Andrew McIntyre, LibraryJournal.com; LSSI Gets Its First Contract in Florida:
"In a move that is predicted to save $1 million or more annually, one central Florida county will soon outsource management of its branch libraries to Library Systems & Services (LSSI), a private, for-profit company based in Germantown, MD.
The Osceola County Board of County Commissioners voted 3-2 on December 12 to allow LSSI to take over management of the six-branch Osceola Library System. The deal begins Tuesday, and it is LSSI's first contract in Florida."
Saturday, December 31, 2011
'Upheaval at the New York Public Library'? At the Least, Some Clouds Over Transformation Plan | News Analysis; LibraryJournal.com, 12/22/11
Norman Oder, LibraryJournal.com; 'Upheaval at the New York Public Library'? At the Least, Some Clouds Over Transformation Plan | News Analysis:
"The New York Public Library (NYPL) likes to manage its press coverage via carefully placed exclusives in the New York Times, the newspaper that matters to an institution dependent on contributions from New York's elite and the policies of top elected officials.
So it was a blow--though unclear how big--that, on November 30, The Nation published Scott Sherman's investigation, headlined "Upheaval at the New York Public Library."
His essential critique: the NYPL, while managing austerity by closing some research library spaces and tolerating branches in disrepair, is "pushing ahead with a gargantuan renovation of the Forty-second Street library, the crown jewel of the system.""
"The New York Public Library (NYPL) likes to manage its press coverage via carefully placed exclusives in the New York Times, the newspaper that matters to an institution dependent on contributions from New York's elite and the policies of top elected officials.
So it was a blow--though unclear how big--that, on November 30, The Nation published Scott Sherman's investigation, headlined "Upheaval at the New York Public Library."
His essential critique: the NYPL, while managing austerity by closing some research library spaces and tolerating branches in disrepair, is "pushing ahead with a gargantuan renovation of the Forty-second Street library, the crown jewel of the system.""
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Corner Office: To Stay Great, Never Forget Your Basics; New York Times, 12/17/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Geoffrey Canada, president and C.E.O. of the nonprofit Harlem Children’s Zone: To Stay Great, Never Forget Your Basics:
"Q. A lot of managers go out of their way to avoid having difficult conversations. Your thoughts?
A. I call them adult conversations. People don’t want to have these conversations. They will avoid them. I am often asking people: Do you need help with having these conversations? So you’re going to talk to that person. What are you going to say to them? How are you going to say it?
It’s something that most of us aren’t trained to do. I used to think it was particularly true in a not-for-profit business, because people who come to work at a not-for-profit want to help people, so it’s harder for them to make these tough calls. But the more I have seen people in for-profits, I think they’re even worse at it.
I’m just stunned sometimes with how unwilling people are to bring somebody in the office and just say to them: “Look, you’re a good person. You know I like you. I like your family. This job is not really working out, and I’m going to have to let you go.” And so they will put people in another position, where they don’t really add to the bottom line, so they don’t have to deal with firing them. We don’t have the luxury of being able to do that. I mean, we don’t have positions that we can just sort of stuff you in."
"Q. A lot of managers go out of their way to avoid having difficult conversations. Your thoughts?
A. I call them adult conversations. People don’t want to have these conversations. They will avoid them. I am often asking people: Do you need help with having these conversations? So you’re going to talk to that person. What are you going to say to them? How are you going to say it?
It’s something that most of us aren’t trained to do. I used to think it was particularly true in a not-for-profit business, because people who come to work at a not-for-profit want to help people, so it’s harder for them to make these tough calls. But the more I have seen people in for-profits, I think they’re even worse at it.
I’m just stunned sometimes with how unwilling people are to bring somebody in the office and just say to them: “Look, you’re a good person. You know I like you. I like your family. This job is not really working out, and I’m going to have to let you go.” And so they will put people in another position, where they don’t really add to the bottom line, so they don’t have to deal with firing them. We don’t have the luxury of being able to do that. I mean, we don’t have positions that we can just sort of stuff you in."
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Deputy director takes over Carnegie Library operations; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 12/13/11
Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Deputy director takes over Carnegie Library operations:
"The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has a new president and director.
The board of trustees last night unanimously appointed Mary Frances Cooper, the library's deputy director, to the top position.
Ms. Cooper was selected from among 40 applicants, Lou Testoni, chairman of the trustees, said in an email to board members and other boosters this morning.
He called her a nationally recognized library leader who was selected after an "extensive national search."...
Ms. Cooper has a master's degree in library science."
"The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has a new president and director.
The board of trustees last night unanimously appointed Mary Frances Cooper, the library's deputy director, to the top position.
Ms. Cooper was selected from among 40 applicants, Lou Testoni, chairman of the trustees, said in an email to board members and other boosters this morning.
He called her a nationally recognized library leader who was selected after an "extensive national search."...
Ms. Cooper has a master's degree in library science."
Corner Office: A Blueprint for Leadership: Show, Don’t Tell; New York Times, 12/10/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Amy Schulman, executive vice president, general counsel, and president of nutrition at PfizerA Blueprint for Leadership: Show, Don’t Tell:
"Amy Schulman, executive vice president and general counsel at Pfizer, says that just as good writers learn to “show, don't tell” in their essays, she has learned to use real-life anecdotes about herself to convey her style to employees...
Q. I’ve lost count of the number of executives I’ve interviewed who, it turns out, have teaching backgrounds.
A. Actually, I think that’s not surprising. People who are drawn to teaching really like to help people. I think of teaching as teasing out what’s already inside of people, and helping them to get better. Teaching has a lot to do with getting other people enthusiastic about something, and feeling that you want to create that spark."
"Amy Schulman, executive vice president and general counsel at Pfizer, says that just as good writers learn to “show, don't tell” in their essays, she has learned to use real-life anecdotes about herself to convey her style to employees...
Q. I’ve lost count of the number of executives I’ve interviewed who, it turns out, have teaching backgrounds.
A. Actually, I think that’s not surprising. People who are drawn to teaching really like to help people. I think of teaching as teasing out what’s already inside of people, and helping them to get better. Teaching has a lot to do with getting other people enthusiastic about something, and feeling that you want to create that spark."
Thursday, December 8, 2011
I Don't Understand What Anyone Is Saying Anymore; Harvard Business Review, 12/5/11
Dan Pallotta, Harvard Business Review; I Don't Understand What Anyone Is Saying Anymore:
"I'd say that in about half of my business conversations, I have almost no idea what other people are saying to me. The language of internet business models has made the problem even worse...
People just don't make sense anymore. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble if you internalize this. Observe it, deconstruct it, and appreciate just how ridiculous most business conversation has become.
You will gain tremendous credibility, become much more productive, make those around you much more productive, and experience a great deal more joy in your working life if you look someone in the eye after hearing one of these verbal brain jammers and tell the person, "I don't have any idea what you just said to me.""
"I'd say that in about half of my business conversations, I have almost no idea what other people are saying to me. The language of internet business models has made the problem even worse...
