| Free Newsletter Archive |
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| Fall 2008 |
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Ever since the advent of Red and Blue States, we hear and use the language of division. People have begun avoiding any mention of politics in the workplace for fear of alienating co-workers. We've begun to avoid crucial conversations, many times because one or more of the people involved simply don't know how to have the conversation. There is a better way-civil discourse.
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| Winter 2008 |
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A recent link in Yahoo read: “Millions of Young Abusing Cough Medicine” That’s an attention grabber. If you’re a parent you might be thinking, “Oh no, one more thing to worry about.” If you’re in the pharmaceuticals industry you may be thinking, “Here comes more bad news.” Whether you’re a parent, or a member of the pharmaceuticals industry, or both, it’s legitimate to consider how concerned you should be.
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| Summer 2007 |
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Does thinking about thinking just give you a headache? Well take some aspirin and relax while your local Sage gives you some practical insights on thought, decision and action. There is evidence that shows that we humans tend to make a quick decision based on our guts and then set about finding the evidence to justify our decision. When our decision process is stated that clearly, it just doesn’t sound, well, rational. It isn’t.
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| Spring 2007 |
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Wise leaders seek out and nurture trusted advisors. One of the most important and often least sought after advisors is the Fool. Fools provide the valuable and potentially hard to swallow feedback that courageous leaders value.
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| Autumn 2006 |
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At the height of her career, CEO Irmgard Hehmann sensed the need for renewal in both the company and for herself. Gardenia Programs, Inc. was running too smoothly, too predictably. Energy was low and creative juices had run dry. Continuing success and a steady revenue stream had become the enemy of urgency and innovation, necessary components of remaining the leading company in a niche market.
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| Summer 2006 |
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High profile ethics breeches appear with distressing regularity in business news. One such breech is the failure to nurture prosperity for the whole kingdom. This is one of the four primary responsibilities of kingship delineated in Never Rule Without A Magician, A Sage, and A Fool.
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| Special Edition 2006 |
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"Need a great April Fools Day gift for the boss? Or yourself? Never Rule Without a Magician, a Sage and a Fool: How Great Advisors Help Leaders Soar While Keeping Both Feet on the Ground, by Clare Novak is now available on our website bookstore."
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| Winter 2006 |
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"When you're advising leaders, what kind of advisor are you?" and " How do you quickly and clearly articulate your value to the leader?" were the questions opening the autumn newsletter. The second advisor, profiled in this newsletter, is the Sage.
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| Autumn 2005 |
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When you're the leader, who's got YOUR back? When you're advising leaders, what kind of advisor are you? How do you quickly and clearly articulate your value to the leader? Clear articulation is best accomplished through a vivid, visual reference.
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| Summer 2005 |
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"What's it like as a woman working there?" is the second of three questions I most frequently hear when I mention working in Egypt. Like the first question, "Aren't you afraid?" the question reflects the perceptions of the person asking. Frequently, the US vision of a Middle Eastern woman is drawn from news footage about Saudi Arabia and its culture.
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| Winter 2005 |
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Whenever my work in Egypt comes up in conversation, the following three questions are inevitably asked:
- Aren't you afraid?
- What's it like as a woman working there?
- Can I carry your bags next trip?
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| Autumn 2004 |
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Most of us can easily picture one or more colleagues or employees who seem to have an excuse for everything. These folks are, in their own eyes, innocent bystanders to every problem. In some organizations, fingers point in a round robin of blame and the buck stops nowhere. Frustrated leaders ask, "How do I get my employees to take responsibility?"
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| Winter 2003/2004 |
If you were 75 feet high on a sheer ice cliff, who and what would you want supporting you in a successful climb? If you're like most people your mind leaped to a diligent, knowledgeable, dedicated and experienced colleague. Should business be any different?
When you're about to undertake a new business venture or to plunge into a process that you've done only once or twice before, it makes sense to do the same things you'd do in undertaking a physically dangerous task:
- Find an expert and listen with the mind of a beginner
- Have the right people with the right attitude along for the fun
- Get the right equipment and then trust it
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| Fall 2003 |
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What's it worth to keep your current customers? Many companies can answer that
question in a general sense but not in a specific one. It's well documented
that it costs far less to retain existing customers than to go out and get new
ones. However, many companies haven't analyzed the data to know specifically
which customers are their best ones and exactly how much those customers are worth.
External customer worth can be measured in dollar value. So can internal customer
worth. Any relationship with an internal customer that saves you and/or the
customer time is actually saving money. Time is paid for internally as salaries,
time can be converted to money by taking the loaded hourly salary (salary plus
benefits) and multiplying it times the hours saved.
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| Summer 2003 |
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Leadership has a direct impact on the bottom line. How one leads affects the
organization's ability to make a profit and return shareholder value.
Missions are accomplished, goals and met and work gets done by people.
Strong leaders leverage people's abilities and commitment to get work done.
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| Spring 2003 |
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Stories have power and people in organizations will tell them. The question is are
people spreading the stories that reinforce organizational values or the stories of
the naysayers? Stories can serve three important functions in organizations. First,
stories spread among employees give you a temperature check on how employees view the
organization. Second, stories can reinforce the values of the organization and finally
stories are an excellent teaching tool.
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| Winter 2002/2003 |
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This news is old news. The birth rate in the US is dropping; there are fewer new workers
entering the workforce. In addition, immigration has tightened and fewer internationals
are entering the US workforce. In response, many companies are spending time and effort
on incentive programs, flex hours, telecommuting, cafeteria benefit plans. While these
programs have some impact, they are not a make or break factor in an employee's decision
to stay or go.
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| Fall 2002 |
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Author Jim Collins, in a recent interview, recapped the common threads among great companies. However, it wasn't the book's
recap that grabbed attention, but Collins' answer to the opening question, "Do you attribute that (the book's success) to the
strength and nature of the message or is this just a time when people are incredibly hungry for help?"
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| Summer 2002 Leadership Behavior |
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Jim Kouzes, co-author of The Leadership Challenge, continuously studies what people expect leaders to do. His current research on
leadership behavior shows that people expect leader to be: Honest (88%), Forward looking (71%), Competent (66%), Inspiring (65%),
Intelligent (47%).
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| Spring 2002 CEO Development |
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You've heard it a million times before, but have you really listened? It's lonely at the top. One more time, it's lonely at the top.
Reflect for a moment then answer this question. Who can your CEO or your CEO clients talk to who has no personal agenda
regarding the business?
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| Measuring Results: A Practical Approach |
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Measuring the business results of training can look like a daunting task.
There are three keys to making the process easier. First, begin with the end in mind.
Second, be practical and choose to measure only those training courses that directly
relate to business results and finally, be organized.
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| International Training |
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Frequently, US based training and development professionals conceive of diversity
and intercultural work as diversity among populations within the U.S.
For the professional who works outside the U.S. borders, diversity takes on a whole new meaning, personally and professionally.
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