The Cranky Middle Manager Show #312 The Future of the MBA Ken Starkey
The New Cranky Middle Manager Book – 125 Quotes for Whacking Weasels
Posted on 31. Aug, 2008 by Wayne in General
Okay everyone, my newest book, “125 Quotes for Whacking Weasels- Centuries of Wisdom, Motivation and Snappy Comebacks From The Cranky Middle Manager Show” is available for pre-order from my website. The actual book will be up on Amazon no matter where you live in about 3 weeks.
What would Lao Tze say during his performance review?
What would Napoleon say to the weasel who took his yogurt from the breakroom fridge?
If you’ve been inspired by the quotes of the week from The Cranky Middle Manager Show, this book is for you. 125 of the best quotes from the smartest people- and lots of smart-alecky laughs from host Wayne Turmel.
Support your arguments with words from people way smarter than you are!
Read things you’ll never find on a poster!
Sound way smarter than you really are!
Support the show and purchase from The Cranky Middle Manager Store All copies purchased from the site will be autographed by the author.
Only $12.99 including postage.
The Big Audience Quote Winner Is……..
Posted on 30. Aug, 2008 by Wayne in General
As promised, one of our listeners will get their quote on the back cover of my new book, 125 Quotes For Whacking Weasels- Centuries of Wisdom, Motivation and Snappy Comebacks From The Cranky Middle Manager Show.
Adam Larson is the man…. here’s how his quote will look on the back cover
Thanks to all the CMM Listeners who submitted kind words about the show. As you can see some very cool people have said some very nice things about the book.
To see more quotes, check out the page on my website.
Look for it to be available at The Cranky Middle Manager Store September 1, and on Amazon in about 3 weeks.
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #157 Managing Through a Downturn- Paul Sparta
Posted on 25. Aug, 2008 by Wayne in Podcast
Tough times call for tough managers. How do you handle downsizings, downturns and helping people get through rough periods? Plateau CEO Paul Sparta tells us how to buckle down and get back to work… Also we learn about the ultimate downturn if you’re an Inca king…
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to the show… Today we look at managing during a downsizing and downturn brothers and sisters….. Also we dedicate this episode to Atahualpa who proves you can do everything possible and still not make the new boss happy- especially during the ultimate downturn.
2:36 The quote of the week is from my boy Epictetus… sometimes stoicism is what you need, and it’s how you make your bones. Speaking of quote of the week, my new book, “125 Quotes for Whacking Weasels- Centuries of Wisdom, Motivation and Snappy Comebacks From the Cranky Middle Manager Show” will be available September 1!
4:38 welcome Paul Sparta. He’s thrown a bit by the Hunter S Thompson reference but hey it’s my show… What’s the hardest thing for a middle manager to get their head around during a downturn? Usually it’s being blindsided when you have to let people go. We’re too busy getting the job done to see what’s going on around us.
8:01 Managers need to be aware of what’s going on in the company AND in the world around us… we’re not working in a vacuum. Business acumen is one of the 4 Disciplines, after all. Let’s face it, sometimes given what’s going on you DO have too many people…
14:00 How do managers decide what their teams need to know and what will just freak them out unnecessarily? Folks need to know the metrics
17:00 Do companies tend to cut too deeply when they do finally make cuts? He makes the point using the movie Bottle Shock- grapes have to be under stress to create good wine.
20:00 Once the decision has been made, how do you go about getting back to work? You have to suck it up, be honest and survivor guilt be damned. Remember you’ve downsized to be the right size to get back to growing the company.
26:36 Paul’s Resources
You have to stop gazing at your navel and keep an eye on what’s going on out there.
Drop us a line… post to the blog…. let us know what you think.
Don’t let the weasels get you down!
Are You a GOOF or a MOOF?
Posted on 21. Aug, 2008 by Wayne in General
Working from home has both charms and drawbacks. In my latest Management Issues article, I talk about the trend to companies not having office space at all….and whether it’s a good thing or not. Make up your own darned minds…..
Oh, and thanks to everyone who alerted me that iTunes (am I the only one who is starting to believe that Apple may be its very own Evil Empire?) erased me from its memory banks and for a week we didn’t exist on the main podcast outlet on the planet! A thousand blessings on Cam Reilly at TPN and the brains at Xminds in India for getting me back in the game.