People just don't make sense anymore. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble if you internalize this. Observe it, deconstruct it, and appreciate just how ridiculous most business conversation has become.
You will gain tremendous credibility, become much more productive, make those around you much more productive, and experience a great deal more joy in your working life if you look someone in the eye after hearing one of these verbal brain jammers and tell the person, "I don't have any idea what you just said to me.""
Sunday, December 4, 2011
[Corner Office] I Was Impossible, but Then I Saw How to Lead; New York Times, 12/3/11
[Corner Office] Adam Bryant, New York Times; Interview with Ruth J. Simmons, president of Brown University for the last 11 years: I Was Impossible, but Then I Saw How to Lead:
"Q. But at some point, particularly when you became a manager, you realized you couldn’t be so impossible.
A. It was living, frankly. And the experience of understanding that the ways in which I was trying to solve problems and to interact with people were getting in the way of achieving what I want. And that’s what did it for me. Ultimately, I came to understand that I could achieve far more if I worked amiably with people, if I supported others’ goals, if I didn’t try to embarrass people by pointing out their deficiencies in a very public way. So I think it was really experience that did it more than anything else."
"Q. But at some point, particularly when you became a manager, you realized you couldn’t be so impossible.
A. It was living, frankly. And the experience of understanding that the ways in which I was trying to solve problems and to interact with people were getting in the way of achieving what I want. And that’s what did it for me. Ultimately, I came to understand that I could achieve far more if I worked amiably with people, if I supported others’ goals, if I didn’t try to embarrass people by pointing out their deficiencies in a very public way. So I think it was really experience that did it more than anything else."
How Libraries Are About More Than Books; HuffingtonPost.com, 11/30/11
Paul Needham, HuffingtonPost.com; How Libraries Are About More Than Books:
"These are complicated times for public libraries. Even as budgets are slashed nationwide, more people than ever are visiting their local library. Even as the unemployed seek out the quiet space and free Internet access, the group most attached to libraries remains working mothers, often accompanied by their children.
And, in case you hadn't heard, books aren't quite as popular as they used to be.
"So the question, and it's a huge question, is, 'What even is a library anymore?'" said Cesar Pelli, the world-renowned architect and designer of the Minneapolis Central Library."
"These are complicated times for public libraries. Even as budgets are slashed nationwide, more people than ever are visiting their local library. Even as the unemployed seek out the quiet space and free Internet access, the group most attached to libraries remains working mothers, often accompanied by their children.
And, in case you hadn't heard, books aren't quite as popular as they used to be.
"So the question, and it's a huge question, is, 'What even is a library anymore?'" said Cesar Pelli, the world-renowned architect and designer of the Minneapolis Central Library."
Upheaval at the New York Public Library: The Nation, 11/30/11
Scott Sherman, The Nation; Upheaval at the New York Public Library:
"The man who must contend with the NYPL’s budget difficulties is its new president, a tall, amiable, casually dressed political scientist named Anthony Marx, who started at the library on July 1. Marx had been the president of Amherst College, where during his eight-year tenure he raised great sums of money and did much to diversify the student body. But obtaining the financial resources to sustain the NYPL in these lean and mean times is a task that’s sure to keep Marx tossing in his bed at night. (Personal reasons may also keep Marx from sleeping soundly: on the afternoon of November 6 he was arrested in Upper Manhattan for driving while intoxicated; his blood alcohol level was 0.19. He is scheduled to appear in court on December 9.) He faces an additional challenge with the CLP, devised by his predecessor and scheduled to be completed in 2015.
The centerpiece of the CLP—expected to cost anywhere from $250 million to $350 million—is the construction of a state-of-the-art, computer-oriented library designed by British architect Norman Foster, in the vast interior of the Schwarzman Building."
"The man who must contend with the NYPL’s budget difficulties is its new president, a tall, amiable, casually dressed political scientist named Anthony Marx, who started at the library on July 1. Marx had been the president of Amherst College, where during his eight-year tenure he raised great sums of money and did much to diversify the student body. But obtaining the financial resources to sustain the NYPL in these lean and mean times is a task that’s sure to keep Marx tossing in his bed at night. (Personal reasons may also keep Marx from sleeping soundly: on the afternoon of November 6 he was arrested in Upper Manhattan for driving while intoxicated; his blood alcohol level was 0.19. He is scheduled to appear in court on December 9.) He faces an additional challenge with the CLP, devised by his predecessor and scheduled to be completed in 2015.
The centerpiece of the CLP—expected to cost anywhere from $250 million to $350 million—is the construction of a state-of-the-art, computer-oriented library designed by British architect Norman Foster, in the vast interior of the Schwarzman Building."
Thursday, November 24, 2011
There's No Such Thing as Constructive Criticism; Harvard Business Review, 11/21/11
Tony Schwartz, Harvard Business Review; There's No Such Thing as Constructive Criticism:
"Here's a question guaranteed to make your stomach lurch: "Would you mind if I gave you some feedback?"
What that actually means is "Would you mind if I gave you some negative feedback, wrapped in the guise of constructive criticism, whether you want it or not?""
"Here's a question guaranteed to make your stomach lurch: "Would you mind if I gave you some feedback?"
What that actually means is "Would you mind if I gave you some negative feedback, wrapped in the guise of constructive criticism, whether you want it or not?""
Sunday, November 13, 2011
PSU again deficient in leadership; ESPN.com, 11/11/11
Mechelle Voepel, ESPN.com; PSU again deficient in leadership:
"Unfortunately, many universities -- if they're being honest -- need to look at themselves and say, "Do we do all we can to ensure that everyone's compass is directed toward doing what's right, even if that might initially cause some bad publicity for the university or mean sparring with a powerful coach? Do we look out for the powerless? Is our moral code as strong as it needs to be? Where are our true priorities? Who are we most concerned about protecting?"
Those can seem like pie-in-the-sky ideals, and maybe they are. Certainly, they're much easier to commit to in theory than in practice. But if there are lessons to be gained from what's occurred at Penn State, the most important need to be learned by those in the most powerful positions at schools and their athletic departments...
But, again, it speaks to the fact that the vigilance to make sure everyone is doing the right thing by young people isn't something a university and athletic department should leave up to an "every once in a while" maintenance check. It needs constant care."
"Unfortunately, many universities -- if they're being honest -- need to look at themselves and say, "Do we do all we can to ensure that everyone's compass is directed toward doing what's right, even if that might initially cause some bad publicity for the university or mean sparring with a powerful coach? Do we look out for the powerless? Is our moral code as strong as it needs to be? Where are our true priorities? Who are we most concerned about protecting?"
Those can seem like pie-in-the-sky ideals, and maybe they are. Certainly, they're much easier to commit to in theory than in practice. But if there are lessons to be gained from what's occurred at Penn State, the most important need to be learned by those in the most powerful positions at schools and their athletic departments...
But, again, it speaks to the fact that the vigilance to make sure everyone is doing the right thing by young people isn't something a university and athletic department should leave up to an "every once in a while" maintenance check. It needs constant care."
