Fast Company recently published a blog post called 10 Rules for Effective Conference Calls, which sounds about right … and I think you’ll agree that you’ve heard … or did … or thought … these same things yourself.
OK, now let’s move to slide 5. Can everyone see this slide?
(Slide with 12 rows of text appears. Jill proceeds to read all 12 lines of text.)
(Dead silence – everyone is on mute, reading mail, playing Solitaire or checking news, sports, and weather…)
No news flash here ... except that many of us share the frustration over the relentless flood of email that washes ashore 24/7. There is a nugget somewhere in various…
I must admit that's a new phrase to me ... but it's a kissing cousin to "Death by PowerPoint", it seems. You'll enjoy the recent NY Times article about the…
Many of you are familiar with my interest in the Corner Office articles appearing in the New York Times on a regular basis. These articles, by Adam Bryant, focus on varying approaches taken by CEOs to lead their organizations.
A recent interview with Fuse founder, Bill Carter, reminds me of two critical variables that are easily lost in our haste to always move to the next issue. First, above all, having the best people is the only antidote to business mediocrity. I’ve said it time and again, and virtually everyone knows this deep down (but very few put it into practice) … that the organization that excels identifies the best people, makes certain they are properly rewarded, and never stops looking for top talent. (more…)
“When is it no longer my responsibility to get people to complete their assignments … and where does their responsibility to perform begin?” a North Bay CEO asked me recently.
“Your responsibility never ends … and neither does theirs,” I said.
“Your job is to work tirelessly to build accountability into the organization so that your team understands that being held accountable is the cornerstone of a strong, successful organization. It is not punitive.”
In this column recently, we’ve discussed personal accountability as the “singular touchstone of professional success over which we have the greatest control.”
We’ve also discussed the After Action Report, a valuable teaching tool that reinforces accountability and inspires a culture of continuous improvement.
An organization focused on accountability might be seen as the thread that connects our personal accountability – walking the talk – and the After Action Report – talking the walk. But what is it, really?
What is Accountability … Really?
In simple terms, accountability is a willingness to accept responsibility for our actions.
It’s being reliable and making certain that the commitments we make, from the perspective of others, have been kept. For a responsible culture to prevail, each of us must make certain that those commitments are honest – and honored. (more…)
Fast Company recently published a blog post called 10 Rules for Effective Conference Calls, which sounds about right … and I think you’ll agree that you’ve heard … or did … or thought … these same things yourself.
