The Cranky Middle Manager Show #316 The Final Cranky Show and the Future of Work with John Blackwell
Free download on managing remotely
Posted on 07. Nov, 2008 by Wayne in General
70% of us are trying to manage virtual teams or have at least one team member who doesn’t work in the same location as we do. That’s something i’ve heard from CMM listeners for years. What are some of the things we can do about it?
Recently two listeners shared their stories with me and I’ve documented it in a new white paper (doesn’t that sound arrogant? How about big-ass article?) called “Training and Team Communication in the Workplace Diaspora”. Basically it’s about keeping your team motivated and intact when you can’t always get together.
You can download it for free here. Find all kinds of free articles and cool stuff at www.crankymiddlemanger.com/freestuff.
While you’re there, check out our store including my newest book, 125 Quotes for Whacking Weasels- Centuries of Wisdom, Motivation and Snappy Comebacks From the Cranky Middle Manager Show
Let me know what you think of it.
The Cranky Middle Manager #166 High Altitude Leadership Don Schmincke
Posted on 02. Nov, 2008 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Today Wayne Turmel talks with author Don Schmincke about what leaders can learn from people who climb the world’s most dangerous peaks. We’re talking High Altitude Leadership. We also talk about a French physicist and a chance for listeners in Chicago to meet up in December.
Don Schmincke, author of High Altitude Leadership
And don’t forget our new book:
Show Notes:
0:00 Welcome to the 166th episode of the show. Today we’re talking about scaling the heights of more than the org chart. Don Schmincke is co-author of an exciting book, High Altitude Leadership- What the World’s Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success and the brains behind the SAGA Leadership Institute. We also talk about the mountaineer and physics genius Jean Buridan and the genius behind the Theory of Impetus and Buridan’s Ass… remember if you don’t write it down, it’s your …….
2:24 Our quote of the week is from Victor Hugo- anything truly mountainous has a “sacred horror” to it.
2 Quick Announcements:
1) The first Cranky Middle Manager Course is in pilot stages and will be held December 15 and 16. Read more about it here or drop me a line.
2) Since a bunch of us will be together on December 15th, we’re thinking of holding a meetup at Shoeless Joe’s Sports Bar near Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. Want to attend? Drop me a line for more details... local listeners and guests will get together to meet and just hoist a frosty beverage together. It’ll be fun!
5:09 Today we’re talking mountains. How did a consultant meet a mountain climber and what did they learn from each other? By the way, co-author Chris Warner is a very cool guy in his own right. I’m not usually a big fan of drawing equations between sports and the real world we all face, but this is frickin’ amazing!.
9:49 He didn’t discover new principles, but he did discover leadership DANGERS that can create havoc at best, and violent plummeting death at worst. This is no time to flip through a book. The death-to- summit ratio on K2 is 1 to 7… don’t whine about your job ever again.
12:32 The first danger is Fear. Watching your guide drop 20,000 feet will put your reptilian brain in charge.
15:00 Don’t get caught up in “tool seduction”… technology is no replacement for common sense.
19:39 Since we run on instinct why do trainers and consultants even bother? 90% of training doesn’t work worth a darn.
26:00 Don describes the Gravity Effect …. stuff will happen no matter what you do. Some things are out of your control. Get comfortable with that.
Don’s Resources
The Halo Effect and 8 Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers
Read outside your discipline… anthropology, history, biology tell us as much as Tom Peters can.
Don’t let the weasels get you down!!!
The First Cranky Training Course- Want To Help Develop It?
Posted on 01. Nov, 2008 by Wayne in General
Here are the details on the first ever Cranky Middle Manager training program. We are holding a stealth, very cool dress rehearsal/beta test and you’re invited to attend and give us feedback. Here are the ugly details:
Managing Engineers: Become the Manager You Always Wanted to Have
Date December 15, 16 2008
Place Best Western O’Hare, Des Plaines (Chicago) IL
Time 9-4 each day
Price: This is the cool part- ordinarily this will be $1,000 for 2 days but during this pilot program you can attend for $450.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
Participants will learn and practice specific skills vital to the success of the technical manager, including:
Delegation and Assigning Tasks
You will learn how to delegate assignments to get buy-in and maximum results. One of the most important things is deciding what tasks to do and which to let go of. How do you define/assign them to your team to get max buy-in and ultimately peak performance.
One on Ones
Give your direct reports your time and attention, and they will go to the wall for you. We will discuss the elements of effective one-on-ones, including what should be on the agenda, how to schedule them, and where to have them, then put these ideas into practice via role-playing exercises.
Performance Reviews
End-of-year performance reviews can become an empty ritual, or a source of needless angst. Learn how to design and implement an ongoing review process that will provide your employees with useful, actionable feedback throughout the year.
SWOT Analysis
You’ll learn a structured technique for identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for any given project. SWOT is an excellent tool for evaluating business opportunities such as starting a new line of business, entering a new market, pursuing a new development project, or allocating resources.
Delivering Effective Feedback
Giving feedback to direct reports is one of the most important parts of a manager’s job, yet many managers feel uncomfortable talking to individuals about their performance, be it positive or negative. You’ll learn a simple system for giving effective and efficient feedback.
Active Listening
Managers who listen well are trusted more, experience less conflict, and are listened to in return. Active listening techniques can increase your own clarity of understanding and improve the quality of your team’s overall communication.
Develop an action plan for your own success
Becoming a great manager is an on-going process. You will leave this course with personalized action plan for taking your management skills to the next level. Build on the momentum… You will identify strengths and weaknesses… Take the course experience.. So that you can apply the course experience immediately….