The Cranky Middle Manager 127 Strategy and the Fat Smoker- David Maister
The Cranky Middle Manager #127
Hey everyone. The big CMM Webinar was such a success we’re going to do it again. We’re going to have the same topic at a different time so more of you can join us.
Topic: Managing Remote Employees- Using Webmeetings to Keep Them Engaged
Date: January 29th 9PM (US) January 30th 2PM (Melbourne Australia)
What you need: Just headphones or speakers… you can use your microphone to ask questions or participate via chat. We’ll be using Dimdim….
How to Enroll: Drop me an email and say you want to join the fun. This is a co-production of The Cranky Middle Manager and www.greatwebmeetings.com
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome David Maister back to the show. Today we’re going to dedicate the program to Captain James Lancaster- curer of scurvy, but you’d never know it because he didn’t have the connections. Building a network is one of those obvious things we need to do and often don’t. Which is kind of the point.
3:24 The quote of the week is from Kahlil Gibran- what exactly is the obvious????
4:45 Welcome back David Maister. He was with us back in Episode 41 and now he’s back with his new book Strategy and the Fat Smoker. What the heck is THAT all about? Well some things are obvious but hard….. that’s pretty much the theme today kids.
9:30 What are some of the things that are “obvious but not easy”? Self discipline doesn’t work real well without coaching and support. (Yeah, how’s YOUR new year’s diet doing?) How good a coach are you? David tells a story about his own experience…. lessons hard learned. Makes me feel better.
14:15 We take really well-trained smart people and put them in positions where they’re not so smart. It’s often not the smartest people that get on best. What wins in business is interpersonal skills, enthusiasm, energy…. technical skill doesn’t make the list.
17:39 One of the obvious things that I don’t do well is socializing with clients… but I know it’s gotta be done. David tells me to get over it….
21:25 He has a chapter called, “Most Training is Useless”…. sad but true. Training is the last thing you do, not the first.
David’s resources:
The No Asshole Rule- Bob Sutton
Made to Stick- Chip and Dan Heath
That’s it for this episode gang, don’t forget to vote for us on Podcast Alley or iTunes so the rest of the world can find us. Don’t let the weasels get you down.
January 12th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
I love David Maister, maybe it’s because in all the lectures he posts he calls his students idiots at least once :) Actually I’ve been listening to his podcasts for a few years now and have gotten a lot out of them.
Adam