The Cranky Middle Manager Show #311 Serial Innovators Claudio Feser
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #274 8 Styles of Collaboration–Mehrdad Baghai
Posted on 27. Feb, 2011 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Today Wayne Turmel talks to author Mehrdad Baghai about his book, “As One: Individual Action, Collective Power”. There are many ways to get work done as a team…you have to pick the right one for the right job and then do it right. We also talk the Persian Empire and French existentialism. Just another day in the salt mines here…….
Don’t forget great webinar workshops available from GreatWebMeetings.com each month!
How to Create and Manage Remote Teams March 25
Web Presentation Basics March 28 and 30
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to the show. Today we’re talking about the obvious, but often overlooked fact, that while “collaboration” is one word there are plenty of ways to go about doing it. 8 of them, to be specific. As evidence, we offer Achaemenes, founder of the Persian Empire. When you don’t have Aliens helping you like the Egyptians, you have to forge your own path.
4:05 The quote of the week is from Antoine de Saint Exupery who said that regardless of individual talents or failings, it’s when everyone comes together good things happen. Of course, he said it in French and much better than I just did….
4:58 Mehrdad Baghai and James Quigley have written a very heft, gorgeous and impressive book called “As One: Individual Action, Collective Power”. How do you get an entire team or organization to pull in the same direction? How do you get them to behave “as one”?
6:33 What does it even mean when they’re working as one? Does it mean mindless lockstep? It really contains three elements: Who are they? What are they trying to do? What processes are in place to help them get there and how do they work together? Turns out there are about 8 ways to do that.
8:18 One group that they use as an example are the Dabbawalas,or lunch delivery people of Mumbai. A much cooler example than SouthWest airlines for the 300th time. They have a shared identity, a shared purpose and a real sense of pride in what they do.
10:43 Even though there are three components, there are 8 different organizing structures for teams. Each has a name, certain characteristics and behaviors that work (and don’t). When you know what you’re doing and how to make it work, you can all get on the same page.
12:50 While we studiously avoid the idea of sports as metaphor for business in general, actually “Captain and team” is a legitimate model for some teams. As are military models, or the idea of the conductor and orchestra. They all work under certain circumstances and certain types of work. They won’t apply universally.
16:58 People are surprised to find out that people on the same team might have different collaboration styles. You have to have one and work it.
20:45 When is like-mindedness a good thing and when do you want active dissent? Some teams, like “Producer/Creative Team” can’t survive without it. Other types require unity more than other traits. Of course, that assumes that you’re the right type of team in the right kind of culture. Maybe YOU’RE the one who needs to change or at least adapt your style.
28:13 At the core of it all, leaders have to ask what we’re doing that works and doesn’t. Do you understand the identity people need to have? Do you understand what people should actually commit to?
Resources
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #273 The Orange Revolution–Gostick and Elton
Posted on 19. Feb, 2011 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Welcome everyone, today we talk teams, their impact on companies and why it’s hard to do the right thing. Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton have been here before and this time they’re back as a team, but I think I can take’em. Also we look at, and quote, Lawrence of Arabia. What is this sick thing this show has for deeply twisted, quixotic characters? Some questions it doesn’t pay to ask.
Don’t forget great webinar workshops available from GreatWebMeetings.com each month!
How to Create and Manage Remote Teams February 25
Web Presentation Basics (2 parts) February 21 and 23
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to the show. Today we are joined by Chester Elton and Adrian Gostick who have been wtih us before. Since we’re talking teams that change things, we dedicate this episode to Lawrence of Arabia and his march on Aqaba. Unintended consequences aside, it was pretty amazing. Hopefully your team efforts don’t result in 75 years of bloodshed and confusion, but who can tell with some projects?
2:56 The quote of the week is also from TE Lawrence: do you just dream at night like everyone else or do you dream during the waking hours, which makes you more dangerous (and possibly delusional, but I’m not a shrink).
3:43 Welcome Chester Elton and Adrian Gostick to the show. Click the links to hear their previous visits. They’ve been here before but this time they’re together, which befits a show on teamwork. The show is based on some great research, so they share the origins with us.
7:10 What separates the teams and organizations that think they’re pretty good from those that actually are? Turns out it’s engagement driven by a noble cause. Don’t laugh, it matters and it’s not easy to identify.
12:05 Can you dictate or enforce a culture? Engagement has to come from the bottom up and most of us have no idea how to inspire that. They sure don’t teach it in B School. Oh and we resort to SuperB owl references, especially the famous coach Vince Lombardi’s philosophy.
14:30 We make up for that with reference to the Australian Navy’s HMAS Descaineux brush with disaster.
15:34 Sometimes your best efforts at recognition and reward meet with disaster. American Express learned this the hard way. Gumby doesn’t always make the grade.
