http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com Management Topics For Managers and Aspiring Managers Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:44:42 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en 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 ... http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/lack-of-leadership-exposed/ One company I worked with for a few years had an annual meeting where all the sales and unit managers from around the country were flown in for the event. These events are generally to announce things such as the state of the business, the goals and direction for the ... http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/mr-happypants-gets-fired/ Have you ever had a day in the life as a manager when you wondered "Why did they feel they had to share that with me?" What I am talking about is employees who feel they must give you the intimate details of what physical reason they have for needing ... http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/tmi-too-much-information/ For those of you who have been checking in from time to time to see the latest post, you are about to see a lot of changes. For our new readers, welcome! I hope you enjoy the archives, and come along for the ride as we evolve from the Strategic ... http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/changing-direction/ 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 ... http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/time-stealers-part-ii/ 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. ... http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/time-stealers-part-i/ After a long hiatus, I am back on track. While away from the blog, I have still been busy. However, it has been more about managing my personal life instead of the business and blog site. Looking forward to writing again and hearing your comments. My next post will ... http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/im-back/ General Douglas MacArthur led American forces in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945. His 17 questions with regard to leadership have been cited in numerous articles and books on Leadership. So, I believe I am in good company to cite these questions once again: 1. Do I heckle my subordinates or ... http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/macarthurs-17-questions/ "Given the economy right now, it's easy for rumors to get started," said Dennis Hoppe, owner of New York-based Change Management Implementation, Inc., a consulting firm. "People assume the worst, and in many cases their fears are validated." I found this quote from 2003 and it still rings true today. Many ... http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/rumor-at-work/ Sitting here discussing different aspects of faith with a friend, then thinking of this business blog, provokes me to ask, “Is the religion of secular humanism the only safe religion to have in the workplace?” If so, how do people of faith assimilate without compromising their faith? When “celebrating diversity” ... http://www.strategicmiddlemanager.com/is-the-religion-of-secular-humanism-the-only-safe-religion-to-have-in-the-workplace/