Do I heckle my subordinates or strengthen and encourage them?
Do I use moral courage in getting rid of subordinates who have proven themselves beyond doubt to be unfit?
Have I done all in my power by encouragement, incentive and spur to salvage the weak and erring?
Do I know by NAME and CHARACTER [...]
It is possible to measure virtually any activity in the program, but if the measurement does not support a key objective, it is not worth the cost of data collection and analysis.
- A caution in The Integrated Project Management Handbook, Dayton Aerospace Inc.
From: [...]
SMART goals? Nope. How about STUPID goals?
Long ago, Deming warned managers of target setting through his 11th point of leadership: “Eliminate numerical goals, numerical quotas and management by objectives. Substitute leadership.”
So, if SMART goals are stupid, let me introduce you to STUPID goals:
Sincere: attack issues you really care about. Don’t waste time where is heart isn’t
Transparent: [...]
The usefulness of the dashboard system is not in the display of colored lights, but in the precipitation of action to correct the deficiencies indicated by yellow and red [...]
Projects introduce change….which needs managing
During a project management training course the group looked at managing change. Participants were clear that the company did not manage change very well. So, Ron threw down the gauntlet and asked them how they think it ought to be managed. The result of this work is shown below.
Communicate throughout the change. [...]
Throw someone under the bus, and you’d better hope the bus does its job; if it doesn’t, now you have a righteously pissed-off coworker for many years [...]
Genuine Curiosity: Putting the work in Teamwork
Dwayne Melancon lists his five favorite books about teamwork and leadership.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable
This is an easy read with some hard advice. It describes a team engaged in some destructive, disloyal, and counterproductive habits – many of which sound exactly like some of the screwed [...]
The goal is not to prevent idiots from doing the wrong thing, but to make intelligent people do the right thing. From Thinking for [...]