Congress Wants to Talk to Execs About Their Pay Packages During the Mortgage Meltdown
They’re going to have to come up with some answers.
Rethinking Umbrellas…and HR
Rethinking Umbrellas
I’ve owned every kind of umbrella known to man. Two of some kinds. When I lived in Amsterdam I became somewhat of an expert on umbrellas for the 10 kinds of rain they get daily from December through May. But I never saw anything like the Nubrella. It’s a creative take on a regular umbrella. I’ll be one of the first in Philly sporting one of these. (I ordered one today.)
Rethinking HR
I’ve seen every kind of HR program known to man. Two of some kinds. (MBOs and Hay Points are making a comeback. Go ahead…groan.) I’ve seen HR kicked and called irrelevant. I’ve seen it demand “a place at the table.” But rarely have I seen such a creative suggestion for a name change as I’ve seen from someone who’s not even in HR. Seth Godin suggests changing HR to “Talent.” The HR Capitalist breaks down why the idea is the Nubrella of HR Ideas. (Remember, we were once called “Personnel.”)
Smart People Question If Performance Evaluations Do More Harm Than Good
You know I think performance management is broken. And I think it should be tossed out until a legitimate system that actually works is available. I’m not alone.
Yesterday, Stanford Professor Bob Sutton questioned whether performance evaluations in their present form should be ditched. In Performance Evaluations: Do They Do More Harm Than Good?, Prof. Sutton says there’s ample evidence that “performance management” doesn’t work. He’s looking for feedback. Click on the link if you’re so motivated. Or is that not on your list of goals for 2008?
Leadership Brand: Developing Customer-Focused Leaders to Drive Performance and Build Lasting Value
Here’s a refreshing take on leadership: It’s not about the superstar individual leader. Sure, they matter, but what Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood cover in Leadership Brand is a system of leadership. What they call the leadership brand.
First, leaders versus leadership. They’re not the same thing. Both matter. Focusing on the leader emphasizes the qualities of the individual and how he or she leads and engages. [SNIP] Focusing on leadership emphasizes the quality of leaders throughout an organization, not just an individual leader and the systems and processes that create those leaders.
The premise the book is that companies spend inordinate energy on developing leaders, when, in fact, they should spend more resources on developing leadership. It’s a matter of not training people to be individuals, but to have a full pipeline of leaders who can articulate the values of the organization.
Leadership Brand is an excellent read. If you’re thinking about spending money in L&D on “leadership” training, it would be a good idea to take a look at the book and evaluate why you’re doing what you’re doing. Is it internally focused, or, as Ulrich and Smallwood ask, externally focused on what will satisfy customer needs?
I liked the book very much. I must admit I’m partial to business books by academics (Ulrich is a professor of business at the University of Michigan and Smallwood is his business partner at RBL), who go beyond the good idea and back up their writing with research. I like to see citations. I like case studies. Leadership Brand has those elements and then some.
Leadership Brand: Developing Customer-Focused Leaders to Drive Performance and Build Lasting Value
Publisher: Harvard Business School Press
ISBN-10: 1422110303
ISBN-13: 978-1422110300
Lickable Employee Communication?
I’ve been pushing “scent communication” for a few years. And some clients think that’s just WAY too out there. So how do you think they’d take to this idea? Lickable employee communication.
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