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Ten Success Strategies for Leaders In A New Role - With so many companies going through reorganizations, many leaders are finding themselves in new roles. If you are facing such a transition, as you try to settle in and get some work done, it's easy to overlook the nuances in the human landscape, which can help or hinder your efforts. With that in mind, here are ten common-sense strategies to help you get off to a strong start.
Enron, Six Degrees Of Separation, And The Rest Of Us - The popular movie "Six Degrees of Separation" conjectured that we are all connected within six degrees. If that is true, with its strategic alliances including major Silicon Valley companies, Enron's tentacles reach to within six degrees (or people) of each one of us. That brings the front page headlines right to our doorstep. It also provides an opportunity to think about the ethics of the every day decisions we make as leaders.
Giving Of Yourself For The Holidays - The holidays are upon us, and you're wondering what you can do for you staff in these lean economic times. As a smart leader, you want your gift to convey your message. The best gift is one that is matched to the needs and desires of the one it's for, not a one-size- fits-all token. Don't know what that is? Here are some gift-giving ideas that will tell your employees you care.
Rebounding - On September 11th, our world view was profoundly and irrevocably disrupted. The rug has been pulled out from under us and our most basic assumptions seem open to question. These are challenging times to be a leader. Here are three things you can do to help ease your organization through the disruptive times.
Sailing in Turbulent Seas - The effects of the economic downturn continue to ripple through the economy. While this can set your career adrift, it also offers an opportunity to chart a new course. This is a good time to check your map and seaworthiness. Here are some tips to help you sail smoothly through the turbulence.
Making Your Organization Successful in the Net Economy - It's not news that the net economy is changing the rules of business. Undoubtedly your organization has begun to address many of the challenges posed by these new rules.
Building a Successful Culture - Recently the founder of a high tech start-up told me that his company didn't have a culture - the founders hadn't had time to pay attention to that. After hanging around the company for a bit, I observed a few things. In meetings, the loudest argument usually carried the day. Decisions were often appealed after they had become final. Long hours were the main metric of performance. Innovative solutions were recognized and rewarded. Risks were accepted as part of the cost of doing business.
Go Slow to Go Fast!- Slowing down just isn't an option in these days of "Internet time." Or is it??? Perhaps it is only by taking time to reflect deeply and learn new ways of thinking and behaving that an organization can truly prosper in these challenging times.
Internet-style Management Thinking - The Internet is a bold experiment in management. It is the largest self-governing confederation of organizations ever. Participation and compliance with standards are purely voluntary, yet the extent of each is extraordinarily high. What if you ran your organization as if it were the Internet?
The Spirit of Innovation - The major source of growth and vitality for a large high-tech company is the spirit of innovation, the energy of explosive growth, and the passion of new ideas. This spirit of innovation enlivens the organization and enables its ongoing success in the marketplace.
The Story of Culture - A recent article in the Harvard Business Review noted, "The 800 pound gorilla that impaired performance and stifled change was 'culture.'" A local newspaper prints company snapshots in which the "culture" section consists of information about dress-down days and espresso machines. Surely that isn't what the Harvard Business Review article meant!
Herding Cats in Cyberspace - In explaining the importance of creative people in the film business, Louis Mayer of MGM said, "the inventory goes home at night." The same can be said of any high-tech company. Add to that the notion that the half-life of the knowledge of a new Ph.D. is computer science is said to be about seven years and you have a piece of why succeeding as a leader and a manager in a high-tech firm is no mean feat.
The Team is the System - All too often, we fall prey to the notion that changing or replacing a team member or team leader will "fix" the team. This is rarely sufficient. The team is a human system; to change its functioning we must disrupt the patterns into which the system has fallen.
A Culture of Teams - It's "in" to develop a statement of corporate values. But it isn't worth much unless the leaders are committed to managing the business in a way that is congruent with the stated values. And that is one of greatest challenges managers face every day.
The Boundaryless Organization - The paradigm for corporate success is changing. For much of this century, organizational success has been a function of size, role clarity, specialization, and control. In the new paradigm of the global economy, success will be a factor of speed, flexibility, integration, and innovation.
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