A recent article on Forbes.com, entitled World War E: How to Cure a Zombie Entrepreneur, discussed the dangers posed by an increasing number of zombie entrepreneurs at the helm in the private sector. The article described the criteria for diagnosis as a zombie to include: the lack of a clear picture, entrepreneur Attention Deficit Disorder, lack of … [Read more...]
Support Organizational Development with Effective Meetings
How often do you sit in a meeting that seems to lack focus? There is no successful organizational development strategy that includes a gathering of people who are distracted by thoughts of what else could be getting done and frustrated by the length of the meeting. A shift towards a more efficient organization includes something that occurs at the … [Read more...]
Team Work Lessons from Elementary School
There are many things about elementary school that most of us are glad we got to leave behind in the sixth grade...school bus rides, lukewarm milk, playground bullies, and silent lunches, to name a few. (Or was that last one just my school?) But all that aside, there are many valuable lessons from elementary school that can help you navigate the … [Read more...]
Managing Innovation in Change-Conservative Agencies
Implementing change and innovation within Government agencies is not easy. Leaders can face challenges such as resistance to change, lack of internal support, and a lack of resources. However, innovation is often necessary and innovative improvements are in the best interest of the public sector’s constituency. Differing Views on the Definition … [Read more...]
GAO Promotes Reform in Human Capital Management – Part I
Reform is needed in human capital management, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). As we’ve entered the 21st century, this need has increased, and is compounded by long-term fiscal management issues and ever-changing threats to national security. Why Reform Now? The GAO says that in order to address the complex … [Read more...]
Four Ways to Drive Collaboration
Collaboration starts at the top. Leaders must consistently instill in their staff values which encourage an environment of cooperation and collaboration. As employees learn, through positive feedback, that collaboration is valued, they are incentivized to continue with their current attitudes and behaviors. Below are four key values and behaviors … [Read more...]
Collaboration is the Key to Innovation in Today’s Knowledge Organizations
Perhaps Michelangelo needed complete isolation to release his David from the marble. But I would argue that there are very few endeavors in this world that don’t require a team effort, the sharing of ideas, and collaboration to realize our goals. Moreover, I would insist that for today’s organizations to have any hope of competing in the global … [Read more...]
Effective Change Management Requires Creative Means to Involve All Stakeholders
While change is inevitable, the change process is still largely threatening to employees who go through it. The business structure that will stem from an effective change management process should strengthen the organization, but it is important to help your employees work through the emotional and psychological implications of such change. It … [Read more...]
Improve Collaboration Through Network Analysis
Richard Beckhard was a pioneer in the field of organizational development and published Organization Development: Strategies and Models in 1969. He was an adjunct professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management for 21 years before passing away in 1999. The Richard Beckhard Memorial Prize is awarded each year to the author or authors of an MIT … [Read more...]
The Benefits of Enabling Collaboration
Public policy and society as a whole have become increasingly complex. The simple solutions of the past are no longer adequate to meet the needs of even a subset of the population, as the complexity of today’s issues requires an interrelated set of solutions instead of a one-size-fits-all fix. To address the issues and challenges your … [Read more...]