There are four barriers that stand in the way of everyone and anyone. Once you realize what they are and define what they do, then and only then can you determine what abilities an associate should possess. You cannot readily find the people and means to overcome the barriers until you know what they are. ...

In the previous post I listed the four benefits gained from an effective strategic staff. Just to be clear, that strategic staff may be formal (paid and designated as your associates) or may be informal (either paid or volunteer but who round out your work load because you have come to rely on them and...

When your circle of concern is greater than your circle of ability. Robert’s second floor offices are crowded with papers, files, memos, phone messages, charts, and project plans. On his belt hangs a smart phone. A secretary in a front office handles the business telephone, which rang a dozen times in the few minutes I...

A major big box home improvement store recently changed the incentives program they use to compensate their sales staff. In the not-too-distant past, salesmen were given bi-weekly (that’s when the paychecks were issued) commissions and bonuses based on personal sales. What happened to or with another salesman did not matter. Each earned what each earned....

Effective leaders understand both causes and their effects and are capable of dealing with both. In an earlier post I used a story of a manager at Disneyland who encountered a late night situation with tired horses and large crowds of people. You can read about it here. The immediate concern was the safety of...

“Leading is easy, the hard part is getting people to follow.” Yogi Berra    Ok, so you can accurately read the circumstances and the people in them, have a clear concept of what has to be done, and can confidently articulate why it needs to be done. Can you get anyone to cooperate with your...

General McLellan was President Lincoln’s first choice to lead the Union army against Confederate forces. McLellan was a terrific organizer, a great logistics man.  His main vulnerability was that he could not muster the will to fight. He was a man of planning and organization but not of action. He just could not garner the...

Jeff (not his real name but this is a true story) is one of the best in the business. He works for a big box store selling appliances and has been there for ten years. We were having lunch when he told me how unhappy he is at his job and that he is seriously...