Managewhich Tip: Process-Focus Ain’t a Bad Thing
Jan 19 Carolann Jacobs on January 19th, 2010
We hear a lot about being results-focused and results-driven. Results are important, and somewhere along the way, we’ve lost sight of the importance of the journey.
Case and point. In 1959, Cuba had an illiteracy rate of 23%. Post Castro revolution, in 1961, it was reduced to 4%. Let’s just say, this wasn’t the kindest of [...]
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So How are Those Resolutions Going?
Jan 14 Carolann Jacobs on January 14th, 2010
So, we’re about halfway through January, and even though I suggested that resolutions are a waste of time, I bet some of you made them anyway. How’s it going?
For those of you who are on track, congratulations!
For those of you who’ve already broken down, how about trying something different this year.
My fabulous mentor coach, Ken Abrams, reminded [...]
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Managewhich Tip: New Rule for Productivity?
Jan 12 Carolann Jacobs on January 12th, 2010
What if, like gasoline, your brain power and attention were a limited resource? And that once your attention tank was empty, your thinking ran on fumes?
Turns out, the latest brain studies indicate that this is indeed the case. Our attention is in limited supply, and we work in ways that squander it.
In his new book, Your [...]
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Managewhich Tips: What is “Too Busy” Saying About You?
Jan 5 Carolann Jacobs on January 5th, 2010
We’re all busy. And, being busy in our culture can be a badge of honor. Busy = Important.
“Busy” is also where Managewhiches get tripped up.
Case Study 1:
Jennifer was on the receiving end of some “unpleasant” news. Her company was cutting back on hours for its hourly employees and reorganizing some of its [...]
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Managewhich’s Guide to the Annual Review
Dec 17 Carolann Jacobs on December 17th, 2009
For many middle managers, it’s that time of year again. Fiscal year’s over and review time is upon us. I’m guessing that this is an unpleasant task for most of you, which is a shame.
Corporate America has taken one of it’s better opportunities for engagement and celebration and turned it into a administrivia-laden stress-inducing B.S.-laden [...]
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Putting Some Meat in the Managewhich!
Dec 9 Carolann Jacobs on December 9th, 2009
No one wakes up in the morning and asks to themselves, “How can I screw my job up today?” And yet, sometimes we feel that way in our management roles, yes?
I’ve gotta tell you, when I look back over the course of my corporate career, there were a lot of things I would do differently, [...]
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Tips for the Managewhich: Is My Staff Doing Anything Resume-Worthy?
Nov 5 Carolann Jacobs on November 5th, 2009
One of the more obvious clues that your group is on the chopping block is when you can’t figure out what real value your group adds. That’s even more true when the company is reorganizing people into that group in ways that don’t make sense. It’s a good thing for the managewhich to recognize this [...]
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Managewhich? What to do With Complete and Utter Incompetence
Oct 27 Carolann Jacobs on October 27th, 2009
Her name is Oblivia. She’s nice. People like her. And, she can’t get anything done.
Have you ever worked with someone who is Unconsciously Incompetent? That is to say, that they are so incompetent that they don’t even know that they are incompetent?
It’s rare. Most of us know when we really, truly suck at something. However, [...]
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Manage Which? Up or Down (Part 2)
Oct 20 Carolann Jacobs on October 20th, 2009
Where we left off last post is that our Managewich, Breeze, gets urgent requests from her manager, Hoover, and Breeze habitually has managed down, meaning that she’s generally accepted the work and the consequences of doing it for herself and her team and has muddled through by either directing her team to do the work [...]
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Woo Hoo Woo Hoo, Making My Radio Debut
Oct 13 Carolann Jacobs on October 13th, 2009
In case you couldn’t tell, I’m very excited to have been invited as a guest on the “Business Networking Brunch” this Sunday. We’re going to be on the air from 9am – 11am Central time on 1360 am in Dallas.
Managewiches, I am there to beat the drum for the cause. Some of the topics I [...]
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