Articles—Topics and Issues
Click on each underlined title for the full article.
Problems
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Turnover & Retention
Strengthening relationships improves retention and brings big gains in other areas-a striking example.
Retention — Tomorrow’s Challenge
Retention may not be an issue for
you today, but recent surveys suggest it will be a big problem for many companies
tomorrow. Here’s what you can do to cut the problem and improve today’s
performance.
Attitude is a Two-Way Street
Attitude is a two-way street between a person and the work culture. To change attitudes, we must work towards changing the "culture" in which the attitude lives.
by Roy Howe, V.P. Operations, General Produce Company, Sacramento. Previously General Manager, Distribution Center, San Leandro, Albertson's Stores.
Morale
High morale is a key to success. But what is morale? How can you build it? Here are some answers.
Resistance
People always respond appropriately to a situation-from their point of view. The idea that people resist change is a myth. You can use this truth to build support for rapid change.
Managing Your Boss
Your Dad? Your Mom? Darth Vader? Or is that your Boss? Morph them back.
From Silence to Homicide
Sabotage in U.S. Companies is endemic and expensive. It is intimately linked to company culture. Here's how to manage it.
Making Meetings More Open
What to do when people look to the boss before speaking.
When Competition is Destructive
Internal competition often works against the culture, against open communication.
Bullshit Bingo
Sometimes topical or fashionable words block real communication. A humorous perspective.
Actions
Empowerment—Promotions and Transfers
Use this process to pick the best candidate, satisfy everyone involved, and develop the culture.
Empowerment-Selecting Your Own Leader
When a group is involved in selecting its own leader, you get the best candidate and a motivated, committed team.
Empowerment-The Self-Organizing Supervisors
With a gentle push these supervisors structured themselves - by Greg Tippings
Empowerment—Building Collaboration
One of life's great truths: people like to be involved in decisions that affect them. Collaboration is a basic human desire. To get it, just invite it. Two examples.
Example—Strategic Plans That Get Results
How to get involvement, buy in, and action on your company's strategic direction.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions are often like a crapshoot-you don't always get what you buy. You can sweeten the odds.
Leadership
Quickly Build an Effective Work Team
Turning a new group into an effective problem solving team takes work. Without strong leadership, a new group will self-destruct. However, with strong but autocratic leadership the group will become passive and unproductive. What should you do?
The HR Professional as Internal Culture Consultant
This paper was written for the NCHRA* Bulletin, August 2002. It describes the structure and role an HR manager should adopt to help the leadership team change the culture.
Ask People What Motivates Them
If you want a workplace where people are more motivated, ask your employees and managers what motivates them, and then act on it.
The New World Leadership Style
The most feared competitor is a company where everybody is deeply engaged and committed. This takes special leadership.
Making Decisions
The old way and the new way. You decide which to use.
Problem—Who Has It?
The first step in problem solving is figuring out who's got the problem. The next step is also tough, keeping the problem where it belongs-with the person who has it.
Delegation
Leaders can build relationships and improve delegation by sharing experiences, and by coaching. This improves the quality of people's work-life, and builds outstanding company performance. Such delegation is a subtle dance.
360 Degree Feedback—The Cultural Approach
People can only do their best when
they know where they stand. Good interpersonal feedback tells people what's
really going on.
Three Essentials for Effective 360-Degree Feedback.
I find 360-degree feedback tools useful and objective under three conditions. Without all these, some leaders will reject the feedback or not use it. by Brent Green, Ph.D.
Listening
Listening saves big dollars.
Helping Groups Stay on Track
Few groups stick to their task for long. They usually don't notice that they have wandered off. It's up to the leader to reel them back. Here's how.
Control—Get Out Of The Way!
Over-control at the top can stifle productivity.
When Opportunity Knocks—Be Ready
Create a culture where all employees make the most of opportunities. Being ready when opportunity knocks is good for people, and great for business.
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