The Cranky Middle Manager Show #312 The Future of the MBA Ken Starkey
Quick catch-up on all the doings….
Posted on 30. Jul, 2009 by Wayne in General
Hi folks, lots going on in Crankyland and thought i’d give you a quick update. Some of these are cool, some are worth following and some are just bragging but that’s why DARPA spent billions of taxpayer money to create the internet.
I Am a Hopeless Semantic- One of our listeners, Brian Martin, submitted the new world tweetfacelinkblogging to the Urban Dictionary, and it was accepted. Check out the official definition here.
When You’re Hot, You’re Hot- I was just in Phoenix (115 degrees F for four days!) to speak on “6 Weeks to a Great Webinar”. First, the proof I was there:
Second, if you want to get $10 off the price of 6 Weeks to a Great Webinar, click this link and use the discount code P5RS4TRB.
Thanks to all the NSAers who made me feel like I belonged there and were so generous in digging my session.
Latest BNET Article On Remote Working- Do you treat your remote workers the same as your co-located team? You might think that, like mom and dad, you are even handed but they don’t think so. Check out the article here and share it with your friends. Of course it has been tweetfacelinkblogged.
Lots going on. Talk to you soon and don’t let the weasels get you down.
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #201 Adaptive Leadership Alexander Grashow
Posted on 28. Jul, 2009 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Wayne Turmel talks leading change from within with Alexander Grashow, author of The Practice of Adaptive Leadership. We also look at what the Chicago Blackhawks can teach middle managers about taking care of the little things or your mulleted head will roll.
Alexander Grashow, co-author of The Practice of Adaptive Leadership
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to show 201. Back to talking leadership. This show is dedicated to Dale Tallon, former GM of the Chicago Blackhawks and a sad lesson to all of us- do your paperwork.
3:33 The quote of the week is from Audre Lorde. Are you using the master’s tools to dismantle his or her house? How’s that working for you? By the way this is the first time in history Dale Tallon and Audre Lorde have been mentioned together. Just part of the charm of this show.
4:08 Welcome to Alexander Grashow, no stranger to grand ambition. His parents had more hope for him than mine had for me but I digress. What is Adaptive Leadership? Basically it’s how do you change businesses and people conduct their business? Can you actually evolve? As Darwin said, it’s evolve or die.
6:00 Here’s something you don’t want to hear- most systems are NOT dysfunctional, we get the processes we deserve. They get the results they are designed to get. Chew on that for a while.
9:49 I like to think of myself as the Steve Irwin of business people. Detached observation is the only way to really understand what’s going on and leaders need to listen and observe. This really applies to the politics of a situation- and there are ALWAYS politics.
14:30 Loyalty sounds like a grand thing, but understanding what people are loyal to and why is critical if you’re going to really assess a situation. Name your assumptions and make them plain. How do you test your assumptions without taking too much action too soon?
17:30 Finally a unique definition of leadership: disappointing your own people at a rate they can absorb. I’ll let him explain. Beware the Jerry McGuire moment.
21:39 How do you make conflict useful and productive instead of having it tear the team apart.? We have to get comfortable with productive conflict. Try to keep the conflict going 5 minutes longer than we’re comfortable.
24:00 Did you know YOU are a system? What is the part of you that contributes to the mess? What should you let go of?
Alexander’s Resources
His Book
What is the Best Leadership Blog?
Posted on 24. Jul, 2009 by Wayne in General
This is a great question. Our friend Kevin Eikenberry is having a contest to determine the best leadership blogs of 2009. He will tell you all about it here.
There are some great blogs, including by Cranky Guest and my buddy Steve Roessler (You can hear his interview here), Seth Godin and others. Some you’ll know, some will be new to you and all will be worth checking out.
Additionally, you can enter the contest to win Remarkable Leadership prizes- cool.
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #200 Staying Upbeat with Rajesh Setty
Posted on 20. Jul, 2009 by Wayne in Podcast
Today Wayne Turmel celebrates 200 interviews with people way smarter than him. Today it’s Rajesh Setty, author of the perpetually positive “Upbeat”. We also quote an operetta and ask my 16 year old about her manager.
My friend and mentor, the always upbeat Rajesh Setty
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to the 200th episode of the Cranky Middle Manager Show. I am taking this moment to let us quit being noble and helping our companies and teams and concentrate on ourselves. In Episode 198 it was all about being Hip and Sage with Lisa Haneberg. In Episode 199 it was preparing ourselves to take control of our careers with Mike Cook. Today it’s all about keeping an upbeat attitude, even when that’s the last thing you feel like doing. Misery is optional.
2:14 No dedication this week, because I am interviewing my 16 year old daughter, Her Serene Highness about her new job. If you read the Management Issues article, you know it didn’t start well but I thought I’d ask her about her manager. it also stops her nagging me about being on my show. If you’re going to manage millenials, might as well talk to one. Good luck to all of us.
5:25 The quote of the week is from W S Gilbert. Staying positive is important, but lots of us kind of enjoy being miserable on occasion….. admit it. I’m not alone here. Am I?
6:30 Welcome back Rajesh Setty to the show. He was one of our earlier guests, has been responsible for a number of others and has been a mentor to me and the show. (Hear his earlier interview here). He is also the author of a little book on keeping an upbeat attitude in spite of everything that’s going on. In fact, his first big idea is to quit thinking of everything that’s going on and worry about your own work and what you can actually control.
11:00 One of the great human instincts is to vent, but harping on how bad things are doesn’t accomplish anything. Quit talking about how bad things are, it creates a cycle of depression. That doesn’t mean you don’t talk about what’s going on in the company. I’m not sure I buy all of this, but then I’m uhhhh cranky.
15:05 You have to take care of your health. Seriously. For the record, I have lost almost 35 pounds and am in great shape. In a perfect world I’d be too busy to work out but I’ll let that irony sit there. Don’t let bad times be an excuse or you won’t be in shape to handle the demands on you.
18:00 Setting goals and being accountable for yourself is a huge piece of your attitude. You are important enough to keep promises you make to yourself.
21:51 Weird times are exactly the right time to take a risk…because the normal safe route isn’t working. It sucks but it’s true.
23:00 Raj is one of the best networkers I know. Tweetfacelinkblogging is not sufficient. Raj gives us some tips for creating a great network. A network is not there to help you….. it will but that shouldn’t be your focus. Start by seeing what you can do for them first…the rest will follow. Trite, but this guy lives it more than most I know…..
Rajesh’s Resources
His own Life Beyond Code Blog
a very cool site I can personally recommend: Active Garage
Don’t let the weasels get you down!