Manager Musings

Is Your Mission and Vision Out of Touch?

by Larry Poyner
Tuesday 3 November 2009 @ 3:18 pm

Having a corporate vision that has the buy in of your associates will most certainly be a formula for success. In a ‘Hope and Change’ climate, we are seeing some very interesting examples of inexperienced leaders attempting to force change without a effectively communicating a clear vision for the future. The absence of transparency that we are observing in the political climate can also spill over as ‘teachable moments’ to the private sector. For example, the fuzzy vision of the current health care plan working through Congress cannot seem to get solid support of the general public. It is all the ‘unknowns’ that seem to have everyone so concerned. The fact that people don’t know what is in the plan and what it is really trying to achieve in the future is the main source of anxiety surrounding the ongoing healthcare debate.

What lessons can business take from this lack of transparency and apply to the workplace?
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Is Your Mission and Vision Out of Touch?

Change Management- Part Two

by Larry Poyner
Saturday 4 April 2009 @ 8:46 am

I hope Part One-”An Introduction” provoked some ideas and examination of potential opportunity for change management in your organization.

One question was posed from Part One: “When initiating change from the Executive Management level, what techniques do you recommend to ‘recruit’ additional change agents from your management team?”

My suggestion was that when recruiting change agents, the search begins by looking for consummate visionaries. Individuals who believe in the organization’s ability to succeed and can envision the future that others have not yet seen. These individuals will have demonstrated commitment to leadership roles on behalf of their departments, whether a ‘titled’ manager or not. They will have a proven track record for making things happen within their areas of expertise. One must also be open to recruiting those that have the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and who may hold an approach and perspectives that differ from your own.

Additionally, executives should look for persons with a track record for taking bold action and willingness to accept the consequences. These people will understand that resistance accompanies any change initiative and that they will take the brunt of it if things go wrong–and that might include their own employment. However, that would not stop them from stepping up to the challenge.

When implementing change, many missteps can occur. Here is a look at some potential markers for failure of a change management plan:
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Change Management- Part Two

Change Management-An Introduction

by Larry Poyner
Sunday 1 March 2009 @ 8:39 am

Change management can be defined as an organized and strategic method of initiating and managing the change process in an organizational structure or culture. Additionally, it includes managing the individuals or teams attitude and behavior toward the transitional changes in the implementation of new policy, changing business processes, or technology of an organization.

One of the primary opportunities for change management is when a new manager is brought on board from outside a department or company. As a manager enters that situation, he or she must understand the potential hostility and stressors that may be present. Employees tend to have a fear of the unknown and the new manager’s peers may also ponder the companies decision for implementing the personnel change at that level.

Knowing this, one must formulate a strategy for
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Change Management-An Introduction

Does Diversity in the Workplace Really Work?

by Larry Poyner
Thursday 12 February 2009 @ 10:33 pm

Does diversity in the workplace really make a difference? This author agrees that it does. Evidence abounds that when diversity is leveraged, positive results will occur. Measuring diversity’s impact is not easy, and it is not just a matter of dollars and cents. However, the challenge is to figure out how best to use the varied perspectives that people bring to the office. Some workplaces are still trying to recruit a more diverse staff. Others may look diverse but have an undercurrent of cynicism because employees liken diversity with yearly being held hostage for a boring seminar that shoves one person’s values down another person’s throat. Nevertheless, where there is a top-down commitment to diversity, it is becoming much more intertwined with other aspects of employee improvement and responsibility. (Racial Diversity Reconsidered)

According to ABC News, racial and gender diversity
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Does Diversity in the Workplace Really Work?

Management That Leads

by Larry Poyner
Sunday 1 February 2009 @ 6:30 am

The Internet Article, Management that Leads , clearly addresses issues between leadership and management that are not often described in this manner. The co-dependency on both characteristics of leadership and management are discussed in a light that shows one quality works best with the presence of the other. Oftentimes, we try to express that one is a leader and not a manager, and vice-verse. However, when the two talents are merged we can begin to see how interdependent they really are. As a result, we are then more likely to improve the quality of our work at getting work done through others.

Leaders must learn to manage, and managers must learn to lead. When we see the two as interdependent we are more apt to
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Management That Leads

True Diversity: Ethics Development, Understanding, and Application

by Larry Poyner
Saturday 17 January 2009 @ 4:44 pm

Throughout my lifetime, the common thread that seems to tie everything together with regard to ethics is the general definition that it is doing the right thing when no one else is looking. In Do the Right Thing, (Salopek) Frank Navran says, “Values are our fundamental beliefs or principles. They define what we think is right, good, fair, and just. Ethics are behaviors and tell people how to act in ways that meet the standard our values set for us.” Bringing ones’ own value system into the equation is the in which way most answer the question “What is/are ethics.”
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True Diversity: Ethics Development, Understanding, and Application

Leadership 101

by Larry Poyner
Thursday 15 January 2009 @ 7:59 pm

Leaders are not leaders simply because they have a title that says they are. Certain sets of behaviors that people depend on and look to will be evident in a true leader. This is because leadership is a behavior, not a title. One of the main objectives of a good leader in the workplace is to remove obstacles and barriers that would prevent employees from being able to do their jobs.
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Leadership 101

Time Stealers Part II

by Larry Poyner
Sunday 4 January 2009 @ 5:11 am

Saying “No” is Not a Crime

Another top time stealer is the inability to say “No”. Over the years I have seen efficient employees become overwhelmed with additional duties, simply because of their inability to say no. Sometimes we, as managers, are guilty of putting more on our overachievers than we should, as well as taking on more ourselves. We need to learn that in order to remain efficient and keep an efficient team, we must allow an atmosphere that permits polite use of the word “No”. I would not suggest saying no regularly. Abusing the “say no” practice could give one the reputation of being obstructive. That could be counter-productive.
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Time Stealers Part II

Time Stealers Part I

by Larry Poyner
Tuesday 23 December 2008 @ 7:00 am

Procrastination is an area many of us have to battle. Oftentimes it is the easiest path to take when needing relief from the pressure of certain tasks. Simply telling ourselves that we will catch up tomorrow may relieve the immediate pressure, but we may end up feeling guilty for under-achieving. If we are never feeling remorse in this way then we have an even more serious problem!

Making “To Do” lists is one of the most basic ways to attack the issue of procrastination. This way your day has a plan, and it is easier to remain focused on a path to achieve each task. This does not mean you will complete each task every day, but with practice, it becomes easier to win the battle of procrastination.

Keep practicing in order to advance. I suggest filing your completed “To Do” lists. You can go back in a month and measure your own performance to see how you are progressing.

For further reading on “To Do” lists, Brian Benzinger wrote a very informative piece on Solutionwatch.com titled “25 To Do Lists to Stay Productive.”

Lack of Leadership Exposed!

by Larry Poyner
Monday 15 December 2008 @ 12:00 pm

Have you ever had one of your employees fill out an internal application for a position in another department only to discover their position could not be easily back filled if they were selected? If the answer to that question is “yes”, SHAME ON YOU! Yes, I shouted that. Shame on you for being in a position of leadership and not ensuring you have a pool of talent to choose from when this, very likely, situation occurs! We oftentimes become so comfortable with the people we have in place, that the thought of them leaving to seek another position does not factor in to our narrow view of the day to day happenings in the workplace. When they do accept another position, the challenge that comes with back filling their position is more costly than if we had properly invested in training associates to prepare them for such an opportunity! A lack of leadership is the reason for this vacuum that occurs when talent leaves a department.
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Lack of Leadership Exposed!