For people who love blogs and crave a variety of ideas, viewpoints and opinions carnivals are like potato chips—you can’t read just one.
But unlike potato chips, blog posts don’t get stale, so return as often as you like before (or after) the next Carnival goes live November 1 at Dan McCarthy’s Great Leadership.
This month’s host is Becky Robinson at Leader Talk.
Ever wonder how the posts are chosen? The answer is by the blogger—each of us chooses a recent post that we feel brings exceptional value to you.
There is an enormous amount of practical advice in these posts; useful whether you are in a classic ‘leadership’ role, raising kids or in the most important role of all—leading yourself.
Scan down the list and cherry-pick the ones that will be most useful to you immediately; then read those whose descriptions pique your interest.
One last note. Please some back and share the links of those you found to be of the most use.
(You can find other carnivals in which Leadership Turn has participated here.)
When discussing or reading about leadership you hear a lot about EQ, AKA, emotional intelligence and SQ, AKA, social intelligence, but what do they really mean?
Social intelligence refers to your knowledge and understanding of other people’s MAP.
To learn more, watch this interview with Daniel Goleman, prolific author and renowned psychologist. Start learning how to use emotional and social intelligence to improve your team’s performance as well as your own, both professionally and professionally.
I have some great links to add to those I gave you last Saturday.
Another article from McKinsey shines a spotlight on managers’ need to “master the disciplines of uncertainty,” because it isn’t going away any time soon.
The market may have torpedoed you and me, but it’s done far less damage to the corner office. “Compensation for top executives at many of the nation’s largest publicly traded firms was essentially unchanged last year, even as the stock market plummeted.” Why are we not surprised?
What has changed? An article in the WSJ Online tells us that COO positions are going the way of the dodo bird because CEOs want to be closer to the action and more involved in day-to-day operations. But Jay Galbraith says, “One unspoken reason COOs’ numbers may be falling may be simple fear. As the pressure on CEOs heats up, at least a few simply don’t want such an obvious successor in place.” Again, why are we not surprised?
Economics is one of the few business area that make my eyes glaze over; not from boredom, but from an inability to understand it—believe me I’ve tried. Last week I said that How Did Economists Get It So Wrong? is a must read to understanding what happened to the global economy. For those who wish to dig deeper, two new books on the oft-maligned John Maynard Keynes were reviewed in Business Week (they do understand economics:). “John Maynard Keynes ought to be named Man of the Year. Governments around the world have successfully, if messily, resurrected many of his insights from the 1930s to thwart economic collapse. Foremost is his idea that easy money and government spending can rescue an economy in free fall—with credit frozen, businesses panicked, and consumers paralyzed.” I’m sure this won’t be popular with the free market crowd.
Frequent readers know that I am not a devotee of Warren Bennis, who famously propagated the idea that leaders and managers are not only different, but that ‘leaders’ are higher on the food chain possessing far more value than the lowly manager.
I have devoted numerous posts to dispelling this attitude (See series starting here.), much like Don Quixote tilting at his windmills. (It’s not a new attitude; I’ve had a statue of Quixote and Sancho Panza for years:)
I was discussing this over lunch with several executives and voiced my thought that no manager at any level can function successfully in today’s climate unless she is a leader.
This brought forth a terrific response from a CEO that is well worth sharing.
“A manager who doesn’t lead is a bureaucrat.”
An astute, simple and very accurate statement for people who are, or aspire to be, in charge, no matter of what or at what level, to frame and hang on their walls.
If you don’t want to
craft and share a vision of what, why and when {whatever} needs to happen and leave the ‘how’ to your team;
share information openly and willingly;
take the time to craft communications that can be heard and understood by all;
help both your company and your team become all that they can be;
shoulder the responsibility, but give away the credit; a
There is much talk about building winning teams and how to lead them and much of that centers on “influence” and “visions.”
The ledgendary Alabama coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, an expert on winning teams, provided a far simpler approach that you can be implement in a matter of seconds.
The only caveat is that once started it must be followed exactly and whole-heartedly.
“If anything goes bad, I did it.
If anything goes semi-good, we did it.
If anything goes really good, then you did it.
That’s all it takes to get people to win football games for you.”
If more “leaders” followed this path we wouldn’t be where we are today.
