E-bits

E-bits:  Good from Funeral?

E-bits: Good from Funeral?

Premise:  TheValueTree shows us the path to delivering value at work; similarly, TheLifeTree shows us the path to delivering value in life. Main Points: 1)  Today is the day to consider, “Am I a contribution in life?” 2)  Be purposeful about what you are doing; 3)  TheLifeTree, like TheValueTree, can […]

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E-bits:  Sadness & Service

E-bits: Sadness & Service

4 March 2019 Premise:  While genuine caring is the heart of great customer service,   don’t assume your staff has a personal understanding of “being cared for.” Main Points: 1)  Social intelligence is not a given; 2)  People can’t give what they haven’t received; 3)  Authentic caring is better than learned […]

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E-bits:  Unlearning HR, Bad

E-bits: Unlearning HR, Bad

Premise:  Unlearning basic HR happens when a critical mass of both supervision and workforce is so new to the organization that they have no knowledge of what is and is not acceptable behavior. The CEO of Goldman Sachs, David Solomon, stated in a recent interview that 60% of his 40,000 […]

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E-bits:  Unlearning Safety,  3rd in series

E-bits: Unlearning Safety, 3rd in series

 Unlearning Safety Premise:  Unlearning safety is a process of omission whereby knowledge is forgotten, lost or diluted from the organization. Without a “Safety Guide” sharing learnings from the past, the consequences of re-learning safe practices can be fatal. OSHA’s Fatal Four:  Falls, Struck-By, Caught-In/Between and Electrocutions Main Points: 1)  New […]

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Unlearning Ethics, 2nd in series

Unlearning Ethics, 2nd in series

Premise:  Unlearning is a process of omission whereby knowledge is forgotten, lost or diluted from the organization. Without sharing stories (case studies) from the past, the consequences of re-learning ethical decision making are costly. Main Points: 1)  People need help making good decisions when personal agendas are involved; 2)  Don’t […]

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Unlearning Organizations

Unlearning Organizations

15 January 2018 Premise:  Unlearning is a process of omission whereby knowledge is forgotten, lost or diluted from the organization. Management must apply TPM (total productive maintenance) thinking to the social and technical intellectual capital of the organization or face the costly consequences of re-learning. “I’ve lived long enough that […]

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Deliver the Heavy Mail

Deliver the Heavy Mail

05 July 2017 “Heavy mail” is the unpleasant news you don’t want to deliver;  i.e. weekend over-time required, furloughs, poor performance.  Two unpleasant performance management issues crossed my desk recently and they highlight the importance of delivering the “heavy mail” quickly.  Key lessons are: 1)  Have clear expectations; 2)  Talk […]

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A GREAT GIFT TO START THE YEAR: 5-to-Thrive

December 29, 2016 Foundational ideas: Earl Nightingale: We become what we think about Napoleon Hill: Thoughts are things Ed Locke: Goal setting positively impacts performance Attached is the best gift I can give you for the New Year…a planning framework called “5-to-Thrive.”  Five years ago the Arab Spring was starting, […]

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Are you a Hazard Tracker?

Are you a Hazard Tracker?

7/12/2016 It is a prudent business person who tracks hazards. Complacency is the antidote for survival. Killer hazards + probability thinking = Massive exposure to trouble   In a recent workshop, this picture generated rich discussion… While this is just a picture of dirt, does it contain information that may […]

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The Productivity Trap

4/20/16 The Productivity Trap 20% productivity improvement is still possible just by focusing on people People are still important Automating inefficient processes is bad Supervisors are key; do not assume these skills come naturally. In a recent interview on the state of the economy, former Chair of the Federal Reserve, […]

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