Author Archive

  • Sometimes the Leader Goes Last

    In creating culture on purpose, leaders have to lead, right? Right. But leading doesn’t always mean going first. Of course leaders have to exemplify the culture they’re trying…

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  • Reactivity vs Inquiry: A Case Study

    The manager — let’s call him Jerry — would storm into the open-plan area where the writers and designers were working, shout to get everyone’s attention, and then…

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  • 5 More Ways to Make Your Virtual Conference Successful

    As I shared last time, the most important thing you can do to make your virtual conference or meeting successful is to designate a Roz: a producer who,…

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  • You Need a Producer

    I mean producer as in movie or TV production: the person who stands behind the scenes to make the whole thing go. Small team meetings need a trained…

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  • Custodial Ownership Revisited

    In an earlier blog, I wrote: In one sense, everyone in the organization is responsible for a healthy and productive culture…. But leaders have custodial power over organizational…

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  • Nobody Really Hates Meetings

    Seriously. Nobody hates meetings per se. People hate meetings because they go on too long and there are too many of them. But how long is “too long”?…

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  • Once Upon a Time of Global Disruption

    Once upon a time of global disruption, the XYZ Corporation’s CEO, Mary, and its board chair, John, realized they needed to convene the board of directors every other…

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  • Virtual Meetings: 3 Pitfalls, 3 Easy Fixes

    Some of the causes of “Zoom fatigue”—which apply no matter which online meeting platform you use—are built into the technology. But many of the things that frustrate people…

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  • Overcoming COVID Anxiety: 4 Do’s and 5 Don’ts

    Not one of us can say with any certainty how this pandemic will affect our business and our mission. For most, what little we can foresee looks pretty…

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  • Getting the Most Out of Your Team in Trying Times

    In a crisis, emotions run high. You’re probably experiencing a wide range of feelings right now. Anxiety, grief, anger, relief, worry, panic, outrage, sadness, and gratitude may be…

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