Premiere magazine has a list of the 50 greatest Hollywood disasters.
It could be the subject of a lively workshop on decision making. [They forgot the movie version of The Bonfire of the Vanities.]
Saturday, February 17, 2007
The ACLU Saga Gets Weird(er)
If you think that idealistic organizations (or those who think of themselves that way) are devoid of personnel problems, think again.
The squabbling at the American Civil Liberties Union is beginning to resemble a cross between a soap opera and the Roman senate.
Former director Ira Glasser is turning on his successor, Anthony Romero. An excerpt from the New York magazine article:
"He’s totally ill-suited for this job," Glasser tells me over a shrimp salad at the Empire Diner one chilly afternoon. Glasser ticks off a dozen instances in which he believes Romero was negligent, dishonest to the point of pathology, or bullying of his colleagues. "He lies, and he covers up for his lies," he says. "Anybody who tries to call him on this, he threatens and attacks personally. He’s got some of his own board members scared of retaliation against them or their local affiliates. And the rest of the board is suffering from some sort of willful blindness."
"He’s totally ill-suited for this job," Glasser tells me over a shrimp salad at the Empire Diner one chilly afternoon. Glasser ticks off a dozen instances in which he believes Romero was negligent, dishonest to the point of pathology, or bullying of his colleagues. "He lies, and he covers up for his lies," he says. "Anybody who tries to call him on this, he threatens and attacks personally. He’s got some of his own board members scared of retaliation against them or their local affiliates. And the rest of the board is suffering from some sort of willful blindness."
Mega-Caffeine Drink Update
For those of you who have a compelling reason to stay up for a couple of days, Jolt is back in six different flavors.
upTick: Dynamic Pressure
In a Harvard Business School classroom, students in the Dynamic Markets class may have one minute to make a decision in a pressure cooker one called "the most stress I've experienced in ten years."
It's margin call time in a real-world market investment computer simulation called upTick. Students whose investments have fallen below margin requirement levels are being told they have sixty seconds to liquidate part of their portfolio to cover—effectively locking in a loss—or gamble that their investments will recover before insolvency is declared.
"Many students find this minute—and the decision of whether to ride it out and hope for a recovery or to blink and 'puke their position' (pardon the phrase but it's how actual traders describe it)—to be an extremely harrowing experience," says professor Joshua Coval.
And that's the point. Real life money managers face such stress frequently, but it's a hard thing to teach in a classroom.
Read the rest of this Harvard Business School Working Knowledge article here.
Hidden Agenda
Victor Davis Hanson is not impressed with Newsweek’s reporting on Iran and especially with the newsmagazine’s use of anonymous sources. An excerpt:
The implication is that Newsweek calls up Powell and Armitage, relates to them something said by one of Newsweek’s supposed unnamed administration sources critical of both, and then starts taking down quotes as they fire back.Then we also get the de rigueur cry of the heart from the "former" NSC staffer who at ground zero confirms our worst Powellian fears about what the nefarious "some" in Team Bush "secretly" are conjuring:
Some view the spiraling attacks as a strand in a worrisome pattern. At least one former White House official contends that some Bush advisers secretly want an excuse to attack Iran. "They intend to be as provocative as possible and make the Iranians do something [America] would be forced to retaliate for," says Hillary Mann, the administration's former National Security Council director for Iran and Persian Gulf Affairs.
A student in Journalism 101 would not earn a "C" on a storyline that is framed as "some view," then clarified by "at least one," and concerns what "some" advisors "secretly want."
The implication is that Newsweek calls up Powell and Armitage, relates to them something said by one of Newsweek’s supposed unnamed administration sources critical of both, and then starts taking down quotes as they fire back.Then we also get the de rigueur cry of the heart from the "former" NSC staffer who at ground zero confirms our worst Powellian fears about what the nefarious "some" in Team Bush "secretly" are conjuring:
Some view the spiraling attacks as a strand in a worrisome pattern. At least one former White House official contends that some Bush advisers secretly want an excuse to attack Iran. "They intend to be as provocative as possible and make the Iranians do something [America] would be forced to retaliate for," says Hillary Mann, the administration's former National Security Council director for Iran and Persian Gulf Affairs.
A student in Journalism 101 would not earn a "C" on a storyline that is framed as "some view," then clarified by "at least one," and concerns what "some" advisors "secretly want."
Money, Money, and Management
On the Moneyed Midways, with its collection of business, finance, and management-related blog posts from various carnivals, is up at Political Calculations blog.
