Seth Godin, blogger extraordinaire, has compiled an interesting and FREE PDF download from 70 diverse thinkers in which each person provides ONE WORD to identify an important concept for 2010 ... and then writes a single page to describe why they chose that word. From GENEROSITY to DIGNITY to POKER…
How about that for a double negative … meaning that “Not Not Important” is actually “pretty damn important”. Some of you took English, right?
What do I mean? Many of the followers of Sword Tips know that I’m a big fan of GTD, the “Getting Things Done” framework promoted by David Allen. He wrote recently in Wired magazine about one phenomenon that comes up all the time in my work with CEOs. If like most of us you’re always struggling with priorities, you need to read this. If you’ve got some ideas that have worked for you, share them.
By any other name, it’s the “it’s just not a priority” syndrome! God knows we’ve all got too much to do, and most of us have probably tried the 1-2-3 system of prioritization at one time … soon realizing that everything was becoming a “1” because it wouldn’t get attention any other way … and then we realized we made everything a “1” … and then we realized we ended up right back where we started.
There is no avoiding the pain that arrives like a SCUD when something that needs to get done doesn’t get any attention (more…)
The Center for Creative Leadership recently completed a large survey to assess the leadership competencies need for success, both now and in the future.One of the skills that I highly regard is resourcefulness, the ability to deal skillfully and promptly with unexpected challenges, etc. Interestingly, resourcefulness was the only skill…
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 leadership.
Green reminds us that there is an abundance of talent that we’re not mining … (more…)
Yeah, I know, just what we need ... another checklist of the 10 Stupid Things I can't stop doing ..or the Top 5 things I need to do before I brush my teeth (really, nothing, do that first ... please). Nonetheless, this is a good time of year to consider…
Usually, when we remember this song, we think of someone “straddling the fence”, trying to be all things to all people, teetering on the edge of indecision and inaction … or someone who always takes the “middle of the road” and commits to nothing.
Gill Corkendale writes in the HBR blog that leaders tend to be either Mr. Inside or Mr. Outside when they really need to focus on being Mr. In-Between, creating an essential “balance” among their varied responsibilities.
It’s true that we all drift toward our comfort zone, doing what we enjoy and are good at, often ignoring the more tedious, even painful tasks that remain critical to our success.
She offers a simple checklist to help you evaluate where you are on this continuum. (more…)
... 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…
What would happen if we gave each of our employees up to $2,000 to invest in a customer’s experience on any particular occasion … not an annual stipend … but for any given situation?
Most of us are aware of the extraordinary attention to service that is the hallmark of luxury hotels … but few of us probably understand the extraordinary cultural commitment to training and service that is the bedrock of the incomparable Ritz Carlton chain.
In an insightful interview with the Ritz Carlton CEO, Simon Cooper, many of these powerful programs are discussed.
The Ritz Carlton grants every staff member a stipend of up to $2,000 to satisfy any single guest … not per year but per occasion … without any approval or conditions. Imagine empowering our employees in that manner … and showing them our immense trust in their ability to make sound decisions while validating our unwavering commitment to our customers?
BTW, in the Ritz Carlton arrangement, there is no implication that there is a problem … just a desire to create an overwhelming customer experience. Another tactic that the Ritz Carlton uses may seem familiar to many as the “daily huddle”, (more…)
... or so says Fred Smith, Chairman and Founder of Federal Express. By any other name, there is no substitute for making sure that everyone on your team is "aligned" ... with the goals of the organization, its vision and mission, its values .... One way to discover a lack…