17:55 What about remote teams? How can you create that team spirit when you’re not together? They don’t even have to be on the other side of the world. You need to build a sense of community and belonging. A simple thing like actually picking up the phone takes on more importance. Is a phone call “too intimate”? Social media can help as well but it doesn’t always happen spontaneously, managers need to noodge it.
24:26 Resources and stuff
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #272 Revisiting Bud to Boss Kevin Eikenberry
Posted on 13. Feb, 2011 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Today we talk about making the move from “From Bud to Boss”--that first transition from being good at something to being an official leader. Kevin Eikenberry joins us. We also look at sudden presidential transitions and a quote from someone way smarter than me (although that doesn’t exactly narrow it down, does it?)
Don’t forget great webinar workshops available from GreatWebMeetings.com each month!
How to Create and Manage Remote Teams February 25
Web Presentation Basics (2 parts) February 21 and 23
Show Notes
0:00 Hello faithful listeners and newbies (and there will be some). Today we talk about moving from “Bud to Boss”.. that moment when you leave your friends and competence behind to become management. We talked about this with Guy Harris earlier (listen to show 247 here). It’s a big deal. Therefore we dedicate this show to someone who had to pull off this transition like no one before them, John Tyler, 10th president of the United States.
4:47 The quote of the week is from Henri Bergson, who won a Nobel prize so he must be smarter than me. We do agree on growing and maturing, however.
5:29 My buddy Kevin Eikenberry joins us to talk about “From Bud to Boss: Secrets to a Successful Transition to Remarkable Leadership”. Everyone had that first moment when you woke up and realized the world had changed forever. How do you lead people that you had friendly, peer relationships with?
7:40 There are a number of challenges to making this change. The primary one is that the relationships you’ve depended on change. Also there are a number of new skills to learn. There is also the issue that many of us got promoted because we were good at something that we’re no longer allowed to do. Letting go is maybe the hardest part. Perspective changes.
9:50 Okay, let’s start with the first things you need to look at. What do you do on Day 1? You have to have honest conversations with everyone… including your friends and anyone who wanted the job that you still have to work with.
12:23 The worst nightmare for a lot of new leaders: someone you know…maybe even trained you…needs to have performance addressed. You have to step up. Here’s how. We also digress into “but” vs. “and” and other trite but true axioms.
18:40 What is it about the word “boss” that makes people crazy? It’s a loaded term but has a lot of emotional baggage. The fact is, no matter how enlightened you are you ARE their boss. Forget it at your peril.
23:00 One of the hardest changes is that you now have to hang with other managers and you’re not allowed to hang out with the people you used to be friends with. My wife is dealing with this. There’s a reason the army has a no-fraternization rule. Learn to love your new peers.
Kevin’s Resources
He weasels out of naming names but you can find a lot of them at…..
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #271 Best Books of the Year Todd Sattersten
Posted on 04. Feb, 2011 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Today Wayne Turmel talks to Todd Sattersten. Todd co-authored The 1oo Best Business Books of All Time and has been with us before. He’ll talk about what’s new in Business Books that you should know about. Also we’ll talk Egyptian librarians (seems appropriate) and Presidential thoughts on reading. Just another walk in the Cranky park….
Don’t forget great webinar workshops available from GreatWebMeetings.com each month!
How to Create and Manage Remote Teams February 25
Web Presentation Basics (2 parts) February 21 and 23
Welcome to the show….
Show Notes
0:00 Today we’re talking reading, and that leads us to our dedication, Demetrius of Phalerum who helped build the great library of Alexandria. Having the books is great, but do you read them? Books are awfully decorative, don’t you think?
3:50 The quote of the week is from Abraham Lincoln- who was a voracious reader and a pretty smart guy. Amazing that other people think like you, isn’t it?
4:24 Welcome back Todd Sattersten to the show. You can hear his last appearance with Jack Covert here.
Todd’s now out on his own at www.bizzbooklab.com What did he think of last year’s crop of business books? If you want to read about the economic collapse,there are some good ones out there. There also was a focus on intrinsic motivation…because if we don’t motivate ourselves, nothing else will do it.
9:27 What does Todd look for in a business book? 3 things: accessibility, unexpectedness (enough with Southwest, Starbucks and Zappos, already!) and utility.
13:31 Todd has a list of his top ten books. You can see his post here.
Todd has a lot to say about The Mesh. We take a deep, geeky dive here.We also get into how Craigslist is changing the business world.
21:25 So what’s going on that business books aren’t telling us? The entrepeneurial approach to work is not accurately reflecting the way we work. You’ll be shocked to hear I have my own take on this
Todd has a couple of ebooks available on his site, or you can just drop him a line.