradigm shift needs to occur. Their practices and assumptions are so out of date (some with a fresh coat of Buzz Words, but little substantive change).

If being a GPTW will be a competitive necessity, I wonder what the tipping point will be that facilitates more companies making choices they have been previously unwilling to entertain? My guess is that changing the context will play a large role.

What will a great place to work look and feel like in 10 years? Since education, healthcare, and law enforcement are leading the labor shortage - how will these industries need to change to compete for talent? Who will want to do these jobs? How will that change our taxes, health premiums, and services?

Perhaps we need to help CFOs and HR professionals get together and understand the compelling ROI numbers. They should study and visit companies that are truly great places to work AND making money hand over fist AND retaining their best people.

I think the toughest person at the executive staff meeting is going to need to be the HR professional. To help the company get beyond the smoke and mirrors of GPTW initiatives, he or she is going to need to be resolute, uncommonly creative, a master relationship builder, clear, passionate, and steel tough.

What's it like where you work? What does great place to work mean for you?

MC Archive - Our Brains Can Only Take So Much!

I've gone back into the Management Craft archive, to posts from February 2005. Here's one called, Our Brains Can Only Take So Much. Enjoy.

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I am coming down to the home stretch on my More Space essay called Breakthrough Experiences (changed it from Anatomy of a Breakthrough). While doing the research, I came across some interesting stuff on creativity that I thought you might enjoy.

In his book, Creativity, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi identifies four major obstacles that prevent many from expressing their creative potential. They are:
1. Exhausted by too many demands - cannot activate our psychic energy.
2. We get distracted or cannot channel the energy we have.
3. Laziness or lacking discipline.
4. Not knowing what to do with the energy one has.

Here are a few additional quotes from the book on the topic:

“In terms of using mental energy creatively, perhaps the most fundamental difference between people consists in how much uncommitted attention they have left over to deal with novelty.”

“The fact is that there are real limits to how many things a person can attend to at the same time.”

“A great deal of our limited supply of attention is committed to the tasks of surviving from one day to the next.”

I think most of us know this, and yet do we carve out time to think and generate new ideas? I am guilty of this in spades - doing too much. There is a difference between making time and taking time. When we make time, we are adding on to the day and may go beyond our mental energy capacity. When we take time, we are setting time aside in the day, not adding to the length of the work day.

Attention is a limited resource. There is just so much information we can process at any given time.

Csikszentmihalyi also acknowledges the important role of relaxation, meditation, and other mental time outs/refreshers.

Look at your schedule for the rest of the week - how are you doing?

The most important task that managers, leaders, and entrepreneurs (and everyone really) perform is to do their best thinking on behalf of the enterprise. We may be brilliant, but if we are burning our mental candle at both ends, we will not generate our best ideas.

Frankly, this is something I worry about with bloggers and blog readers too. How many feeds is too much? At what point does the information become a bother? As bloggers, should we be cognizant of this and post for quality, not quantity? When is linking to something everyone else is linking to, too much linking? What are the habits of highly effective and balanced bolggers and blog readers?

Time for my yoga tape.....

In his book, Creativity, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi identifies four major obstacles that prevent many from expressing their creative potential. They are:
1. Exhausted by too many demands - cannot activate our psychic energy.
2. We get distracted or cannot channel the energy we have.
3. Laziness or lacking discipline.
4. Not knowing what to do with the energy one has.

Here are a few additional quotes from the book on the topic:

“In terms of using mental energy creatively, perhaps the most fundamental difference between people consists in how much uncommitted attention they have left over to deal with novelty.”

“The fact is that there are real limits to how many things a person can attend to at the same time.”

“A great deal of our limited supply of attention is committed to the tasks of surviving from one day to the next.”

I think most of us know this, and yet do we carve out time to think and generate new ideas? I am guilty of this in spades - doing too much. There is a difference between making time and taking time. When we make time, we are adding on to the day and may go beyond our mental energy capacity. When we take time, we are setting time aside in the day, not adding to the length of the work day.

Attention is a limited resource. There is just so much information we can process at any given time.

Csikszentmihalyi also acknowledges the important role of relaxation, meditation, and other mental time outs/refreshers.

Look at your schedule for the rest of the week - how are you doing?

The most important task that managers, leaders, and entrepreneurs (and everyone really) perform is to do their best thinking on behalf of the enterprise. We may be brilliant, but if we are burning our mental candle at both ends, we will not generate our best ideas.

Frankly, this is something I worry about with bloggers and blog readers too. How many feeds is too much? At what point does the information become a bother? As bloggers, should we be cognizant of this and post for quality, not quantity? When is linking to something everyone else is linking to, too much linking? What are the habits of highly effective and balanced bolggers and blog readers?

Time for my yoga tape.....

MC Archive - The New, More Sensual Style of Management

I've gone back into the Management Craft archive, to posts from February 2005. Here's one called, The New, More Sensual, Style of Management. Enjoy.

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Sensual: Relating to or affecting any of your senses; sensory.

When I talk to great managers (I call them High Impact), one of the attribuites that distinguishes them is that they are connected to their work and the people with which they work. Connected in an emotional and physical way. When I am at the top of my game as a leader and manager, it is a very sensual experience. The work is stimulating. Don't you find this to be true?

There’s regular and then there’s high-test.

There’s coffee and then there’s a triple shot.

There’s sports cars and then there’s a Ferrari Enzo.

There’s management, and then there’s Sensual Management.

Some of the tasks are the same, but the energy and passion with which they are executed is supreme.

Here is a diagram of Sensual Management:

What does it take to experience Sensual Management?

1. Get in the game - get excited about your work and the possibility of contributing in a big way.
2. Change the context - the pace and energy of the workplace needs to reflect electricity.
3. Establish compelling and meaningful goals that everyone can get excited about.
4. Start talking - having great dialogue.
5. Be actively engaged - physically and mentally - with people and tasks.

Make TODAY a Sensual Management day!

 

Sensual: Relating to or affecting any of your senses; sensory.

When I talk to great managers (I call them High Impact), one of the attribuites that distinguishes them is that they are connected to their work and the people with which they work. Connected in an emotional and physical way. When I am at the top of my game as a leader and manager, it is a very sensual experience. The work is stimulating. Don't you find this to be true?

There’s regular and then there’s high-test.

There’s coffee and then there’s a triple shot.

There’s sports cars and then there’s a Ferrari Enzo.

There’s management, and then there’s Sensual Management.

Some of the tasks are the same, but the energy and passion with which they are executed is supreme.

Here is a diagram of Sensual Management:

What does it take to experience Sensual Management?

1. Get in the game - get excited about your work and the possibility of contributing in a big way.
2. Change the context - the pace and energy of the workplace needs to reflect electricity.
3. Establish compelling and meaningful goals that everyone can get excited about.
4. Start talking - having great dialogue.
5. Be actively engaged - physically and mentally - with people and tasks.

Make TODAY a Sensual Management day!

Happy V-Day!

(Photo courtesy of www.istockphoto.com)

Express love - see love - notice the love - in all things today. Transformational meetings, extraordinarily dedicated employees, outstanding products, friends, flowers, flow, saxophone solos, street performers, juicy ripe pears, smiling dogs, humming copy machines, short lines at Starbucks, unsolicited assistance, on-time anything, and your loved ones.