Management Practices

Plan for a new manager’s role

November 11, 2020
The creation of a new management post is a positive sign—your organization is growing and hiring more people. So you need to design the position with care in order to sustain your progress.

Has ‘TMZ’ shown us the future of business?

October 7, 2020
Watch for bold companies to offer ever more vivid windows on their day-to-day operations. What began years ago with a CEO surprising everyone by taking the stage in sneakers and a turtleneck may transform into a competition among organizations to see who can show the public the most candid, unvarnished aspects of how they live and breathe.

Make diversity and inclusion permanent

September 10, 2020
A commitment to normalizing and driving equality and racial justice is now a corporate imperative, offering a clear opportunity to be introspective and listen to the challenges of Black employees in the workforce and beyond. It is a positive sign. But will it drive lasting change?

Are your ‘best practices’ just that?

July 9, 2020
Experts may recommend adopting best practices and performance benchmarks to improve your group’s performance. However, as management consultant Michael McLaughlin cautions, don’t import ready-made solutions until you’re sure they’ll work in your situation. Test each practice four ways.

Social justice: yes, get involved

July 9, 2020
Q: At work there’s been a lot of discussion about social justice issues, and several of my employees have said that talking about it is not enough; we should be doing something about them. What actions can and should we take?

Morale is rooted in fun

July 9, 2020
Running a department or business is a serious endeavor. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a sense of humor.

An empathetic leader? Yes; a pushover? No

July 9, 2020
In these difficult times, we look to business leaders to take the helm of their company with confidence and authority. However, now is not the time to rule with an iron fist.

Avoid 3 critical errors when reopening the office

June 30, 2020
In a still-confusing time, you want to get people back to work, and keep them there. But Dan Kaplan,a partner at Foley & Lardner’s Madison, Wisconsin office and a leader on the firm’s Coronavirus Task Force, has some reminders for us of the organizational and legal issues we cannot look past.

Shouldn’t we place more value on our values?

June 10, 2020
Q: We have our company’s core values plastered all over the place, but little by little you can sense that they’re being pushed aside in the name of profit and expediency. This has happened in more than one place I’ve worked. How do I call attention to this without seeming like a complainer or a troublemaker? I can just hear it now: “That’s what you’re bothering us with?”

Lead with and through enthusiasm

February 13, 2020
Are you enthusiastic about your organization, its products or services, and your role as a manager and leader? Just as you set an example in your work, try setting one with your attitude.