Do you have the courage to implement Bryant’s approach?
Grab a cup of coffee (or a beer it the sun is over the yardarm) because I have 4 superb items for you today.
First up is McKinsey’s Economic Survey one year after the official meltdown. You may have to register (it’s free), but it’s worth it.
Next is a must read article from Paul Krugman, a New York Times columnist and professor of Economics and International Affairs at Princeton University in which he explains, as Bruce Nussbaum says, “how economists, especially the math-based, market-manic Chicago-school economists, have hurt the US and much of the rest of the world.” The title is How Did Economists Get It So Wrong? and it’s a must read.
Third is an interview with Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs. Blankfein talks abut management and how Goldman survived the financial crisis—this is not your typical imperial Wall Street CEO. You have a choice between a video of the interview or the transcript.
There are many types of technology; Going Green brings together those active in what is called green tech and clean tech. Those fields are of critical interest for many reasons, to I prevailed on Chris Blackman to attend and share her impressions with you.
About Chris
Chris is a strategic consultant specializing in the positioning of clients for the acquisition of capital – private and public sources of funding – in the green and clean technology sector. Chris is a graduate of Columbia University having studied Political Science and International Relations. To date, Chris has written proposals in the green and clean tech space for a variety of water projects but is interested in a wide variety of topics. Her interest is piqued when there are projects at the intersection where green and clean tech meets the infrastructure.
Chris will be looking especially hard at these pressing questions:
What is being done in the green and clean tech space?
Who is financing the new startups and which kinds of startups are receiving funding?
What will be the impact of funding clean tech companies in the United States?
About the conference
AlwaysOn’s Going Green, founded by Tony Perkins of RedHerring repute, is a three day conference in the San Francisco Bay area that explores who is in the green and clean tech space and who is funding what in its myriad sectors. The conference can be viewed daily for free; if you have a webcam and mic you can be seen, join in and ask questions.
This year’s keynote speaker for the opening ceremony was R. James Woolsey. The former cabinet member of the Clinton administration analyzed the need for green technologies that continue to use existing infrastructure and the importance of developing green and clean technologies, which encourage local self-sufficiency on the community level.
Hopefully you’re not laboring today, at least not at work.
There’s no football, so other than eating what is likely the last BBQ of the season and indulging in too much beer you might be a bit short of entertainment.
Never fear, just click the link and settle in for some great viewpoints on leadership, management, employee interaction and other pertinent subjects at September incarnation of the Leadership Development Carnival.
You’ll not only find my favorites, Wally Bock, Steve Roesler and Jim Stroup, but a host of excellent writers and downright smart people.
It doesn’t matter if you agree with what they say (I often don’t), but agree or not you will learn and that’s the real value—oft times you will learn more from those on a different side of the subject than from those with whom you agree.
Click around the carnival and then come back and share what impressed you most or what set your teeth on edge.
Have you ever registered to receive McKinsey reports? It’s free (my favorite price) and it’s valuable (my favorite requirement). I like it because I choose the categories I want and am not inundated with stuff I don’t want.
Today there are only two, because both are heavy on the meat, which requires more time and thought to digest and make use of.
The first is a global survey on how executives dealing with the recession as opposed to the thoughts and feelings of middle management. It makes for fascinating reading and offers up some interesting surprises.
The second discusses better ways to utilize frontline managers. “Instead of administrative work and meetings, they should focus on coaching their employees and on constantly improving quality.” Notice it says ‘instead‘, not ‘in addition to’, a not-so-subtle point that is missed by many higher level managers and executives. McKinsey also set up a discussion forum on Facebook and the author responded here.
Entrepreneurs face difficulties that are hard for most people to imagine, let alone understand. You can find anonymous help and connections that do understand at 7 cups of tea.
Crises never end.
$10 really does make a difference and you’ll never miss it,
For people who love blogs and crave a variety of ideas, viewpoints and opinions carnivals are like potato chips—you can’t read just one.
I have some great links to add to those I gave you 
Frequent readers know that I am not a devotee of Warren Bennis, who famously propagated the idea that leaders and managers are not only different, but that ‘leaders’ are higher on the food chain possessing far more value than the lowly manager.
There is much talk about building winning teams and how to lead them and much of that centers on “influence” and “visions.”
