2019-03-26 16:35
The most important reason to be an effective leader is to help the group achieves its goals. Not for the status, or the power, but the results. So today, find ten minutes to revi… Read More
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Bob Legge - Return On People Blog
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Getting the most from your organization and yourself
2019-03-19 16:34
The departures of key executives from Facebook last week are the latest over the past 18 months. They highlight a number of key lessons in strategy and strategy implementation: Leaders… Read More
2019-03-11 16:34
I’ve been road bicycling in Aiken, South Carolina over the past week and have been amazed at the amount of litter along the backroads. I remember as a kid in New York when litter… Read More
2019-03-05 16:14
I saw a professional soccer game on the big screen at a Mexican restaurant last night. I always admire how really good soccer players know their positions and how adept they are… Read More
2019-02-19 16:31
Most of the leaders and senior executives I work with are grappling with not enough time in the day. They are running hard trying to stay on top of key issues, but it’s affecting… Read More
2019-02-12 16:36
A leader needs to keep in touch with customers because a business’ real value is realized on the outside. But it’s just as important to keep in touch with employees. … Read More
2019-02-05 16:35
Computers get bogged-down over time as programs take more and more memory. Similarly, organization structures and processes get bogged-down by the ongoing addition of policies, procedures, a… Read More
2019-01-29 16:35
One of the ways that meetings can be both frustrating and inefficient is when participants are faced with a situation and are going around and around debating alternative solutions. I’… Read More
2019-01-22 16:35
The word “accountability” can have a lot of negative connotations for people, including managers. In most cases, that’s because they either don’t understand acc… Read More
2019-01-15 16:32
Strategy fails when it’s not implemented well – when it’s not connected to what goes on in people’s jobs day-to-day. You need to connect it. And you also… Read More
2019-01-08 16:42
A quick observation: My best clients, the ones who get the most value from our work together, take the ideas we discuss and put them into practice instead of thinking about them or dwe… Read More
2018-12-11 16:30
Strategy formulation and planning are really two different things. And of course the value isn’t in spending three days setting strategy. The point isn’t walls full o… Read More
2018-12-04 16:38
Strategy isn’t about starting from today and going forward into the future. It’s about defining the future you want and working backwards from it to determine how you&rsquo&hell…Read More
2018-11-26 16:35
For all the benefits of six-sigma, lean, JIT, etc. (and there are significant benefits,) you must not let the focus on efficiency drive out innovation and creativity. This is particula… Read More
2018-11-20 16:44
Being excellent and efficient at getting things done is good. It’s what effective managers do. Being excellent at deciding which things to get done is critical. It’s what effecti… Read More
2018-11-13 16:28
Last week I heard from a teacher in the Boston area in response to my piece about accountability. She said, “Wow! This is what I do every day as a teacher!” Many managers and exe… Read More
2018-11-06 16:35
A significant challenge for management today is accountability. You must count on people doing what is expected of them, and doing it on time. But despite how important this is, many… Read More
2018-10-30 15:38
I used to wonder why it was that when I visit well-respected leaders their desks are clear of clutter. In most cases, there are only one or a few folders on their desks. And although schedul… Read More
2018-10-23 15:37
Learning drives competitive advantage. I If everyone in your company does pretty much the same work every day, you will standstill and lose your competitive edge. You need everyone to… Read More
2018-10-16 15:40
If you listen to the business press, you might come away thinking that developing people is all about culture. The message is something like: ‘leaders don’t grow people, they cre… Read More
2018-10-11 15:35
Amazon made news last week by raising all employee pay to a minimum of $15. No doubt this was in part a political move to take pressure off after reports of low pay and difficult working con… Read More
2018-10-03 15:32
Make sure your organization is aligned with your strategy. It’s not enough to communicate the strategy. Two examples: Example #1: I was called with an urgent need by a gas and electric… Read More
2018-09-25 15:39
Last week I was in Chicago and visited the world’s largest and most respected maker of fine stringed instruments, William Harris Lee & Company. They make violins, cellos, and other… Read More
2018-09-18 15:31
As a leader, you need to make sure that priorities are aligned throughout your organization, and that people are working on those priorities. To accomplish alignment, do the following: Provi… Read More
2018-09-11 15:34
Last week I was in Rhode Island where Autumn is beginning to take hold. It got me thinking about transitions and especially the transition that any new executive must make to shift from an o… Read More
