Kids and Working: We Need to Get to Them Earlier

Most managers look at the generation coming out of school with a fair degree of skepticism that they’ll be able to make a serious contribution early on.

To a large extent, this view is accurate. Most young women and men aren’t adequately prepared to deliver even minimum wage value. Often times it’s a lack of basic skills but, too frequently, it’s the attitude toward work.

A lot of kids want money and know they have to work to get it, but they don’t care much for actually doing it. Work looks boring, tedious, repetitive, uninspiring, and generally uncool. Maybe this is because we’ve…

How to Remind Yourself of What You Really Believe

I remember the first time I heard the line, “Those who can, do, and those who can’t, teach” — and I thought it was a strange viewpoint. Why can’t teachers “do” and “doers” teach? The truth is that they can, but the reality is it doesn’t happen as often as it should in a meaningful way.

I’m a bit unique in the world of trainers who lead courses on management and leadership, in that I actually…

The Power of (Re)creation

I have trained a lot of people over the years and the courses I originally wrote and produced have held up well throughout continual change.

Truth be known, I’ve changed a lot as well. Because I’m not the same person I was almost a decade ago when I created the initial materials, I prefer not to present some of those courses. The information is still solid and value is high, but I’ve moved on and…

How to Leverage Training (Part 2): Our Initial Results

In my last post I discussed the concept of making training — rather the followup to training — something that the entire staff can take part in. If you missed it, you’ll benefit from getting the background with How to Leverage Training (Pt. 1) — How to Make it a Whole Team Activity. This sets the stage for what’s in this segment.

We’ll report on our progress incrementally

When I decided to write about our shared training experience I figured I would let it all play out, and then report on the outcome. That changed when I…

How to Leverage Training (Pt. 1): Make It a Whole Team Activity

Imagine if you could multiply the benefits of training, easily and in a way that produces greater value for all involved. That’s what I’m going to give you in this post.

Our story

We recently closed our company for a full day — mid-week — so that each member of our team could attend a leadership teleconference; 10 world class speakers and thought leaders, who deliver exceptional value that touches attendees in many ways.

For a small company this is no small undertaking. It would mean that work would pile up that had to be done the next day, and no sales calls would be made. It was a zero revenue day, and we had projects with deadlines.

Our manager felt that it would be a good time for the whole team to have a shared learning experience. I trust her judgment and during the course I began to think of a way to not just leverage the training benefit, but to…

It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Hello

Every year it is suggested that certain words be retired from our language. If it hasn’t already been nominated, I suggest we stop using “hello.”

No, I haven’t lost my mind.

This is actually a contextual thing.

I don’t want to take such a warm and wonderful word out of general use, one we use umpteen times a day when greeting people on the phone, in e-mails, or in person.

“Hello” has a permanent place in our language (and in my heart).

What I want to see become quick history is the other version: