I don’t travel outside of Wisconsin very often for work. But this week, I’m over in Washington D.C. for the NMC annual meeting. Yesterday while some of the attendees spent the morning in committee meetings, a few of us snuck away and headed over to the heart of the District. We started the morning with an ‘abbreviated, […]
ContinueThey’re Your Employees, You Picked Them!
Are you a ‘people’ person? No, not that kind. I mean… are you a person who focuses a lot of time and energy on finding good people and helping them succeed? Basically, are you a good talent scout? Tonight, FOX begins its tenth season of American Idol. Each week, the goal of the show is […]
ContinueWords Mean Things
Remember when we were younger, we’d reply to an insult with the phrase “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I’m not sure if kids actually say that anymore. It seems that now they prefer using the internet and cell phones to hurt each other’s feelings. Either way, I’d […]
ContinueAnother Year… Different or the Same?
And just like that, it’s 2011… This is going my year. Actually, I’ve been saying that for the past five or six years. I’m not sure if I’m being optimistic or just delusional. Either way, there has to be some value in starting the New Year with a positive attitude, right? Truthfully, the cynic in […]
ContinueYour Biggest Opportunity (or Threat)
Maybe it’s been awhile since the last time you sat in a seminar and listened to someone give advice about improving your business management skills. It always seems that these “experts” essentially say the same thing… analyze this, analyze that; do this, don’t do that. And although many times we don’t actually follow through with […]
ContinueSpare the Rod…
Remember when we were kids, the dilemma our parents had when it came to spanking wasn’t “should we or shouldn’t we?” but rather… “belt or wooden spoon?” Back then the saying was “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” Now don’t misconstrue this as an endorsement of ‘corporal punishment’. I’ve witnessed firsthand that time-out’s and using […]
ContinueEmployee Management… Simplified
If you’ve ever managed a team or even been a part of one, you probably know firsthand how challenging it is to get all your people to move together in the right direction at the same time. And although most managers rank employee management as the most important part of their job, they tend to […]
ContinueThis Thanksgiving, Thank a Farmer
Although Christmas music has already begun, I consider this week to be the official kick-off to the holiday season. And within a few days we’ll be getting together to spend time with family and friends, watch football, and eat way more than we possibly should. Hopefully we’ll take a little extra time to relax and […]
ContinueThe Meaning of Teamwork
Today, Staff Sgt. Sal Giunta of the Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade will receive our country’s highest military recognition for heroism in battle. Staff Sgt. Giunta will be the first living soldier since the Vietnam War to receive the Medal of Honor. Three years ago in one of the deadliest valleys of Afghanistan, his unit was […]
ContinueWhatever Happened to Accountability?
Remember the famous sign on President Truman’s desk, The Buck Stops Here? Regardless of whether you’re a politician who was voted out of office last week or a head football coach who lost his job yesterday; if you’re a leader, you probably already know that the buck stops with you. As an employer or manager, […]
Continue