2018-08-28 15:45
C-level executives must have discretionary time to work on the tasks that are most important to the company. These include such tasks as strategy, organization direction, communication, and… Read More
2018-08-21 15:45
An important challenge any successful executive needs to master is the transition from an operational project focus to a strategic focus. That’s not to say that projects aren’t i… Read More
2018-08-14 15:16
When I see a company year-after-year forecast sizable increases in revenues and profits and regularly miss the forecast I am reminded of Albert Einstein’s admonition about insanity: Do… Read More
2018-08-07 15:05
Nearly every company has experienced a period of prolonged financial difficulty. Growth does not occur in a straight line, but rather in a series of growth curves similar to product lifecycl… Read More
2018-07-31 15:38
Newly-promoted executives face a number of significant challenges as they adapt to an executive role. One of the most significant is the ability to think strategically. In my 30 years of wor… Read More
2018-07-24 14:56
Innovation and continuous improvement keep operating processes efficient and effective, but too often management processes get neglected and they can cause significant problems during growth… Read More
2018-07-19 08:00
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that employees are voluntarily quitting their jobs at the highest rate since the internet boom in 2001, and most of them are getting bigger paycheck… Read More
2018-07-17 15:43
Having the right strategy and structure is good, but you need to make sure that you have the right key players in every important management position. Is each one capable of helping to take… Read More
2018-07-10 15:40
Companies tend to organize by functions: Sales, materials, finance, manufacturing, product development, marketing, etc. But nearly all organizations produce value through a relat… Read More
2018-06-19 15:35
Organization silos occur when employees identify more with their group than with the company. When employees operate in silos they tend to keep information within their work group, distrust… Read More
2018-06-05 15:27
Many executives have the opportunity to increase quality and productivity in their organizations, and at the same time reduce demands on their time, simply by operating at their own level. T… Read More
2018-05-15 15:35
To get to the next level of performance and growth, you need to think differently about yourself, and especially your business. You cannot get to the next level by thinking the same way and… Read More
2018-04-24 15:37
I’ve been asked what key changes executives need to make in order to have a quantum leap in their effectiveness. What’s interesting about the question is that the answer has litt… Read More
2018-04-10 15:35
One of the dangers to both employees and companies these days, particularly in small to medium-size companies, is that there tends to be insufficient emphasis on continuous learning. The man… Read More
2018-04-03 15:35
Most organizations devote a lot more time and money on weak performers than they do on top performers. They think that by investing in the lowest performing people, they will improve overall… Read More
2018-03-27 15:39
Here is one of the most common, yet astounding, things that I see in organizations: Direct reports often aren’t clear on what their jobs are. Yes, they are busy all day, but if you ask… Read More
2018-03-20 15:33
You need to make sure that the information you receive is not filtered. That can be more difficult than it seems. You have to make sure that your people understand that you want candid and s… Read More
2018-03-13 15:27
You’re the leader. That means you choose the music that everyone dances to. You need to be out in front and leading, providing direction and ideas that excite and motivate… Read More
2018-02-20 16:40
Executing a strategy, implementing a decision, changing a culture, achieving an operating plan…all require the leadership skill of following-up. It is an enormous mistake to assume th… Read More
2018-02-13 16:40
Make sure that non-performers or weak performers throughout your organization know where they stand. I read a Wall Street Journal article this weekend about the New York City School System w… Read More
2018-02-06 16:43
Here are three suggestions to significantly reduce demands on your time: Attract, develop, and retain really good people who report to you. This is very highest priority because direct repor… Read More
2018-01-16 16:30
Build both accountability and managerial skills, especially in newly-promoted managers. Instead of asking a manager for detail on project progress, ask what he or she needs to do in his/her… Read More
2018-01-09 16:43
A common challenge of leaders is to become a better, more inspiring and energizing communicator. To do that, it helps to change your perspective on your business and to think about it differ… Read More
2017-12-12 16:30
Developing a highly-functioning top team is not easy. It takes the right combination of people, agreement on a clear direction, the ability to interact effectively, and a number of other fac… Read More
2017-12-05 16:30