The Interview Question You Should Always Expect; Harvard Business Review, 11/4/11
John Lees, Harvard Business Review; The Interview Question You Should Always Expect:
"New hires have to impress their bosses, peers, and employees in less time than it takes some of us to arrange a meeting. So if you're interviewing for a job, plan to be asked the question: "What do you hope to achieve in your first three months?""
"New hires have to impress their bosses, peers, and employees in less time than it takes some of us to arrange a meeting. So if you're interviewing for a job, plan to be asked the question: "What do you hope to achieve in your first three months?""
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
In Egypt, Director Of Famed Library Of Alexandria Under Fire; Intellectual Property Watch, 11/6/11
William New, Intellectual Property Watch; In Egypt, Director Of Famed Library Of Alexandria Under Fire:
"The director of the legendary Library of Alexandria, lauded in Europe in recent weeks, has come under attack from the majority of his library staff and others demanding his departure over questions of unprofessional employee practices, alleged retaliation against workers for speaking freely, and for his affiliation with the outcast Mubarak regime.
According to internet and Facebook reports and videos, peaceful protests and sit-ins demanding that Director Ismail Serageldin leave immediately have been taking place for over a week in Alexandria. So far, demonstrations involving an estimated 1,700 workers (out of a total of some 2,300, according to sources) appear to be relatively peaceful, attended by workers in business suits, among others."
"The director of the legendary Library of Alexandria, lauded in Europe in recent weeks, has come under attack from the majority of his library staff and others demanding his departure over questions of unprofessional employee practices, alleged retaliation against workers for speaking freely, and for his affiliation with the outcast Mubarak regime.
According to internet and Facebook reports and videos, peaceful protests and sit-ins demanding that Director Ismail Serageldin leave immediately have been taking place for over a week in Alexandria. So far, demonstrations involving an estimated 1,700 workers (out of a total of some 2,300, according to sources) appear to be relatively peaceful, attended by workers in business suits, among others."
Employers on uncertain ground over workers' 'protected' use of social media; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 11/8/11
Len Boselovic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Employers on uncertain ground over workers' 'protected' use of social media:
"The recent suspension of three U.S. Steel employees for posting pictures from the company's Clairton coke plant on Facebook highlights a growing issue for employers: regulating the online conduct of their workers.
Employers are grappling with how to preserve their reputations and proprietary information on Facebook, Twitter and similar sites without violating the rights of their employees. Drawing that line can be difficult."
"The recent suspension of three U.S. Steel employees for posting pictures from the company's Clairton coke plant on Facebook highlights a growing issue for employers: regulating the online conduct of their workers.
Employers are grappling with how to preserve their reputations and proprietary information on Facebook, Twitter and similar sites without violating the rights of their employees. Drawing that line can be difficult."
Saturday, October 8, 2011
[Podcast] CEO Sisters; NPR's On Point, 10/7/11
[Podcast] NPR's On Point; CEO Sisters:
"Three women take the Nobel Peace Prize this week. Fifty-seven percent of all college students are female. In medicine and law, they’re crowding through the doors. But at the tip top of American business, women are still just a sliver of the power pie.
In the Fortune 500 biggest American corporations there are just 14 female CEOs. Today we talk with two top female CEOs. Big power. Big money. They happen to be sisters. We’ll ask them about life as a woman at the top – and about the Occupy Wall Street litany of grievance with corporate America."
"Three women take the Nobel Peace Prize this week. Fifty-seven percent of all college students are female. In medicine and law, they’re crowding through the doors. But at the tip top of American business, women are still just a sliver of the power pie.
In the Fortune 500 biggest American corporations there are just 14 female CEOs. Today we talk with two top female CEOs. Big power. Big money. They happen to be sisters. We’ll ask them about life as a woman at the top – and about the Occupy Wall Street litany of grievance with corporate America."
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Conquering My Fear of Speaking in Public; New York Times, 10/1/11
Dominique Molina, New York Times; Conquering My Fear of Speaking in Public:
"I talked to my father about how the magic trick had bombed, and he suggested that I have him critique me. I gave the same speech to him, without the magic trick. He said that I seemed more nervous when I relied on my notes and that I should speak more from my heart. I’ve done that ever since, and it has helped.
To gain more experience, I still look for speaking opportunities. I speak before various associations, and I started appearing on television news and talk shows a little more than a year ago."
"I talked to my father about how the magic trick had bombed, and he suggested that I have him critique me. I gave the same speech to him, without the magic trick. He said that I seemed more nervous when I relied on my notes and that I should speak more from my heart. I’ve done that ever since, and it has helped.
To gain more experience, I still look for speaking opportunities. I speak before various associations, and I started appearing on television news and talk shows a little more than a year ago."
Interview with Pamela Fields, chief executive of Stetson; New York Times, 10/1/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Valuing Those Who Tell You the Bitter Truth: Interview with Pamela Fields, chief executive of Stetson, the hat and apparel company:
"Q. So let’s talk about hiring. What are you looking for?
A. I look for innate intelligence. You hear that by the way people talk, by the way they express themselves, by the level of sophistication of their answers. I ask them to send me a letter after the interview about what they thought about our conversation and what they thought was good, what left them uncomfortable, were there any areas that we didn’t discuss, is there something that they forgot to brag about? A lot of people can’t write anymore. I mean, they would be thrown out of eighth-grade class. In my house, my father learned English as a second language, and if I got an A on a paper and I spelled a word wrong, that’s what I heard about.
I ask them where they think they’ve displayed courage in a job. Where have they stood up and said, “I don’t agree with you”? Sometimes the courage is to recommend pursuing a business, or, “I’d like to go out on my own as a separate division.”
I ask them about momentum killers in their business and what they’ve done to try and fix them.
And some people you just connect with on a chemistry level. It’s an intangible. You have to judge that chemistry with the other chemistry in the group. And a lot of that is a feeling. Does the conversation flow? Is it easy? Do people think before they speak or do they blurt? Do they talk over you or do they listen to you finish?"
"Q. So let’s talk about hiring. What are you looking for?
A. I look for innate intelligence. You hear that by the way people talk, by the way they express themselves, by the level of sophistication of their answers. I ask them to send me a letter after the interview about what they thought about our conversation and what they thought was good, what left them uncomfortable, were there any areas that we didn’t discuss, is there something that they forgot to brag about? A lot of people can’t write anymore. I mean, they would be thrown out of eighth-grade class. In my house, my father learned English as a second language, and if I got an A on a paper and I spelled a word wrong, that’s what I heard about.
I ask them where they think they’ve displayed courage in a job. Where have they stood up and said, “I don’t agree with you”? Sometimes the courage is to recommend pursuing a business, or, “I’d like to go out on my own as a separate division.”
I ask them about momentum killers in their business and what they’ve done to try and fix them.
