Business points of view
Beginning in 1943 and continuing throughout most of his life, Abraham Maslow developed a theory of human behavior that included his “Hierarchy of Human Needs”. Since business is a human construct, businesses can be explained in much the same manner using what I call a Hierarchy of Business Needs.
We live in an age of distraction, not concentration. IM and the mute button during conference calls insure that no one is fully engaged.
A leader needs to focus on the positive by asking the right questions.
Working on the right things. Easy to agree that is the proper approach, but not so easy to do. Good leadership, as Peter Drucker has so succinctly stated, is working on the right things. The devil is in the detail and subtleties.
Ten Leadership Rules: Trust, Team, Credit, Inspiration, Vision, Rewards, Integrity, Optimism, Growth, and Have Fun.
Are we really unhappy at work? For many of us that answer is a resounding “YES!” For others, they do love their job. “Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.” (H. Jackson Browne) I remember reading Studs Terkel’s book, “Working” when I was in school and it seemed to me then that it was a rare case that people loved their jobs and it didn’t matter if they were in blue or white collar jobs. Some people see the glass half full, others half empty.
So is the United States at an inflection point? I would say yes indeed, but the frightening fact is that we might be headed towards the downward spiral of the inflection curve. After World War 2 the United States was able to take a leadership role in the global economy and we have remained in that role more than 60 years. The first chink in our armor came in the seventies with the growth of manufacturing in Asia and continues with outsourcing of intellectual capital throughout the world. What frightens me is our lack of focus on what is important.
“I love deadlines; I especially like the SWOOSHING sound they make as they fly past.” (Douglas Adams)
Fair disclosure – I currently manage a group of project managers as part of my responsibilities and I have been a project manager for many years, so naturally I think the rarest skill of all is good project management and good project managers. I also think good leaders are just as rare. So why are project managers so rare? Perhaps it is the skills that are required are hard to find in one person.
How do we manage conflict and disagreements; have fully functioning teams; and embrace multiple cultures? Team Chemistry. A number of work psychologist suggest that you should voice disagreements and that will help resolve them. My experience is that without the bond of friendship you cannot resolve differences. Friendship overcomes cultural differences, internecine squabbles, and is the best glue to fix arguments and issues. Building great teams takes years and involves finding the right mix of people who respect one another, have different strengths that complement one another, and who genuinely enjoy working with each other.