Essential Steps for a High Return on People
Most organizations devote a lot more time and money on weak performers than they do on top performers. They think that by investing in the
return on people
Tag: return on people
On Getting Good Talent
There is a shortage of good talent for many key positions. It may seem counterintuitive, but it is imperative at times like this that you
10 Ways to Eliminate Mediocrity in Your Organization
An organization that accepts mediocrity is a haven for under performers, and very frustrating for high performers. Here are ten ideas I found in my
Creating an Anticipatory Set
When something bad is about to happen, people will get tense. When beginning a competition, people will become focused. When preparing for a happy occasion,
How to Use Your People Time
Here’s what works: Divide your workforce into three groups based on their performance: The top 20%, the middle 70%, and the bottom 10%. On which
Weak Company Performance and Great Employee Reviews
My most successful clients are very good at aligning individual goals with strategic intent so that everybody is actively working to achieve the company’s strategy
The Key to Improving Performance
Imagine you’re in the passing lane of highway. There are several cars in a line just ahead of you so you cannot go any faster,
Strategy and The Final Mile
In the cable industry, the final mile is connecting the cable system to customers’ homes. It is the most costly part of the entire system,
What Duke Ellington can teach business about innovation
Every year, for the past 14 years, I have read a biography of a famous musician or composer. As I read each book, I listen
Why managers need to get beyond criticism
I believe that criticism is one of the lowest level skills–because anyone can do it. And criticism has little value for a supervisor or manager
How to Be Twice as Good: The 1% Solution
My mentor, consultant and author Alan Weiss, has a 1% principle. It goes like this: If you (or your organization) improve by just 1% each
If You Want More Employee Engagement
If you want more employee engagement, here are key points: It is relatively easy to get acceptable performance through fear or incentives. But you won’t
Why Employee Engagement Fads Don't Work–And What Does Work
Here’s what we know from decades of research: You cannot motivate anyone; they must motivate themselves. Extrinsic motivation (commands and incentives) is weak and fickle;
Can't do/Can do
The world is full of people who will tell you that you cannot do something. It’s a trait of bureaucracy. But can also be a
The Coming Flood of Employee Turnover
We are likely to see a lot of job changing when the economy finally recovers. All the signs are there including a high percentage of
Reinvesting in your best people
The manager was frustrated. “I’m losing my skills,” he said, “I’m not growing here. The challenges are routine and they’re not willing to invest in
The Secrets to Effective Succession Plans
These are proven techniques to make succession planning effective, based on my 30+ years of advising scores of companies. The leader needs to be the
Repetitive People Problems
It doesn’t matter if you’re in a small firm or large company, you cannot tolerate repetitive mistakes or having to regularly redo a subordinate’s work.
Pink Slime in Your Organization
“Pink slime,” was in the news last week. Whether you call it “lean finely textured beef” or “salvage” as one scientist called it, you won’t
Why Not Use a Horoscope?
Assessment tools (Myers Briggs, DISC, etc.) are being touted as useful ways to improve teamwork and productivity. But they’re really nothing more than a way
How to quickly assess a leader
Leadership effectiveness at all levels is an important component of successful strategy implementation. I’ve worked with hundreds of corporate leaders and I’ve seen all kinds.
Managing By Opinion
In some leadership groups, opinions appear to be more important than facts. I’ve seen senior management groups where an executive’s in-depth knowledge and experience is
Why you don't want happy employees
A happy worker is not necessarily a productive worker. Here’s why.
The biggest downsizing mistake.
If you don’t come out of this recession with a much more valuable workforce, you’ve missed an exceptional opportunity.
Trust – What executives can learn from A-Rod
A-Rod’s biggest mistake may have been trusting that the study was confidential and anonymous. What is the lesson for employers seeking “confidential” employee input?
Merit Pay Satisfies No One – and Upsets Many
Merit increases does not improve individual or organizational performance.
Return on People
The theme of this new blog is “return on people”. Every management needs to increase the value of people faster than the rising costs of