And some people you just connect with on a chemistry level. It’s an intangible. You have to judge that chemistry with the other chemistry in the group. And a lot of that is a feeling. Does the conversation flow? Is it easy? Do people think before they speak or do they blurt? Do they talk over you or do they listen to you finish?"
LLAMA Human Resources Section Presents a Free Webinar on How to Find a Job; Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA), 9/15/11
Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA); LLAMA Human Resources Section Presents a Free Webinar on How to Find a Job:
"You have your MLS degree—but what’s next? Applying for and interviewing for a job can be fraught with anxiety and frustrations. But you can put yourself ahead of the herd with the right information. The Library Leadership and Management Association’s Human Resources Section (LLAMA-HRS) will present “Job Hunting for Today’s Libraries in Today’s Job Market,” Wednesday, October 19, 1:30 pm -3:00 pm CST. This free webinar is intended for library students or recent MLS graduates about to enter the workforce or start a job search.
Participants will: increase their confidence and raise their success rate; gain a comprehensive understanding of how libraries conduct searches and make hiring decisions; and learn what libraries are looking for through practical tips and insight from a seasoned recruiter.
Speaker: Brian Keith is Assistant Dean for Human and Financial Resources at the George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida. He will share his insight and advice from years of experience recruiting librarians.
Register online at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/404003538
Space is limited."
"You have your MLS degree—but what’s next? Applying for and interviewing for a job can be fraught with anxiety and frustrations. But you can put yourself ahead of the herd with the right information. The Library Leadership and Management Association’s Human Resources Section (LLAMA-HRS) will present “Job Hunting for Today’s Libraries in Today’s Job Market,” Wednesday, October 19, 1:30 pm -3:00 pm CST. This free webinar is intended for library students or recent MLS graduates about to enter the workforce or start a job search.
Participants will: increase their confidence and raise their success rate; gain a comprehensive understanding of how libraries conduct searches and make hiring decisions; and learn what libraries are looking for through practical tips and insight from a seasoned recruiter.
Speaker: Brian Keith is Assistant Dean for Human and Financial Resources at the George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida. He will share his insight and advice from years of experience recruiting librarians.
Register online at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/404003538
Space is limited."
Why You Still Haven't Gotten a Job; Harvard Business Review, 9/28/11
Priscilla Claman, Harvard Business Review; Why You Still Haven't Gotten a Job:
"Last year, I was visited by one of these chronic resume-senders. Sheryl had sent out 1,000 resumes in ten months and didn't have one interview to show for it. She brought a copy of her resume with her, and we examined it. There, in the middle of the page, in bold, 14-point type, we read:
PROFFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE"
"Last year, I was visited by one of these chronic resume-senders. Sheryl had sent out 1,000 resumes in ten months and didn't have one interview to show for it. She brought a copy of her resume with her, and we examined it. There, in the middle of the page, in bold, 14-point type, we read:
PROFFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE"
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Myth of Performance Metrics; Harvard Business Review, 12/12/11
Dick Grote, Harvard Business Review; The Myth of Performance Metrics:
"Don't get hung up trying to find quantitative metrics to support every judgment in a performance appraisal. Remember what Albert Einstein said: "Not everything that counts can be counted. And not everything that can be counted counts.""
"Don't get hung up trying to find quantitative metrics to support every judgment in a performance appraisal. Remember what Albert Einstein said: "Not everything that counts can be counted. And not everything that can be counted counts.""
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Carol Bartz Rips Yahoo Board: 'These People F----d Me Over' ; HuffingtonPost.com, 9/8/11
Catharine Smith, HuffingtonPost.com; Carol Bartz Rips Yahoo Board: 'These People F----d Me Over' :
"Ousted Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz has some choice words to share about the people who fired her.
In her first interview since her dismissal on Tuesday evening, Bartz told Fortune her thoughts about Yahoo’s board of directors.
"These people f----d me over," Bartz said, according to Fortune’s Patricia Sellers."
"Ousted Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz has some choice words to share about the people who fired her.
In her first interview since her dismissal on Tuesday evening, Bartz told Fortune her thoughts about Yahoo’s board of directors.
"These people f----d me over," Bartz said, according to Fortune’s Patricia Sellers."
Monday, September 5, 2011
Corner Office, Interview with Enrique Salem, president and C.E.O. of Symantec; Want to Lead? Ask Tennyson and Shakespeare; New York Times, 9/3/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Enrique Salem, president and C.E.O. of Symantec, the computer security company; Want to Lead? Ask Tennyson and Shakespeare:
"Q. And does that include difficult conversations with people about their performance?
A. Absolutely. It was harder for me to talk to somebody about, “Here’s where I need you to improve.” It didn’t make it easier to be worried about their reaction. Now I feel more comfortable with that, and I think it’s just a matter of experience.
If you’re going to be successful, you’ve got to be able to deliver the tough message. And I find that a lot of managers will not deliver those messages and then people are surprised. If you get asked to be a manager, you have to manage. And managing means sometimes you’ve got to deliver a tough message. But you’ve got to give the feedback in a way that has a constructive tone."
"Q. And does that include difficult conversations with people about their performance?
A. Absolutely. It was harder for me to talk to somebody about, “Here’s where I need you to improve.” It didn’t make it easier to be worried about their reaction. Now I feel more comfortable with that, and I think it’s just a matter of experience.
If you’re going to be successful, you’ve got to be able to deliver the tough message. And I find that a lot of managers will not deliver those messages and then people are surprised. If you get asked to be a manager, you have to manage. And managing means sometimes you’ve got to deliver a tough message. But you’ve got to give the feedback in a way that has a constructive tone."
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Interview with Terri Ludwig, president and chief executive of Enterprise Community Partners; Corner Office, New York Times, 8/20/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Terri Ludwig, president and chief executive of Enterprise Community Partners, a nonprofit housing finance organization:
"Q. Let’s shift to hiring. How would you interview me?
A. First of all, I would have expected you to be pretty well screened by the time you get to me. So I probably wouldn’t spend much time on the technical aspects. I would spend some time talking first about our mission. Why Enterprise? What’s compelling to you about housing and community development? I’d be looking for really a true commitment to that — something that really resonates and makes sense. And what have you done in your past? What do you do in your free time? I’d definitely want to know about who you are as a person. How do you live your life?
Q. And what other questions do you ask?
A. How do you like to work on a team? I would probably ask some specifics about how you would work toward getting a project done, and how you would engage teams. Give me some examples of how you’ve done that."
"Q. Let’s shift to hiring. How would you interview me?
A. First of all, I would have expected you to be pretty well screened by the time you get to me. So I probably wouldn’t spend much time on the technical aspects. I would spend some time talking first about our mission. Why Enterprise? What’s compelling to you about housing and community development? I’d be looking for really a true commitment to that — something that really resonates and makes sense. And what have you done in your past? What do you do in your free time? I’d definitely want to know about who you are as a person. How do you live your life?
Q. And what other questions do you ask?
A. How do you like to work on a team? I would probably ask some specifics about how you would work toward getting a project done, and how you would engage teams. Give me some examples of how you’ve done that."
