Vol. 60: Don’t be a Victim

Creating a culture where people take responsibility

“The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it.”– Lou Holtz

Last time, we discussed how to create a culture of accountability. In our discussion of this subject, we’ve ranged from the baseline of personal accountability to a broader [...]

Vol. 59: Creating a Culture of Accountability

Creating a Culture of Accountability

“Nine-tenths of life’s serious controversies come from  misunderstanding.”– Louis Brandeis

“When is it no longer my responsibility to get people to complete their assignments … and where does their responsibility to perform begin?” a North Bay CEO asked me recently.
“Your responsibility never ends … and neither does theirs,” I said. “Your [...]

Vol. 58: Powerful After Action Reports

Building a Business: The power of the After Action Report

“Thankfully, perseverance is a good substitute for talent..”– Steve Martin

Many years ago when we lived in the Midwest, we became very good friends with a young couple down the street. He was a fellow fraternity brother, from another college, but I remember him as a [...]

A little sleepy? Start at your desk!

Have I given you anything yet for Christmas, or maybe to celebrate the New Year? Well, I have now. Consider this part of the Exkalibur Stimulus Package for 2010.
I don’t know about you but there are occasions … and they seem to be increasing in my case … when I feel a nap coming on [...]

Competence. Confidence. Caring. You’re done!

By now, you know that the Sunday NY Times Corner Office series is oft-quoted here to highlight varying aspects of leadership that flow from Adam Bryant’s conversations with notable CEOs and business leaders.
This week he interviewed William Green, Chairman and CEO of Accenture. Read it in its entirety as a refresher on important elements of [...]

Leading by Listening? What a concept!

… and, of course, who better to embody this powerful attribute than an orchestra conductor?
Imagine listening like a conductor, appreciating every note and intonation … recognizing that the bass section is too loud or the percussion section is interrupting the melody. We can use these principles to improve our own listening skills … apply them [...]

Vol 52 – Building a Business: Health Costs

The North Bay Business Journal, a publication of the New York Times, is a weekly business newspaper which covers the North Bay area of San Francisco – from the Golden Gate bridge north, including the Wine Country of Sonoma and Napa counties.
This page provides the Print-Friendly Version of the article, as published.
Any related materials or [...]

Jobs Credit: White Elephant? Red Herring?

How do you create jobs? Finally, this question is finally getting some attention in Washington …  sadly, it took increasing painful unemployment reports to get this front and center … but from the ground floor where we live, I don’t see the efficacy of some of the programs being considered.
The NY Times summarized some of [...]

Who cares? You should!

Patrick Lencioni has got it right in his guest column in Business Week recently: There’s no substitute for taking an active interest in the lives of your employees. The MBWO – “managment by walking around” theory has always been popular in these pages as a simple, no-cost tool to stay in touch with employees … [...]