A colleague shared with me this speech clip from Susan Salgado, director of culture and learning for Danny Meyer’s famous Union Square Hospitality Group. The group includes Shake Shack among many other brands. The clip is a short story about a hospital nurse who took some clever steps to ensure patients received quick and efficient care. What will impress you …
Horn Sections Make Rock Better: Do It Again
I know nothing about this group or this song. I heard it in a hotel lobby, put it through Shazam and learned that it might be from 1976 (according to YouTube) or 2014 (according to AllMusic). Sure sounds funky. …
The death that comes with growth
My first boss, when I would complain about being busy, would say, “Mark … that’s a high-class problem.” He was right, of course. Better than the alternative. … There is another high-class problem that all successful organizations face: growth. If all growth meant were more clients, more sales, more profits, wonderful. But with the sales come more processes to execute. …
Podcast 93: The Workplace Book Club — Conviction vs. Friendship
What’s more important, logic or relationships? Truth or friendship? Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” has something to say about that–yes, even at work. Another episode of #guyswithoutlookswithbooks, where we bring the book club to the workplace. The excerpt and study guide for this episode, “Conviction vs. friendship,” is available for free download. We would love your questions and comments …
Good news: Loyalty is dead
In about a month, this website may disappear. I received an email that it is time to renew my domain. The link in the email doesn’t work. And the phone number leads me to believe I’ll need about an hour on the phone. They haven’t lost me as a customer yet. But they will. Assuming I figure out how to …
Horn Sections Make Rock Better: Possession (live–with the rest of the concert!)
Elvis Costello is in my top 5. Having said that, I developed an even deeper love for him after hearing two songs: “Sweet Pear” from Mighty Like a Rose and a live version of “Possession” that was a bonus track on an album’s CD reissue. Both feature the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. No surprise there. Imagine my delight at finding …
Redefining a good job, honoring one willing to work
“I’m looking for people who want a career, not a job.” I’ve had many clients, especially car dealerships, say that to me. I get the point. They want someone who is investing in their future. Looking at the big picture. Not just punching the clock and going through the motions. And while they look for those types of employees. … …
Podcast 92: Introducing the Workplace Book Club — #guyswithoutlookswithbooks
Mark puts his money where his classically educated mouth is: He and Mike read and discuss a bit of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.” What in the world does this have to do with the workplace? A lot, it turns out. Do you know anybody who is proud of their defects? Welcome to #guyswithoutlookswithbooks. The excerpt and study guide for …
Coming soon: The Workplace Book Club
We’re doing something weird on the podcast next week, so I want to give an introduction: A recent series on this blog discussed the immersive technologies that may lead to a metaverse. (If this viral video from Walmart is any judge, we aren’t quite there yet. … Elon Musk isn’t impressed either.) It also discussed how cyberpunk authors predicted such …
Podcast 91: How do you handle toxic high producers?
From our case files: dealing with THPD (Toxic High Producer Dilemma). How do you measure someone’s negative effects on your culture against their positive effect on your bottom line? What options do you have? What will you have to commit to to handle it? All this and more on today’s episode. We would love your questions and comments for future …