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Reflecting on Steve Jobs' Words of Wisdom; Harvard Business Review, 8/26/11
Jeff Dyer and Hal Gregersen, Harvard Business Review; Reflecting on Steve Jobs' Words of Wisdom:
"On June 12, 2005, in his commencement address to Stanford's graduating class, Steve Jobs revealed:
"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: 'If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.' It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.""
"On June 12, 2005, in his commencement address to Stanford's graduating class, Steve Jobs revealed:
"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: 'If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.' It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.""
Stop Ignoring the Stalwart Worker; Harvard Business Review, 8/26/11
Thomas J. DeLong, Harvard Business Review; Stop Ignoring the Stalwart Worker:
"So what exactly is the Stalwart temperament? Perhaps the defining characteristic of Stalwarts is their aversion to calling attention to themselves — even when they need to. They are like the proverbial wheel that never squeaks — and, consequently, gets no grease. The quickest way to identify Stalwarts is to list the people who make the fewest demands on the CEO's time. Such reserve is utterly alien to most Stars, who make sure that they squeak loudly enough to get the attention they want."
"So what exactly is the Stalwart temperament? Perhaps the defining characteristic of Stalwarts is their aversion to calling attention to themselves — even when they need to. They are like the proverbial wheel that never squeaks — and, consequently, gets no grease. The quickest way to identify Stalwarts is to list the people who make the fewest demands on the CEO's time. Such reserve is utterly alien to most Stars, who make sure that they squeak loudly enough to get the attention they want."
Monday, July 25, 2011
[Opinion] Addictive Personality? You Might be a Leader; New York Times, 7/23/11
[Opinion] David J. Linden, New York Times; Addictive Personality? You Might be a Leader:
"WHEN we think of the qualities we seek in visionary leaders, we think of intelligence, creativity, wisdom and charisma, but also the drive to succeed, a hunger for innovation, a willingness to challenge established ideas and practices.
But in fact, the psychological profile of a compelling leader — think of tech pioneers like Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison and Steven P. Jobs — is also that of the compulsive risk-taker, someone with a high degree of novelty-seeking behavior. In short, what we seek in leaders is often the same kind of personality type that is found in addicts, whether they are dependent on gambling, alcohol, sex or drugs."
"WHEN we think of the qualities we seek in visionary leaders, we think of intelligence, creativity, wisdom and charisma, but also the drive to succeed, a hunger for innovation, a willingness to challenge established ideas and practices.
But in fact, the psychological profile of a compelling leader — think of tech pioneers like Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison and Steven P. Jobs — is also that of the compulsive risk-taker, someone with a high degree of novelty-seeking behavior. In short, what we seek in leaders is often the same kind of personality type that is found in addicts, whether they are dependent on gambling, alcohol, sex or drugs."
Cuomo’s Presidential Moment Forms Contrast With Obama; New York Times, 6/25/11
Nate Silver, New York Times; Cuomo’s Presidential Moment Forms Contrast With Obama:
"I’m generally of the view that individual politicians receive both more credit and more blame than they deserve, with legislative and electoral outcomes usually determined by broad cultural, economic and political undercurrents. But the type of leadership that Mr. Cuomo exercised — setting a lofty goal, refusing to take no for an answer and using every tool at his disposal to achieve it — is reminiscent of the stories sometimes told about with President Lyndon B. Johnson, who had perhaps the most impressive record of legislative accomplishment of any recent president."
"I’m generally of the view that individual politicians receive both more credit and more blame than they deserve, with legislative and electoral outcomes usually determined by broad cultural, economic and political undercurrents. But the type of leadership that Mr. Cuomo exercised — setting a lofty goal, refusing to take no for an answer and using every tool at his disposal to achieve it — is reminiscent of the stories sometimes told about with President Lyndon B. Johnson, who had perhaps the most impressive record of legislative accomplishment of any recent president."
Social Media History Becomes a New Job Hurdle; New York Times, 7/20/11
Jennifer Preston, New York Times; Social Media History Becomes a New Job Hurdle:
"A year-old start-up, Social Intelligence, scrapes the Internet for everything prospective employees may have said or done online in the past seven years.
Then it assembles a dossier with examples of professional honors and charitable work, along with negative information that meets specific criteria: online evidence of racist remarks; references to drugs; sexually explicit photos, text messages or videos; flagrant displays of weapons or bombs and clearly identifiable violent activity."
"A year-old start-up, Social Intelligence, scrapes the Internet for everything prospective employees may have said or done online in the past seven years.
Then it assembles a dossier with examples of professional honors and charitable work, along with negative information that meets specific criteria: online evidence of racist remarks; references to drugs; sexually explicit photos, text messages or videos; flagrant displays of weapons or bombs and clearly identifiable violent activity."
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Corner Office: Interview with Kathy Button Bell, vice president and chief marketing officer of Emerson; New York Times, 7/2/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Kathy Button Bell, vice president and chief marketing officer of Emerson: Endurance on the Field, and at Work:
"Q. How do you find [people who have empathy] in an interview?
A. I think you can feel empathy pretty fast from people. I think you can also tell by what kind of jobs they’ve had, and what they liked. You get at someone’s personal values a little bit.
I would actually say that most of the time when you have a failed employee, it’s a person who lacks empathy, and they didn’t hear what the organization was telling them. They don’t hear the cues. Lots of very smart people lack empathy. They’re able to test their way through life and get A’s. No one tests you on empathy. You can also learn a lot about somebody from the questions they ask you."
"Q. How do you find [people who have empathy] in an interview?
A. I think you can feel empathy pretty fast from people. I think you can also tell by what kind of jobs they’ve had, and what they liked. You get at someone’s personal values a little bit.
I would actually say that most of the time when you have a failed employee, it’s a person who lacks empathy, and they didn’t hear what the organization was telling them. They don’t hear the cues. Lots of very smart people lack empathy. They’re able to test their way through life and get A’s. No one tests you on empathy. You can also learn a lot about somebody from the questions they ask you."
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Harvard Business Review; Barnes & Noble's Smart Strategy, 6/29/11
Stephen Wunker, Harvard Business Review; Barnes & Noble's Smart Strategy:
"Faced with an eroding core business, most companies seem to do...nothing...
Barnes & Noble (B&N), America's largest bookseller, is bucking these trends."
"Faced with an eroding core business, most companies seem to do...nothing...
Barnes & Noble (B&N), America's largest bookseller, is bucking these trends."
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Note to Staff: We’re a Team, Not a Family; Corner Office, New York Times, 5/15/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Note to Staff: We’re a Team, Not a Family: Interview with Linda Lausell Bryant, executive director of Inwood House in New York:
"Q. How has your leadership style evolved?
A. Recently, I’ve really shifted my thinking. Our culture reflected our work, which is to create a sense of family for our teens. So our staff would say: “We’re a family. We’re a family.” And I’ve actually said directly to everyone in all-staff meetings: “We’re not a family, because in a family you never can fire somebody like your Uncle Joe. You just can’t. You have to put up with him because he’s family. In an organization, if someone is taking the organization down, we can’t accept that because the organization is bigger than any one of us.”
