Manager Musings

Too often when we think of diversity the first thing that comes to mind is race. If we keep a narrow definition in our minds as what diversity is, we will never fully leverage its benefits.

When we see diversity simply as it relates to gender, nationality, and ethnicity, it is more of a superficial diversity. A deeper level of diversity will include differences in values, experiences, knowledge, age, as well as gender, orientation, ethnicity, and nationality. If we can leverage this deeper-level diversity
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Leveraging Diversity in the Workplace

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

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

The most effective employees are the ones who are able to render the company mission and values into the types of operational, strategic and tactical decisions made along the management chain. Managers, who characteristically translate ideas into action, can benefit from a common and clearer understanding of the correlation between decisions made at the top levels and the impact those decisions have down on the production levels.

Disseminating such information in a timely fashion with regard to the values and mission of the company is a vital tool toward building a shared culture. Inspiring middle managers with confidence to execute their jobs and direct their teams in the support of the goals of the organization is a primary key toward building this culture. This blog will try to provide useful insight to link managers more closely to those goals, in order to have the perspective to manage around them. When middle managers feel like they can truly impact the business, they recommit themselves to the goals of the organization. Sharing experiences and best practices in this format may be beneficial to us all. Remember what one author wrote when he stated “None of us is as smart as the sum of us.” –Larry