Category: Talent Management
Einstein had it Right – Performance is Relative
Albert Einstein was a pretty smart guy. The former patent clerk turned physicist turned our world upside down when he determined that speed is relative, depending upon the point of view of the observer.
PermalinkBack to Basics
For most business owners, investors and consumers, tossing the 2008 calendar into the trash was a very enjoyable task. After watching virtually every major economic indicator spiral downward last year, many individuals are looking to 2009 with careful optimism. Our economy is far from being out of the woods – and perhaps the much storied “turnaround” will not officially begin until 2010 – but there’s something refreshing about heading into a new year with sleeves rolled-up and ready to tackle these challenges head-on.
For those in Human Resource roles, 2009 will in many ways be a “back to basics” year, with a renewed focus on the areas of compensation and health & welfare benefits. With companies across all market sectors tightening the belt, every bit of cost reduction can make a difference. As a result, HR execs and their teams are being asked to do what on the surface may seem impossible: contribute to corporate cost reduction strategies in a meaningful and demonstrable way while simultaneously maintaining employee morale and motivating the workforce.
Do Top Performers Make the Best Managers?
We’ve all seen it before. A managerial position becomes available and is filled by a top performer with minimal or no previous management experience. It makes sense. After all, shouldn’t an individual top performer be able to easily make the transition to manager? Shouldn’t a person who performs at the highest level be able to guide others to reach that same level of productivity? The answer is a 100%, absolute maybe.
Management Lessons from Michael Scott
No, that’s not a typo. A cross between Archie Bunker and Ray Barone, Michael Scott, the boss from NBC’s The Office, can usually be counted on to say the most inappropriate thing at the most inopportune times, while still (somehow) ensuring that everything turns out fine in the end (i.e. he still has his job).
Learning from Succession Planning in Professional Sports
Succession planning for a professional sports team should be easy, right? General Managers in professional sports know exactly when their employees can leave, and how their salaries compare to the market. They know their players’ moods simply by keeping up with press interviews. In short, General Managers have lots of available tools to help gauge which players will leave, and how and when they will need to be replaced.
