I’ve read a bunch of business books over the past six months. All were good and there is value in each. Out of the 5 books I’ve recently read, I found Grant Cardone’s Be Obsessed or Be Average delightfully different. Be Obsessed or Be Average The first thing I noticed about this book is the author’s unapologetic focus… Read More »
Many experts in talent management and leadership tout culture as one of the primary factors in driving the success of an organization. So, how does good culture happen and what can leaders do to help it thrive?
I tend to be extremely goal-oriented, so I can work toward the same goal for years — inching ahead in a persistent and steady way that infuriates instant-gratification type folks. I am happy plugging away at my personal goals, but when working through others we need mechanisms to keep everyone engaged long-term. So, in my new role I asked myself:
How can we set and meet a multi-year goal, while also minimizing the frustration of people who want faster results?
Vision without Execution is Hallucination This is one of my favorite quotes. The internet references various sources: Japanese proverb, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford, but the message is clear — ideas alone do nothing. You must also be able to IMPLEMENT those ideas. I’ve studied Strategic Management throughout my decades-long college years and strategy has always been of… Read More »
My son is home from college. He attends school at the other end of the nation, so having him home is a big deal for me. Last night, he was in a talkative mood, which I suspect is unusual for most 19-year-old men (it’s certainly unusual for him). While hearing all about his various classes… Read More »
About a year ago, our leadership team at work took a very easy online assessment by Sally Hogshead called the Fascination Advantage. With just 28 questions, the assessments categorized our team into a Maverick (head of sales), a Guardian (head of finance), and a Mastermind (head of IT – me), along with several other, equally fitting assessments. We were surprised… Read More »
Have you ever made a decision that haunted you with doubts for weeks afterward? You wake up at night with nagging thoughts that you should have checked this, or should have thought of that? Or worse, you realize that the decision you made is NOT, in fact, the best decision. Well, fear not – we’re here… Read More »
Yesterday I was in New York for a CIO Event at Times Square. When attending things like this, I aim for at least one good take-away to make the time commitment worthwhile. This event provided several…
Maybe it’s my old(er) age, but it seems the typical IT department lives in a state somewhere between panic and chaos. Personally, I enjoy working in a calmer and kinder environment. Since IT often includes helpdesk and support, a sense of urgency is certainly expected, and there are times when it’s “all hands on deck”… Read More »
Welcome to the LAST of our 5 step plan. Our last post covered how to take a project from idea to definition. Now we’re ready to DO the work! We’ve already performed an assessment, identified our top priorities, and delegated “low hanging fruit” (easy win) projects to staff. This last post will highlight implementation of a larger IT… Read More »