The Cranky Middle Manager Show #312 The Future of the MBA Ken Starkey
The Cranky Middle Manager #98 All Things Workplace- Steve Roesler
Posted on 09. Jun, 2007 by Wayne in General, Podcast
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #098
Greetings everyone. I just want to say thank you for listening and being part of the fun. Whether it’s our Newsletter, our Frappr Map or just dropping me an email, it’s amazing how many of you are involved. Tons of you (assuming 150 pounds per person, it’s not a judgment call) have invited me to join you on Linkedin .
Our guest this week is Steve Roesler of the All Things Workplace blog. Talk about six degrees of separation, both Wally (Dinosaur Eggs) Bock and Dr Ellen Weber posted to his blog that he should talk to me…and since they’re smarter than I am and I listen to them, here we are.
0:00 Welcome to the show and thanks for being part of the conversation. This show is dedicated to Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman to be specific, and he really did exist). Trust me to find the connection between orchards and Linux. You try living with this brain for a while….
2:36 The quote of the week is from that big credit hog Samuel Johnson, but he’s right. You can know something or you can know where to find it when you have to…. help others by telling them about this show… let me know if you get us up on corporate intranets anywhere…. it happens.
3:45 Welcome to Steve Roesler. One of his articles asks: Can you be productive successful and satisfied 9 to 5? Well, what do YOU think? Is it the workplace’s job to fill our spiritual needs or do we just need to get over ourselves and be our own best friend?
7:45 People in their 40s are thinking about career switches…can companies afford to lose all these 40-ish brains. Do companies have the foggiest clue what to do about it? Should they?
13:06 What are our expectations of leaders? The quest to create “leaders” may be sucking resources out of training middle managers. Everyone wants to be a leader, no one wants to be a manager and people aren’t applying for the jobs. You think?
20:00 Bringing in icons like authors or coaches don’t have long-term effect. (Of course I”m still happy to speak to your organization…)
23:26 Steve has a very impressive blog roll (no, that’s not a euphemism). Here’s some of what he reads:
You can start with past CMM episodes with Wally Bock and Ellen Weber.
For written communication, try Copy Blogger
For presentations, check out Presentation Zen
Check out Jim Straup at Managing Leadership (yes there’s an invitation going out to him)
And of course, our old friend Adrian Savage at Slow Leadership . You can also check out our conversations in episode 54 and episode 73.
I love the point about brining in consultants who present their method, but don’t take the time to relate their method to your business.
This is the key problem with all the “team-building” excercises I’ve been too. They are such a loose metaphor for life in the office as to be completely useless.