See the Gaps and Act
“You’re not here to do just what you’re told,” she says. “You’re here to see gaps and act upon them.” With that Kirthiga Reddy, Director of Online Operations for Facebook India has led user growth from 8 to 71 million over two years. This thinking is a drastic departure form the traditional hierarchical structure that prevails in India. Ms. Reddy is one of the most creative people in the world according to the current issue of Fast Company. Her leadership principle is elegant in simplicity and profound in power. I’m the Outsider and that’s
read moreBlack cat
“A black cat crossing your path, signifies that the animal is going somewhere.” Groucho Marx To some people a black cat crossing their path carries a similar outcome to breaking a mirror. Superstitions are illogical. People do, however, knock on wood. Superstitions in the modern-day are generally harmless. We don’t burn witches any more. Giving inaccurate meaning to observations, however, is unfortunately not uncommon and not harmless. Decide that Mary is a superstar or that Joe is a bum and the tendency is only to see that which validates what we already...
read moreCan you afford 85% of executives afraid to speak -up.
Raising a child as a critical thinker, to question and stand-up to authority is no small task. We leaders mostly say we want such people on our team. Like parents,our words and actions don’t always align Do you depend on your team to prove you wrong? Can you hear the messenger with the message you do not want to hear? In this excellent TED talk (12 minutes) Margaret Heffernan: Dare to Disagree, notes that in a survey of American and European executives, 85% had issues or concerns at work that they were afraid to raise. Your team can’t really think together if people cannot say what...
read moreThere is a problem, percolating
Problems and procrastination tend to go together pretty well. Particularly if the problem is not too big – yet, and has some factors that make for difficult interpersonal dynamics. It is easy to let it slide, to get to it later. Then later becomes even later. While later is becoming even later, the issue escalates. More people get involved. The situation grows way out of proportion. Tempers flare. Now your choice about dealing with it is gone. The opportunity to deal with it on your terms, in your time is gone. There is absolutely no science in this prediction, yet I think that 70% of...
read moreLogical Decisions and Janitors
The admin offices and restrooms are never completely clean. The normal course of action is a discussion or two with the janitorial service. Service doesn’t improve, the janitorial company disappears and another shows up. The cycle starts anew. It is a challenge for me to recommend firing the janitors as my first business was a janitorial route at sixteen years old. Yet even then, I wondered why people did not clean up after themselves. People on the manufacturing floor keep the manufacturing floor and their work areas clean and uncluttered. There is no janitor. People clean up...
read moreThe Animals were right
Quality of relationships remain a currency of leadership success and overall happiness in life. Song lyrics take on different meaning at different stages of life. They also frequently lend an understanding to life and leadership. A good example lives on in the history of Eric Burdon and the Animals, a personal favorite. “I’m just a soul whose intentions are good, oh lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.” Good intentions are a starting point and we know ourselves by our intentions. More important, however, is that others know us by our actions. The most...
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