Consider the Obvious
The meeting dragged on as the managers tried to identify what would please a disgruntled employee.
One person suggested a reassignment would give her a fresh start. Another thought the removal of some irritating co-workers would show that management seriously wanted her to stay. Still another restructuring her job responsibilities so she could work on projects of particular interest. Each idea was designed to produce a result that would please the employee and head off further conflict.
Finally, a seasoned manager wandered by the meeting room and one of the participants posed the question to him. He looked a little confused, then said, "Why not ask her?"
Everyone else stared at the floor. For almost an hour the obvious answer had eluded a reasonably intelligent group.
In all of our sophisticated attempts to create elaborate explanations of why the chicken wants to cross the road, we can easily miss the one about "getting to the other side."
Books on Wartime Leaders
James Swanson gives his top five list of books about wartime leaders.
I'll second his recommendation of Lincoln and His Generals. It contains lessons that can be applied to the modern workplace. [Many of us have had to deal with a McClellan.]
I'll second his recommendation of Lincoln and His Generals. It contains lessons that can be applied to the modern workplace. [Many of us have had to deal with a McClellan.]
Friday, February 16, 2007
Must Reading: What Got You Here Won't Get You There
One quick sign of how much I’ve gotten out of a management book is whether or not I’ve scrawled notes in the margins or within the front cover. My copy of Marshall Goldsmith’s book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful, is filled with stars, arrows, and orders to "Reconsider this", "Incorporate that", and "Be sure to re-read this part!"
In short, his book is a powerful analysis of the harmful habits that can keep successful people from achieving even greater success and a detailed strategy for positive change.
Goldsmith, who is a legend in the field of executive coaching, identifies twenty transactional flaws that can sabotage careers. For example:
Adding too much value: The overwhelming desire to add our two cents to every discussion.
Making destructive comments: The needless sarcasms and cutting remarks that we think make us sound sharp and witty.
Starting with “No,” “But,” or “However.”: The overuse of these negative qualifiers which secretly say to everyone, “I’m right. You’re wrong.”
An excessive need to be “me”: Exalting our faults as virtues simply because they’re who we are.
Goldsmith notes: Study the twenty annoying habits and you’ll see that at least half of them are rooted in information compulsion. When we add value, or pass judgment, or make destructive comments, or announce that we “already knew that,” or explain “why that won’t work” we are compulsively sharing information. We’re telling people something they don’t know. We’re convinced that we’re making people smarter or inspiring them to do better, when we’re more likely to achieve the opposite effect. Likewise, when we fail to give recognition, or claim credit we don’t deserve, or refuse to apologize, or don’t express our gratitude, we are withholding information.
Goldsmith’s amiable and gentle tone – his Buddhism comes through at various points – makes it all the more powerful when he occasionally bops you in the head with a hard truth. (Read his description of “the dream” and tell me that it doesn’t apply to you.)
Five stars out of five stars.
In short, his book is a powerful analysis of the harmful habits that can keep successful people from achieving even greater success and a detailed strategy for positive change.
Goldsmith, who is a legend in the field of executive coaching, identifies twenty transactional flaws that can sabotage careers. For example:
Adding too much value: The overwhelming desire to add our two cents to every discussion.
Making destructive comments: The needless sarcasms and cutting remarks that we think make us sound sharp and witty.
Starting with “No,” “But,” or “However.”: The overuse of these negative qualifiers which secretly say to everyone, “I’m right. You’re wrong.”
An excessive need to be “me”: Exalting our faults as virtues simply because they’re who we are.
Goldsmith notes: Study the twenty annoying habits and you’ll see that at least half of them are rooted in information compulsion. When we add value, or pass judgment, or make destructive comments, or announce that we “already knew that,” or explain “why that won’t work” we are compulsively sharing information. We’re telling people something they don’t know. We’re convinced that we’re making people smarter or inspiring them to do better, when we’re more likely to achieve the opposite effect. Likewise, when we fail to give recognition, or claim credit we don’t deserve, or refuse to apologize, or don’t express our gratitude, we are withholding information.
Goldsmith’s amiable and gentle tone – his Buddhism comes through at various points – makes it all the more powerful when he occasionally bops you in the head with a hard truth. (Read his description of “the dream” and tell me that it doesn’t apply to you.)
Five stars out of five stars.
Buy it. Read it. Re-read it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)