So I’ve said to them that the analogy that best suits us is, “We’re a team,” and in a team, everybody’s got a role to play. And the team wins when everybody plays their roles to their best ability."
"Q. How has your leadership style evolved?
A. Recently, I’ve really shifted my thinking. Our culture reflected our work, which is to create a sense of family for our teens. So our staff would say: “We’re a family. We’re a family.” And I’ve actually said directly to everyone in all-staff meetings: “We’re not a family, because in a family you never can fire somebody like your Uncle Joe. You just can’t. You have to put up with him because he’s family. In an organization, if someone is taking the organization down, we can’t accept that because the organization is bigger than any one of us.”
So I’ve said to them that the analogy that best suits us is, “We’re a team,” and in a team, everybody’s got a role to play. And the team wins when everybody plays their roles to their best ability."
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Stopping Theft at Work; Harvard Business Review, 5/11/11
Nilofer Merchant, Harvard Business Review; Stopping Theft at Work:
"Being good is not enough. You gotta tell others. If this is hard for you to accept, remember what Muhammad Ali said: "It's not bragging if you can back it up." When someone else takes credit for our work, the reason it stings is because they've stolen a bit of our power. And we let them."
"Being good is not enough. You gotta tell others. If this is hard for you to accept, remember what Muhammad Ali said: "It's not bragging if you can back it up." When someone else takes credit for our work, the reason it stings is because they've stolen a bit of our power. And we let them."
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The No-Drama Rule of Management; Harvard Business Review, 6/10/10
Peter Bregman, Harvard Business Review; The No-Drama Rule of Management:
"Avi demonstrated the new rules of professionalism in an open work place. Be calm. Be supportive of others. Show leadership by avoiding — and, when necessary, actively managing — drama that could distract, embarrass, or unsettle others. And never, ever be the cause of that drama yourself."
"Avi demonstrated the new rules of professionalism in an open work place. Be calm. Be supportive of others. Show leadership by avoiding — and, when necessary, actively managing — drama that could distract, embarrass, or unsettle others. And never, ever be the cause of that drama yourself."
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Feel Like a Wallflower? Maybe It’s Your Facebook Wall; New York Times, 4/9/11
Jenna Wortham, New York Times; Feel Like a Wallflower? Maybe It’s Your Facebook Wall:
"My problem is emblematic of the digital era. It’s known as FOMO, or “fear of missing out,” and refers to the blend of anxiety, inadequacy and irritation that can flare up while skimming social media like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Instagram...
SHERRY TURKLE, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and author of “Alone Together,” says that as technology becomes ever more pervasive, our relationship to it becomes more intimate, granting it the power to influence decisions, moods and emotions...
We are struggling with the always-on feeling of connection that the Internet can provide, she said, and we still need to figure out how to limit its influence on our lives. I asked Professor Turkle what people could do to deal with this stress-inducing quandary. She said she would tell herself to “get a grip and separate myself from my iPhone.”"
"My problem is emblematic of the digital era. It’s known as FOMO, or “fear of missing out,” and refers to the blend of anxiety, inadequacy and irritation that can flare up while skimming social media like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Instagram...
SHERRY TURKLE, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and author of “Alone Together,” says that as technology becomes ever more pervasive, our relationship to it becomes more intimate, granting it the power to influence decisions, moods and emotions...
We are struggling with the always-on feeling of connection that the Internet can provide, she said, and we still need to figure out how to limit its influence on our lives. I asked Professor Turkle what people could do to deal with this stress-inducing quandary. She said she would tell herself to “get a grip and separate myself from my iPhone.”"
Erasing the Digital Past; New York Times, 4/1/11
Nick Bilton, New York Times; Erasing the Digital Past:
"The company he used, Reputation.com, is among a growing corps of online reputation managers that promise to make clients look better online. In an age when a person’s reputation is increasingly defined by Google, Facebook and Twitter, these services offer what is essentially an online makeover, improving how someone appears on the Internet, usually by spotlighting flattering features and concealing negative ones.
“The Internet has become the go-to resources to destroy someone’s life online, which in turn means their offline life gets turned upside, too,” said Michael Fertik, the chief executive of Reputation.com, which is in Redwood City, Calif., and is among the largest in this field. “We’ve reached a point where the Internet has become so complicated, vast and fast-paced, that people can’t control it by themselves anymore. They now need an army of technologists to back them up online.”"
"The company he used, Reputation.com, is among a growing corps of online reputation managers that promise to make clients look better online. In an age when a person’s reputation is increasingly defined by Google, Facebook and Twitter, these services offer what is essentially an online makeover, improving how someone appears on the Internet, usually by spotlighting flattering features and concealing negative ones.
“The Internet has become the go-to resources to destroy someone’s life online, which in turn means their offline life gets turned upside, too,” said Michael Fertik, the chief executive of Reputation.com, which is in Redwood City, Calif., and is among the largest in this field. “We’ve reached a point where the Internet has become so complicated, vast and fast-paced, that people can’t control it by themselves anymore. They now need an army of technologists to back them up online.”"
Saturday, April 9, 2011
A Simple Communication Mistake to Avoid; Harvard Business Review, 4/8/11
Peter Bregman, Harvard Business Review; A Simple Communication Mistake to Avoid:
"The solution is simple: When you have a strong reaction to something, take a deep breath and ask yourself a single question: what's going on for the other person?
Then, based on your answer, ask yourself one more question: What can I do or say that will help them?"
"The solution is simple: When you have a strong reaction to something, take a deep breath and ask yourself a single question: what's going on for the other person?
Then, based on your answer, ask yourself one more question: What can I do or say that will help them?"
[Podcast] Life 'In The Plex': The Future Of Google; NPR's Morning Edition, 2011
[Podcast] NPR's Morning Edition; Life 'In The Plex': The Future Of Google:
""We'll expect more of what they call 'moon shots' from Google. These are things that most outsiders would say is beyond what Google should be doing,"
he says. "The idea of 'sticking to your knitting,' which is a big cliche in the corporate world, is something that is very alien to Larry. So whether its scanning all the books in the world or, more recently, developing cars that drive themselves ... these are the kind of things that interest Larry. And in another sense, we will see things like applying novel ways to controlling a multibillion-dollar company. For instance, just since he's been announced to be the CEO, he's really taken over in that role already, and has had innovations ? the key managers, the different divisions of Google all get together a few afternoons a week and work together as if in a war room situation.""
""We'll expect more of what they call 'moon shots' from Google. These are things that most outsiders would say is beyond what Google should be doing,"
he says. "The idea of 'sticking to your knitting,' which is a big cliche in the corporate world, is something that is very alien to Larry. So whether its scanning all the books in the world or, more recently, developing cars that drive themselves ... these are the kind of things that interest Larry. And in another sense, we will see things like applying novel ways to controlling a multibillion-dollar company. For instance, just since he's been announced to be the CEO, he's really taken over in that role already, and has had innovations ? the key managers, the different divisions of Google all get together a few afternoons a week and work together as if in a war room situation.""
