To light a fire, you need a spark.
To let a fire go out, you need to kill the oxygen. Or just stop feeding the fire with more supplies of wood. It will eventually dim and then die.
Some people are sparks. Some people suck oxygen. Some people are passive and do nothing.… Read the rest
Joyce, my brilliant Organizational Development mentor, often used the following quote when we talked about Organization Design:
“Every organization is perfectly designed for the results it gets.
Joyce Wilson Sanford
In other words, if your results are below expectations, there’s a big chance your design is flawed.
And vice versa, when you’re doing great, your organization works for you.… Read the rest
I listened recently to a podcast where high-net-worth individuals and tax-avoiding companies were the subjects of the discussion.
Or perhaps the subject of their rage is a better expression of the dynamics of the conversation.
Then a politician, known for progressive and more left of the political spectrum beliefs, joined the conversation.… Read the rest
Have you ever heard of the term ‘it’s in our DNA?’
Of course, you did.
Whatever language you master and speak, I’m sure there’s also a version in your culture.
It’s the translation of the scientific meaning of DNA as your genetic code into a real-life application, such as running a business.… Read the rest
I got some direct feedback recently that I was not always nice and nuanced for the corporate world. A world that has given me a lot in my life.
Both statements are true.
I’m grateful for my corporate time, and I’ve always said, ‘Never say never’ because I miss the team aspect of my work. … Read the rest
Do you have, get, make time to think?
Or is your head mainly a six-lane highway full of traffic and trucks trying to make their way through day in and day out?
The highway metaphor and the cultural components from the book More Time to Think by Nancy Kline.
Proverbial highways with trucks that create a constant noise always seem distracting, preventing you from focusing. … Read the rest
What category do you belong to?
Are you a trendsetter or a follower when it comes to work-related innovation?
Were you one of the first to jump on the agile train, one of the last, or do you still have to start?
And what about building a hybrid workforce culture?
Early adopter, mainstream, or laggard?… Read the rest
Did you play as a kid in a sandbox?
Was it your sandbox, the sandbox of a neighborhood kid, or perhaps a public sandbox?
What do you remember about your sandbox adventures?
Was there ever a territorial fight about the best part of the sandbox? Or perhaps some kid entered your sandbox, and you were not pleased with the uninvited intruder.… Read the rest
“A fish stinks from the head.”
Rumi
Rumi, a Turkish poet who lived towards the end of the 13th century, wrote “The Third Book of Masnavi,” where the phrase appears as follows: “Fish begins to stink at the head, not the tail.”
We often hear this quote in a business environment.
I’m sure you’ve heard it before, and it basically means that when problems arise in a business, it makes sense to look at the top of the company first.… Read the rest
Last week I asked a business partner how he was doing.
I asked him what that meant.
He explained that he was almost always busy, ranging from extremely busy to good busy.
Good busy meant that work was not crazy but did not allow much thinking or reflection time.… Read the rest
For visionary leaders, one size fits all is over.
These leaders understand that people are different, with different needs, different contexts, and different aspirations for the future.
You can’t lead these people as if they’re all the same.
Erikjan Lantink
Last Tuesday, I wrote to you about my regret for not pursuing opportunities to exploit this model.… Read the rest
My biggest regret is something I did not do nearly fifteen years ago.
I was working in food retail and was part of a group of talents asked to define the organization’s future work strategy.
I had that feeling then, but now fifteen years later, I’m sure.… Read the rest
Most leaders have no clue about culture.
No clue. Nada. Nic (Czech). Nothing.
Oh yes, they talk about culture. They convey a belief that they actually don’t understand, but they don’t.
In fact,
Those leaders that talk most about culture probably understand the least.
The leaders I know who are good at culture transformation do quietly what needs to get done.… Read the rest
Some people have it by nature; others get it by training. Some never do.
Some people have a serving mentality just by being who they are.
Erikjan Lantink
This story is about them and to honor them.
Concretely, it is about two people working in the bar of the hotel I’m staying in while working in Ljubljana, Slovenia.… Read the rest
Last week I conducted my training called “Growing Leaders and Culture.”
Its principles are based on effective dialogue.
Why?
You’ve done half the work if you understand that running a successful business is an accumulation of constructive, forward-looking, and growth-focused dialogues.… Read the rest
Or let’s debate about work a lot (less).
Wow.
They’re so so so good that it’s worth adding them to my portfolio of services. I’m just unsure how to call the service and what the tagline would be.… Read the rest
How do you motivate people?
I’m asking because I recently had a conversation about a hybrid work environment that turned into a conversation about motivation.
My opinion about a hybrid work environment is well documented, for example, in this post.
But if you dig a little deeper, we get to the topic of motivation. … Read the rest
Can a company grow too fast?
The answer to that question is yes, but many will struggle to provide me with that answer because they’ve never experienced it.
By now, you must be familiar with the term The Great Resignation.
The Covid pandemic has caused people en masse to leave their jobs looking for a different career. It was the crisis people needed to open their eyes and seek new opportunities.… Read the rest
Many things in life are a transaction.
When you buy your coffee in the morning, get gas for your car, work out at a gym, or pay for a subscription to read your favorite newspaper online.
For many people, work is also a transaction. They’ve agreed to do a specific job for you, and you pay them for the job done.… Read the rest
