Best-Practices Leadership

Judge the process, not just results

December 24, 2014

To lead people, you can tell them what you want them to do and then assess the outcome.  But there’s a problem with that approach: Employees may deliver the desired outcome but make judgment errors along the way. True leaders don’t just focus on the results; they also examine the process itself.

Run meetings the right way

December 18, 2014
You can waste many hours of precious time if you don’t run a tight business meeting. Here are five ways to do it right.

Does ‘stack ranking’ actually work?

December 16, 2014

This controversial approach to performance evaluation requires that supervisors group employees from top to bottom. The CEO of Nielsen Holdings remains a fan.

Stay a leader in your customers’ eyes

December 12, 2014
If you treat customers as equals, focusing on them as individuals, you’ll stay on the right path. Here’s a list of don’ts.

Steve Jobs’ leadership secrets

December 10, 2014

The essence of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, according to his biographer, is that his personality was integral to his way of doing business. For one thing, he acted as though the normal rules didn’t apply to him, and he poured his passion, intensity and emotion into Apple products. Here are a few of his top lessons.

CEO’s big risk paid off for Marlin Steel

December 10, 2014
Drew Greenblatt knew that Marlin Steel could not survive Chinese competitors, who were luring away his customers—big bagel chains that bought the company’s wire baskets. The Baltimore firm was struggling to stay afloat in 2003 when a fateful call from a Boeing engineer led to some market research that changed everything.

Getting the team to that ‘aha moment’

December 8, 2014
A creative brainstorm can strike at any time, perhaps while you’re in the shower or taking a walk. Effective leaders prod their team to innovate by recognizing and capitalizing on such creative connections.

Leadership Tips, Vol. 1214

December 3, 2014
Stay humble, stay bold, stay flexible. Use these three famous examples as your guide.

Articulate a mission that matters

November 21, 2014
Many CEOs realize that they need a mission statement that guides the organization and its employees. But a trite mission can fall flat.

Think twice before betting against Uber

November 7, 2014
Maybe the only reason Travis Kalanick’s luxury ride service, Uber, is still in business comes down to guts.