Mike Russell

To reorganize or not to reorganize (or “reorg” as often shortened in corporate speak) is a typical question on the minds of those who want to bring change to an organization.

On the surface, it may seem like an easy answer … reorg.

However, the answer is not that simple and depends on the specific situation.

In Robert M. Gates’ new book, A Passion for Leadership: Lessons on Change and Reform from Fifty Years of Public Service, Mr. Gates recommends not changing the organization to bring about change.

I agree and disagree. [Read more…] about Lessons on Change … Don’t Change?

The title refers to a media query for an article.  The query asked about pointers for companies wanting to build their “benches” by building a leadership development and succession pipeline.

Books could be written on the subject (and have …) given the breadth and depth of what a business might eventually need to know or do depending on circumstances.  Therefore, an article can only scratch the surface and provide some starting points.

However, just because installing an effective leadership pipeline can be daunting does not mean it should not be done.  The media query is right … companies without effective leadership pipelines are in jeopardy.

What would you include as key pipeline aspects or pointers?

[Read more…] about Describe a complete leadership development and succession pipeline

Have you ever heard or read anything about personal motivation?  Have you noticed almost all types involve some aspect of what people say to others and themselves?  That language is important to motivation?  Why?

Mindset and language are linked.  What language or words people use has a great deal to do with how they view a situation and, correspondingly, how the situation affects them.  How they are affected has a bearing on resulting behavior.  Therefore, changing personal attitudes, exercise routines, diet, and other habits depends greatly on changing the thinking – the mindset – and the related language.

Changing to a “Wrong Until Right” mindset is no different.  We have difficulty changing our mindset long-term until we also change our language to complement and reinforce the mindset.  And, until our interactions with others involve different language, people will not know our mindset and related expectations are different.

Words like “plan,” “project,” and “budget” commonly connote facts, ability to achieve as initially laid out, and so on … manifestations of “right until wrong” thinking.

[shareable]To start making the turn toward a “Wrong Until Right” mindset, start altering the language.[/shareable] [Read more…] about Hacking the Human Mind for Wrong Until Right, part 2

Language has power.

That was one of the messages in the last insight.  More specifically, it is that language has power as long as it has meaning.  The issue explored last time is how some words are being overused, misused, and watered down to the point where they lose power.

This time, we will continue the focus on language … specifically on words and their power to affect mindset. [Read more…] about Hacking the Human Mind for Wrong Until Right – part 1

Rarely will you find anyone with a neutral opinion of meetings, and often the opinion is unfavorable.  The view is often that meetings are generally ineffective at best, a complete waste of time in the middle, and actually destructive at worst.  And that does not bode well for success, since most organizations’ schedules are littered with meetings.

There have been many recommendations about improving meetings over time, from the humor of the Video Arts training video “Meetings, Bloody Meetings” to Patrick Lencioni’s Death by Meeting.

In a recent blog post (http://www.tablegroup.com/blog/the-linchpin-of-organizational-health), Lencioni reiterates that effective meetings are the linchpin of organizational health.  He also believes that one of the responsibilities, if not the main responsibility, of any leader is to ensure that meetings are outstanding.

But what if there is another, even more effective type of interaction beyond meetings? [Read more…] about The linchpin of organizational health