Execupundit.com

Monday, March 19, 2018

Music Break

For all of the Canadians out there: Stan Rogers singing "Northwest Passage."

Subjects That Deserve More Discussion

Two people discussing business over a table with documents

[Photo by Nik MacMillan at Unsplash]

Which subjects deserve more discussion in the workplace?

You may well have your own list but these are my nominees:

Courage. Just what does it mean in a working environment? Do we recognize the difference between physical courage and moral courage? Can any of us be ethical without possessing a certain amount of courage?
Fatigue. How often do we take into account the possibility of fatigue adversely affecting productivity, decision-making, and effectiveness? Do we discount its importance by bragging about working long hours, packing our schedules, and failing to take vacations?
Mavericks. Is it possible to be a maverick and still be a good team member? Do we try to push people into cookie-cutter modes and, in doing so, push out some eccentric but undeniable talent? At what point do self-described mavericks use the label to cloak negative conduct or a lousy attitude?
Unwritten rules. We usually know the written rules and what's covered on the wall posters, but what are the unwritten rules? What are the unwritten standards that people never, ever, break? Are they part of a healthy organization?

Your nominees?

Stop me if you've heard this one before. Brilliant college kids sitting in a dorm are inventing the future. Heedless of boundaries, possessed of new technology and youthful enthusiasm, they build a company from scratch. Their early success allows them to raise money and bring an amazing new product to market. They hire friends, assemble a superstar team, and dare the world to stop them.

- From The Lean Startup: How Constant Innovation Creates Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries