Your meetings stink (and shouldn’t).

Memes from sales professionals are the best workplace memes: If you feel this way about your meetings, imagine how attendees feel. Meetings are such a huge opportunity to inspire, to reach consensus, to MOVE FORWARD. If you are struggling with how to structure yours, contact me–I love helping managers think through their goals on this. Also: Hip Socket has some …

Necessary for great teamwork: humility like U2

Inc. has a nice article about humility at work. It got me thinking about great teams and great teamwork. You may not like them, but U2 will go down as one of the great rock groups by just about every measurement: hits, sold-out tours, historic performances … and staying power. Most bands disintegrate into ego issues after two or three …

Horn Sections Make Rock Better: I Want a New Drug

The first vinyl I ever owned were two 45s my parents bought me: Juice Newton’s “Queen of Hearts” and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.” I’m not sure what that says about me or my parents. But you can probably guess my age. The second pop acquisition: My friend’s older brother taped a Huey Lewis song off of Power 94½. You …

Pre-judging

I’m not sure a white man should post about prejudice during Black History Month. But here are two stories about prejudice, one that brags on my family, one that shows my failings: My great uncle made the trek from Mexico to visit back when I was in college. We didn’t get to see Uncle Dick much, but I certainly made …

Are your employees punk?

Do you want employees with green mohawks and safety pins in their cheek? How about employees who understand their work, say what’s really going on, strive to strip away what’s not working, willingly suffer to point out problems and pursue joy in their work? This fascinating article details “principles of punk rock at work” that may resonate with you. If …

Opportunities in American dissatisfaction

Is there an opportunity for employers in this interesting study from Gallup? Americans are more dissatisfied this year than since the annual survey began in January 2001. Conservatives are more dissatisfied with the government–and with corporations. Liberals are more dissatisfied with organized religion. But satisfaction has dropped, period. Is there an opportunity here? Research shows that workers who are more …

King David was a redneck.

Swept under the rug Rednecks have a communication problem. It may be one you share as a leader. Following is how to address that communication problem. But first, a tragic cautionary tale from a famous redneck: King David. King David’s son, Amnon, raped his half-sister, Tamar. Amnon method was to pretend to be sick and ask their father to send …

What is success?

What could bring your greatest happiness? Conan the barbarian (or Genghis Khan, depending on who you ask) said it is “to crush your enemies, to see them fall at your feet — to take their horses and goods and hear the lamentation of their women.” An old catechism summarizes some Bible verses, including Psalm 37:4, by saying man’s purpose it …