Q: How can I create a culture of organizational creativity? A: Fostering organizational creativity requires making creativity a strategic priority. Making time to generate ideas or think is seen as a luxury or something that’s done during annual planning or in a crisis. Organizations that have creative cultures dedicate time to generating new ideas. Fostering…
Managers can serve their employees as a positive guiding influence, or they can function as a source of disengagement and unethical behavior. Q: Should managers be accountable for unethical behavior of their employees? A: While I don’t think managers can or should be held personally liable for independent unethical actions of their subordinates, I do…
The ease of forming partnerships increases the risk of jumping in before knowing whether it’s a good fit. Q: My company has been approached by a very large corporation to become a “strategic partner,” supplying them with some of our specialized equipment. I’m flattered to be considered, but what do you think about the imbalance?…
What makes a “good” or “principled” leader? This question has occupied philosophers, scholars, and practitioners for centuries, and it is not likely that even five books will scratch the surface of the complexity of this question. Nevertheless, we have to start somewhere! I take a strategic approach to this question, one that synthesizes these centuries…
Q: How do leaders find satisfaction in each workday and create an environment conducive to employee satisfaction? A: When employees feel they are secure in their basic needs and wants, they aspire to a sense of shared governance with the leader. This recognition of their time, energy and effort produces a state of contentment, possibly…
Q: I am interested in learning more about how diversity and inclusion efforts can improve my business outcomes. Can you provide some local resources? A: You are correct in believing that diversity and inclusion efforts (D&I) can have an impact on your business. The business case ranges from the simple — your employees look like…
Q: How do you establish and maintain a company culture when you have multiple offices and some employees working remotely? A: This is a common challenge for organizations adapting to the evolving nature of work with increasing need for telecommuters, decentralized offices and a remote global workforce. Creating and maintaining a thriving culture is more…
When these factors fall out of sync, things won’t work as smoothly as they did. Q: How do I keep my business aligned as it grows? A: You have designed your business with a structure, operating processes and culture that make sense to you. As you grow, you realize that aspects of your business will…
Any leader can develop ways to integrate new aspects of a culture, but this process of change will need lots of attention for a while. Q: What is the best way to handle a “problematic” company culture? A: Organizations often hit a period when many members feel the culture is “problematic” for some reason. This…
There are more options than you might expect for leaders looking to improve their game. Q: When you are the boss, where do you go for coaching? A: There are more options than you might expect for leaders looking to improve their game. Assessments, peer circles and one-on-one coaching all can be valuable resources to…
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