Jan 25 2013

It's Not Just CEOs Who Need a Succession Plan

Sometimes you can be too good at your job. Take for example my friend Kelly.  Kelly was a very successful market leader in the south. She was well known and respected by her employees, her peers, her clients and her boss. So why when she kept raising her hand for a promotion, was she overlooked?

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Jan 17 2013

5 Keys to Getting the Most Out of a Mentor

I had a fairly successful career without a mentor/mentee relationship, but I learned how important they can be and tried hard to find those relationships for many of the people that worked for me and became a mentor to many others. That said, just because you put two people together, doesn’t mean it works.

So how can you get the most of a mentoring relationship?

 

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Aug 14 2012

3 Reasons Why it’s Easier to Coach an Olympian than an Employee

I really love the 2012 Olympics.  What’s not to like? You get to look at elite athletes, nail biting competitions and the joys of winning.  It’s obvious the life of the Olympian is nothing but hard work, but I started thinking about how easy the coaches have it.  Think about it. How easy would your life as a manage be if:

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Jul 20 2012

Want to Get Ahead? Get a Mentor

When I first started my career, the term “mentor” didn’t exist in the business world. Sure, there were leaders you respected and of course they had their favorites, but mentor, what does that even mean? According to Webster, it’s “ a trusted counselor or guide”. I thought you stopped having counselors in College.

 

 

 

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Jul 06 2012

What are Bosses Really Good For?

As a former boss, I was a bit offended by a recent WSJ article on one company's success without bosses.  The article describes Valve Corp, a video game maker that “boasts high-end espresso, free massages, laundry services”, but no bosses. So was my 25+ years a manager a complete waste of time?

 

 

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May 25 2012

Is Crying in the Office Ever Okay?

When I worked in corporate America, I use to have a lot of aphorisms like,"die before you cry at work", or (to new managers) "someone will be in your office within two weeks crying".

So is crying at work such a bad thing? Depends

 

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Apr 19 2012

4 Ways to Deal with the Constant Complainer

It’s unlikely you can go too long in your management career without confronting the “whiner”.  These are the people that love to tell you everything you’re doing wrong, everything the company’s doing wrong, and everything anyone on your team is doing wrong. You’d love to find a way to get rid of them, but.......

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