Facebook comments and the NLRB; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 4/4/11
Antoinette Oliver, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Facebook comments and the NLRB:
"Employers must take care that newly developed social media policies give due consideration to employees' protected National Labor Relations Act rights.
At the same time, employees should remember that neither the National Labor Relations Act nor any other law permits them to defame their employers. There are limits to their social media posting just as there are to other more traditional avenues of expression."
"Employers must take care that newly developed social media policies give due consideration to employees' protected National Labor Relations Act rights.
At the same time, employees should remember that neither the National Labor Relations Act nor any other law permits them to defame their employers. There are limits to their social media posting just as there are to other more traditional avenues of expression."
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Corner Office, What’s the Mission? Your Troops Want to Hear It From You; New York Times, 3/26/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Doreen Lorenzo, president of Frog Design, an innovation firm in San FranciscoWhat’s the Mission? Your Troops Want to Hear It From You:
"Q. So how do you hire?
A. There’s a certain type of personality you look for, because the business changes so rapidly and it moves so fast. As I always say, “Jump on the train, it doesn’t stop.” So you’re looking for people who are, obviously, very talented, very smart, who like process but understand that process has to change, and who are very eclectic in their thoughts and are passionate. I look for people who have that sensibility. They come from diverse industries. They have conquered something.
They have to be very articulate, because, in our business, you have to explain complicated ideas that have never been done before."
"Q. So how do you hire?
A. There’s a certain type of personality you look for, because the business changes so rapidly and it moves so fast. As I always say, “Jump on the train, it doesn’t stop.” So you’re looking for people who are, obviously, very talented, very smart, who like process but understand that process has to change, and who are very eclectic in their thoughts and are passionate. I look for people who have that sensibility. They come from diverse industries. They have conquered something.
They have to be very articulate, because, in our business, you have to explain complicated ideas that have never been done before."
Using Stories to Persuade; Harvard Business Review, 3/24/11
John Baldoni, Harvard Business Review; Using Stories to Persuade:
"Effective storytelling can serve anyone in leadership who seeks to persuade others to his or her point of view. Opinion-based rhetoric is often more polarizing than persuasive, while statistics are often go in one ear and out the other. But a careful blending of rhetoric and facts, woven into the right story, can change minds.
Shaping an effective story with a point of view is a learned skill. Here are some suggestions..."
"Effective storytelling can serve anyone in leadership who seeks to persuade others to his or her point of view. Opinion-based rhetoric is often more polarizing than persuasive, while statistics are often go in one ear and out the other. But a careful blending of rhetoric and facts, woven into the right story, can change minds.
Shaping an effective story with a point of view is a learned skill. Here are some suggestions..."
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Former Marine Corps Leader to Head Financially Troubled Birmingham-Southern College; Chronicle of Higher Education, 3/21/11
Jack Stripling, Chronicle of Higher Education; Former Marine Corps Leader to Head Financially Troubled Birmingham-Southern College:
"Mr. Law, who has studied military leaders for his scholarship on the history of terrorism, said he saw a lot of benefits in General Krulak's background.
"You have to be political" as a military leader, Mr. Law said. "You have to be diplomatic, and you have to be a good manager of an organization. You have to be able to articulate that organization's mission very well.""
"Mr. Law, who has studied military leaders for his scholarship on the history of terrorism, said he saw a lot of benefits in General Krulak's background.
"You have to be political" as a military leader, Mr. Law said. "You have to be diplomatic, and you have to be a good manager of an organization. You have to be able to articulate that organization's mission very well.""
Friday, March 18, 2011
Don't Be Nice; Be Helpful; Harvard Business Review, 3/16/11
Peter Bregman, Harvard Business Review; Don't Be Nice; Be Helpful:
"Giving people feedback is an act of trust and confidence. It shows that you believe in their ability to change. That you believe they will use the information to become better. And that you have faith in their potential. It's also a sign of commitment to the team and to the larger purpose and goals of the organization. Because, ultimately, we're all responsible for our collective success."
"Giving people feedback is an act of trust and confidence. It shows that you believe in their ability to change. That you believe they will use the information to become better. And that you have faith in their potential. It's also a sign of commitment to the team and to the larger purpose and goals of the organization. Because, ultimately, we're all responsible for our collective success."
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Sleep is More Important than Food; Harvard Business Review, 3/3/11
Tony Schwartz, Harvard Business Review; Sleep is More Important than Food:
"In Anders Ericcson's famous study of violinists, the top performers slept an average of 8 ½ hours out of every 24, including a 20 to 30 minute midafternoon nap some 2 hours a day more than the average American.
The top violinists also reported that except for practice itself, sleep was second most important factor in improving as violinists."
"In Anders Ericcson's famous study of violinists, the top performers slept an average of 8 ½ hours out of every 24, including a 20 to 30 minute midafternoon nap some 2 hours a day more than the average American.
The top violinists also reported that except for practice itself, sleep was second most important factor in improving as violinists."
Sunday, March 13, 2011
A Changed Starbucks. A Changed C.E.O.; New York Times, 3/12/11
Claire Cain Miller, New York Times; A Changed Starbucks. A Changed C.E.O. :
"“There’s been more arguing, challenging and debate in the last two to three years than there’s ever been,” says Mr. Alstead, the chief financial officer.
Mr. Schultz’s take: “What leadership means is the courage it takes to talk about things that, in the past, perhaps we wouldn’t have, because I’m not right all the time.”
Born entrepreneurs are not necessarily born managers. You need creativity and drive to start a company, discipline and delegation to run one. In the last year, people who work closely with Mr. Schultz say, he has shown he can make the leap."
"“There’s been more arguing, challenging and debate in the last two to three years than there’s ever been,” says Mr. Alstead, the chief financial officer.
Mr. Schultz’s take: “What leadership means is the courage it takes to talk about things that, in the past, perhaps we wouldn’t have, because I’m not right all the time.”
Born entrepreneurs are not necessarily born managers. You need creativity and drive to start a company, discipline and delegation to run one. In the last year, people who work closely with Mr. Schultz say, he has shown he can make the leap."
Google’s Quest to Build a Better Boss; New York Times, 3/12/11
Adam Bryant, New York Times; Google’s Quest to Build a Better Boss:
"...Mr. Bock’s group found that technical expertise — the ability, say, to write computer code in your sleep — ranked dead last among Google’s big eight. What employees valued most were even-keeled bosses who made time for one-on-one meetings, who helped people puzzle through problems by asking questions, not dictating answers, and who took an interest in employees’ lives and careers."
"...Mr. Bock’s group found that technical expertise — the ability, say, to write computer code in your sleep — ranked dead last among Google’s big eight. What employees valued most were even-keeled bosses who made time for one-on-one meetings, who helped people puzzle through problems by asking questions, not dictating answers, and who took an interest in employees’ lives and careers."