This is a good time of year to recognize exceptional performance of one or a few key individuals. Consider a lump-sum cash award, especially if you have someone who does not participate in a… Read More
2017-11-28 16:31
Every organization needs to ensure continuous learning and increasing overall competency. In addition, younger employees are anxious to take on more responsibility, while senior employees ar… Read More
2017-11-21 16:30
Take the time to walk around this week and thank your people for the work they do, the ideas they surface, and the opportunities they discover. Make it a weekly habit. I am grateful to all m… Read More
2017-11-14 16:25
When working with clients on implementing strategy, accelerating change, or improving performance, the actual results they achieve can vary greatly. Some clients make good steady progress wh… Read More
2017-11-07 16:40
To be successful, managers and leaders need good relationships with their peers, subordinates and bosses. Yet, I usually see less-than-effective relationships when working with a leader. Oft… Read More
2017-10-30 15:40
If you want exponential growth, you need to have a very clear picture of the business you want to have in the future: What will you be providing? Who will be the customers? How big will the… Read More
2017-10-24 15:45
The long-time Weinstein abuse and harassment was both widespread and known in the entertainment industry and beyond. It was an “open secret” that at least one major media outlet… Read More
2017-10-17 15:45
One of the most important factors in achieving high performance is teamwork. That’s true for two reasons: First, because organizations exist because their overall mission and goals req… Read More
2017-10-10 15:42
Corporate culture is in the news due to the likes of Wells Fargo, Uber, and the Harvey Weinstein Company. CEOs, through their own behavior, set the values and the standards of an organizatio… Read More
2017-10-03 15:47
Business strategy is all about having a distinctive position in your market, and making that distinctiveness sustainable. A distinctiveness that can be easily replicated is not a good strate… Read More
2017-09-26 15:46
To grow your business and improve profits stop thinking of your company as one of many competitors in a broad market, and define a narrower market niche to focus on. Pick a niche that you ca… Read More
2017-09-19 15:36
The CEO has the responsibility to think strategically about the company and its business. This is a two-fold challenge: The first part is to extricate yourself from day-to-day tactics, probl… Read More
2017-09-12 14:00
Exactly 20 years ago, Apple came up with a “Think Different” marketing theme. In part it was a rejoinder to IBM’s “Think,” but it resonated widely with business… Read More
2017-08-29 20:42
I’ve seen a lot of companies with fairly generic values posted in conference rooms and other work spaces. You know, values such as “Fairness,” “Teamwork,” and … Read More
2017-08-22 14:00
Parkinson’s Law states that work will expand to fill the time allotted to it. That’s why meetings fill the time scheduled even when the content doesn’t require it. The seni… Read More
2017-08-15 16:37
Don’t laugh. I find that many key employees, often including managers of functions, really don’t understand the whole business and what it takes both to make money and what the r… Read More
2017-08-08 16:18
I work with CEOs, presidents, and high-level executives to improve their effectiveness. While I have made exceptions, as a rule I won’t take a client who is referred to me for remedial… Read More
2017-07-25 16:42
These Have to Change When You Become an Executive Leader When a person is promoted to a leadership position as a CEO, COO, president, or senior executive there are three primary competencies… Read More
2017-07-11 16:45
Over the past 30 years, I’ve worked on strategy and strategy execution with the senior management of Fortune 1000 companies, mid-market companies, and Inc 5000 companies. In all… Read More
2017-06-27 16:33
Professional race car drivers have their eyes well down the track in anticipation and readiness. So do the very best equestrians who immediately upon completing one jump will be lookin… Read More
2017-06-20 16:29
In 1966, The Beatles decided not to tour or do live concerts anymore. They made the decision primarily because they did not feel they were growing, evolving. When they played a c… Read More
2017-06-13 16:20
The need to continually develop knowledge and skills is important throughout an organization. You’ve got to have people who are capable of handling new and bigger challenges in a… Read More
2017-06-05 16:29
Investing in people to develop and become better performers is important — as long as you are getting a good return on the investment. But too often I see organizations spending… Read More
2017-05-09 15:58
Business strategy is all about competitive advantage. An brilliant strategy is be both unique and sustainable. If it’s not unique, then you’re simply running the same… Read More
2017-05-02 16:31
There is a shortage of good talent for many key positions. It may seem counterintuitive, but it is imperative at times like this that you be MORE selective in who you attract and selec… Read More
2017-04-25 16:04
Back before culture surveys, attitude surveys, and engagement surveys, we used to have climate surveys, which were a way to measure the “climate” in an organization. I find… Read More
