Group Dynamic

I’m traveling this week, and will return to producing original content next Wednesday.

In the meantime, check out these two worthy blog efforts that I am proud to have been a part of last month:

Above the Line America

31 Tips for Des Moines

Check them both out; they are worthy of your attention for different reasons. And even if you’re not from Des Moines, those tips are worthwhile in your community, too.

A few weeks ago, I shared an unusual incident involving an appliance installer, and the Facebook discussion after I shared it online.

After the post, there was a bit more discussion, and I also finally offered my thoughts on the issue.  This week, I’ll Read the rest of this entry »

An earlier post discussed the perils of the use of the word “don’t.”

“Don’t” is negative, and can also be dismissive.  It’s also direct (that’s good) and easy (that’s why it’s frequently used).  There’s a nice alternative, though, that can quickly Read the rest of this entry »

If we are effective, we are probably quite busy. Many of us have tried different ways to stay organized, including electronic gadgets, pen and paper planners, whiteboards, etc. Today and next week I will share two ways that have worked for me. I’m sharing them here because others who have adopted them have found quite useful. Both of them go the pen and paper route, so if you’re looking for ways to incorporate Outlook or Evernots or iCal or GoogleSomething, then check out another blog, like the awesome lifehacker.com.

Each of my two methods has a time and place. The first is for one life is normal, and the second is for when it is overwhelming.

When things are at their normal level of hectic, I use a technique Read the rest of this entry »

When I read the (rightly) popular Good to Great, I found myself agreeing with nearly everything in principle, but thought that some concepts were a little too idealistic for a small- to mid-sized organization.  Massive businesses, like his examples, have more luxury to move people around, for example.

That’s why I had a touch of a problem with Read the rest of this entry »

This week, five posts that will help you understand the value of great customer service, everyone’s role in it, and some ideas Read the rest of this entry »

Several posts have had a focus on behavior and giving frequent specific feedback.

These things are among the wisest a leader can do, and yet Read the rest of this entry »

It was fun to add the Facebook “like” button to the blog to see if anyone really liked the posts…

So, here are Read the rest of this entry »

In response to that article,

I wrote this:

The Governor was spot-on in Sunday’s Register when he points out that “passionate and self-motivated” teachers are best — research backs that up, too — and that those things are “not easy to measure or reward.”

It’s okay that Read the rest of this entry »

Here we are at Avonlea Village (for you Anne of Green Gables fans) on our last trip to Canada in 2009.

As I wrote this, I was preparing for family vacation to Manitoba. Yes, that’s right, Manitoba. That’s where we were when this was going to get published on June 29.  Unfortunately, I goofed up the scheduling, so we went a week without the blog; reminder: during this busy summer season, I’m taking a break from original posts and instead, sharing “greatest hits.”

Anyway…

Why Manitoba? Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone loves stories.  Stories inspire and motivate and help things “stick” so much better than facts, data, and research findings. Read the rest of this entry »

Some of us enjoy the tidy list. Nice to have as a touchstone, though if we’re serious, we’ll dig deeper. Regardless, here are two for your consideration.

The first is seminal for me – Read the rest of this entry »