Category Archives: Organizational Development

Most of the answers organizations are seeking today are lying dormant inside of their employees, their customers and their suppliers just waiting to be discovered and unleashed.

The articles below will help leverage the knowledge and passion of your employees, which will help you grow your organization and give you an uncommon edge.

 

 

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For the crazy ones who think they can change the world…

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~This is one of my favorite quotes…

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”  Apple

[Tweet “I am one of the crazy ones!”]

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The greatest opportunity for improvement & growth: Culture

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Every time I read this quote from Patrick Lencioni every cell in my body wants to stand up and cheer!

“I am convinced that once organizational health is properly understood and placed into the right context it will surpass all other disciplines in business as the greatest opportunity for improvement and competitive advantage.  Really.”  

I can tell you true stories for hours that emphasize why the truth in that quote sparks such passion!  Here’s one of them…

John was offered a position with another company.  He accepted the position, signed a new lease and relocated to take the job. 

In his first week, some of his new co-workers take him out to eat.  Before the meal ends they tell him that they need to warn him about one particular person that he will work closely with.  They go on to share that anyone who has ever been hired in a position similar to his, has consistently been bullied out of the organization by this person.

A few days later John has lunch with someone in the community that he has known for a few years, but does not know well.  This man advises John that he should not trust ANYONE in the organization that he is now employed with.

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Paid to think? …Or to check your brains at the door?

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Last week I was facilitating a leadership development session for people from every department and every level of a large organization.  During our discussion I asked them if they realized that regardless of their title they are paid to think.  …Their immediate response?  Silence.

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Later in the week I re-opened the book The Secret and as I skimmed through the pages this quote jumped off the page, “Check your brains at the door.  They will be returned to you as you leave the building.  ~The Management”

How about you?  Are you paid to think?  …Or to check your brains at the door?  

…As we near the start of a new year I wonder:

  • How many people work in cultures that expect them to check their brains at the door?
  • How many organizations have actually invited their employees to think?
  • How many organizations have provided the tools and the training to help their organization unleash the knowledge that exists within their own walls?  
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5 “Sticky” Posts on Leadership

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Over the past couple of years I have read and shared lots of blog posts.

The posts listed below bring understanding to anyone seeking to lead at a higher level. 

  • They are posts that “STUCK” the first time I read them.
  • I’ve pondered them, referred to them, and shared them.
  • Most of them are several months old, and they are just as “STICKY” today as the first day I read them.
  1. CEO’s:  Who tells you that your baby’s ugly? By Ted Coine. We’ve all heard the “Urban Legend” that you can’t tell the CEO when they are throwing time and money at something that is not designed to address the root cause of the issue.   The question I keep asking is WHY?  Has that Executive proven that they continually shoot the messenger? If not, why do we believe that giving them information that will make them and the organization they lead more effective, is a suicide mission? If you are a CEO… Do your people tell you when your “baby” is ugly?  If not, what can you do to change that?
  2. Why Executives Get Impatient – Fear!  By Kate Nasser.  I love the use of the word bejeebers in this post.  It makes me laugh every-time I read the word.  Just the use of this fun word in the midst of sound advice planted this post in my long-term memory immediately.  It is a great guide for anyone that is trying to learn how to be more effective when they “lead up.”  
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7 Tips For Leading Change From The Middle

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Are you convinced that you and your team are capable of making a bigger difference?  …For each other?  …For your organization?  …For your community?  

How to lead change without a title

Do you dream of working for an organization that is committed to Character-Based Leadership?

[Tweet “…Concerned that you don’t have the power or the position to make change happen?”]