2017-04-18 16:40
Strategic incentives are a good idea at the top. But getting everyone one in a large company on the same page is difficult, and it doesn’t always work. Here are a few curre… Read More
2017-04-13 16:40
An organization that accepts mediocrity is a haven for under performers, and very frustrating for high performers. Here are ten ideas I found in my work with organizations are each eff… Read More
2017-04-11 16:35
Mediocrity is bad for a number of reasons. Workplaces that allow mediocrity also de-motivate high performers. And tolerating mediocrity reduces an organization’s energy and… Read More
2017-03-28 16:39
When something bad is about to happen, people will get tense. When beginning a competition, people will become focused. When preparing for a happy occasion, people will become re… Read More
2017-02-28 16:46
From many years of coaching executives, here are five pointers for becoming a better leader: Hire people who are better than you in their discipline; not subordinates. Focus yourself on key… Read More
2017-02-22 12:33
Here it is: Most people have above average reviews, but the company is under-performing. Sure, it could be the case that everyone is working hard, and the company results aren’t… Read More
2017-02-14 16:53
It’s February and you’ve got most of the year still ahead. See if you can answer these questions clearly and briefly: What is your strategy? What is the over-arching… Read More
2017-01-23 16:45
From over 30 years of working with organizations of all sizes and in many industries on improving business outcomes especially growth and profits: The most valuable part is having a plan tha… Read More
2017-01-17 16:45
An arsonist is someone who finds little things to pick on, to call attention to, and to question. They start small “fires” here and there requiring time and attention… Read More
2017-01-10 16:45
Many people tell me that they like my On the Same Page emails because they are brief, to-the-point, and practical. I try to do the same thing when I speak. Because I learned some… Read More
2016-12-20 16:46
In the 1970’s, the Army launched a study to identify where, in their organization, race relations were the best. The answer: In a foxhole under fire. It doesn’t… Read More
2016-12-13 16:38
I am often asked to look at people in key positions who are not performing at the level expected. Often, management already has in mind the solution: “He needs training,&rd&hell…Read More
2016-12-09 11:15
I see three significant reasons why companies don’t grow and fail to improve profitability: Lack of Focus — This takes many forms including no strategy, weak strategy implementat… Read More
2016-12-05 11:19
I’ve been immersed in different cultures for the past couple weeks in Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Yangon, Myanmar. Some observations germane to leaders: These cultures are distinctly… Read More
2016-11-15 16:40
I often work with organizations on leading and managing change — sometimes major change in very large companies affecting hundreds or thousands of employees. In response to chang… Read More
2016-11-08 16:46
An important focus for any business strategy is to establish a competitive advantage for the firm. The two primary ways to do this are to be the low-cost producer and to be signi… Read More
2016-11-01 16:46
Oops! In last Monday’s email, I wrote that a 1000-foot runway (implementation plan) would be insufficient for a beautiful jet (corporate strategy) that requires a runway of… Read More
2016-10-25 16:43
My client called me to help improve company performance. The strategy they had developed was beautiful, like a new 747, capable of taking them where they wanted to go. The proble… Read More
2016-10-18 16:40
This one is simple: If strategy and culture go head-to-head, bet on the culture. Here’s why: Too many leaders, especially those who are out to change a company’s stra… Read More
2016-10-11 16:35
The foundation of accountability is commitment. When one is committed to accomplishing something, the hesitation and fear are replaced by resolve and energy. When one is not comm… Read More
2016-10-04 16:45
There are very, very few companies that have been great over a long time. It’s as if they were able to assemble an organization, a strategy, a culture, and product/services that… Read More
2016-09-22 08:33
Most strategies fail to achieve their objectives, not because the strategies are faulty, but because the implementation is weak. It’s like building a beautiful jet airplane requi… Read More
2016-09-13 16:45
When planning any sort of culture change, be aware that culture change often has an impact on customers and vendors. This is particularly true when making a strategic change in the bus… Read More
2016-08-31 16:48
Over the years that I have worked with companies to improve performance, just about every cause of poor performance can be traced to one or more of the following: Lack of accountability. Emp… Read More
2016-08-29 16:44
There isn’t a strategy. The strategy is distributed in 3-ring binders, everyone celebrates getting that done and thinks the strategy will implement itself. The strategy is actually an… Read More
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