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Why Your Boss Is Wrong About You; New York Times, 3/1/11
Samuel A. Culbert, New York Times; Why Your Boss Is Wrong About You:
"As anybody who has ever worked in any institution — private or public — knows, one of the primary ways employee effectiveness is judged is the performance review. And nothing could be less fair than that.
In my years studying such reviews, I’ve learned that they are subjective evaluations that measure how “comfortable” a boss is with an employee, not how much an employee contributes to overall results. They are an intimidating tool that makes employees too scared to speak their minds, lest their criticism come back to haunt them in their annual evaluations. They almost guarantee that the owners — whether they be taxpayers or shareholders — will get less bang for their buck."
"As anybody who has ever worked in any institution — private or public — knows, one of the primary ways employee effectiveness is judged is the performance review. And nothing could be less fair than that.
In my years studying such reviews, I’ve learned that they are subjective evaluations that measure how “comfortable” a boss is with an employee, not how much an employee contributes to overall results. They are an intimidating tool that makes employees too scared to speak their minds, lest their criticism come back to haunt them in their annual evaluations. They almost guarantee that the owners — whether they be taxpayers or shareholders — will get less bang for their buck."
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Words Many Managers Are Afraid To Say; Harvard Business Review, 2/11
Linda Hill & Kent Lineback, Harvard Business Review; The Words Many Managers Are Afraid To Say:
"When is the last time you said words like these to the people who work for you?
"I don't know."
"I was wrong."
"I'm sorry."
"Would you help me?"
"What do you think?"
"What would you do?"
"Could you explain this to me? I'm not sure I get it."
No one, boss or not, likes to admit error or ignorance. But an inability to recognize and admit openly when you lack knowledge or make a mistake will make you less effective as a manager in two ways."
"When is the last time you said words like these to the people who work for you?
"I don't know."
"I was wrong."
"I'm sorry."
"Would you help me?"
"What do you think?"
"What would you do?"
"Could you explain this to me? I'm not sure I get it."
No one, boss or not, likes to admit error or ignorance. But an inability to recognize and admit openly when you lack knowledge or make a mistake will make you less effective as a manager in two ways."
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Whitehall library has space for just senior citizens; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2/17/11
Kaitlynn Riely, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Whitehall library has space for just senior citizens:
"In Whitehall, where nearly half the population is over age 45, the library is using the grant money to create a space, dubbed the Second Chapter Cafe, for library patrons to read, watch movies, socialize and learn how to use new technologies, such as Facebook and e-readers, said Paula Kelly, library director."
"In Whitehall, where nearly half the population is over age 45, the library is using the grant money to create a space, dubbed the Second Chapter Cafe, for library patrons to read, watch movies, socialize and learn how to use new technologies, such as Facebook and e-readers, said Paula Kelly, library director."
The Essence of a Great Presentation; Harvard Business Review, 2/17/11
Whitney Johnson, Harvard Business Review; The Essence of a Great Presentation:
"In setting aside the script and focusing on the client's bottom line, instead of our own, we lay the groundwork for a long-lasting rapport. Of course, it is essential that we are well prepared and know our material cold; however, knowledge alone is insufficient. Moving away from a scripted, pundit-style, one-size-fits-all message, we will certainly make mistakes. But, the only real mistake is thinking that these slip-ups equal failure. If we focus on the audience, not ourselves, whether in a one-on-one meeting or a packed auditorium, we'll deliver a crowd-pleasing, even praiseworthy, performance every time: because success is ultimately about connection, not perfection."
"In setting aside the script and focusing on the client's bottom line, instead of our own, we lay the groundwork for a long-lasting rapport. Of course, it is essential that we are well prepared and know our material cold; however, knowledge alone is insufficient. Moving away from a scripted, pundit-style, one-size-fits-all message, we will certainly make mistakes. But, the only real mistake is thinking that these slip-ups equal failure. If we focus on the audience, not ourselves, whether in a one-on-one meeting or a packed auditorium, we'll deliver a crowd-pleasing, even praiseworthy, performance every time: because success is ultimately about connection, not perfection."
Public Library serious about raising money; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2/17/11
Kaitlynn Riely, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Mt. Lebanon Public Library serious about raising money:
"Faced with funding cuts in recent years and preparing for further cuts in the future, the Mt. Lebanon Public Library plans to hone its fundraising efforts to fill in the gaps.
The library has contracted with a fundraising consultant, who made several suggestions library director Cynthia Richey said she hoped would propel the library toward its goal of collecting $300,000 to $400,000 in donations over the next three years.
"I think more libraries will be doing this as the traditional government funding streams are reduced, because it's a matter of survival," Ms. Richey said."
"Faced with funding cuts in recent years and preparing for further cuts in the future, the Mt. Lebanon Public Library plans to hone its fundraising efforts to fill in the gaps.
The library has contracted with a fundraising consultant, who made several suggestions library director Cynthia Richey said she hoped would propel the library toward its goal of collecting $300,000 to $400,000 in donations over the next three years.
"I think more libraries will be doing this as the traditional government funding streams are reduced, because it's a matter of survival," Ms. Richey said."
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Free love's antidote: On the Pitt campus, it should have been free speech; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2/12/11
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Free love's antidote: On the Pitt campus, it should have been free speech:
"University of Pittsburgh student Joseph Petrich wanted to advocate for chastity now, only to be told by university officialdom that he and his group had to leave...
The group was finally asked to leave because it was not an official Pitt-approved club. The official clubs giving out advice on condoms and such could stay.
Now there's a public relations disaster that should have been anticipated at once."
"University of Pittsburgh student Joseph Petrich wanted to advocate for chastity now, only to be told by university officialdom that he and his group had to leave...
The group was finally asked to leave because it was not an official Pitt-approved club. The official clubs giving out advice on condoms and such could stay.
Now there's a public relations disaster that should have been anticipated at once."
Friday, February 11, 2011
Staff cuts detrimental to library's vision; Almanac (South Hills of Pittsburgh), 2/9/11
Robyn Hammer-Clarey, Almanac (South Hills of Pittsburgh); Staff cuts detrimental to library's vision:
"On Jan. 13th and 14th of this year four full-time employees in the Mt. Lebanon Public Library were terminated. One was a clerk at the service desk and the other three were librarians with a masters degree. They supported adult services including reference and the collection doing purchasing and cataloging."
"On Jan. 13th and 14th of this year four full-time employees in the Mt. Lebanon Public Library were terminated. One was a clerk at the service desk and the other three were librarians with a masters degree. They supported adult services including reference and the collection doing purchasing and cataloging."
Library cuts staff; Almanac (South Hills of Pittsburgh), 2/9/11
Terri T. Johnson, Almanac (South Hills of Pittsburgh); Library cuts staff:
"The problems of funding began in 2004, Richey said, when then Gov. Ed Rendell cut state funding in half for libraries across the state. The money was "gradually brought up, but he cut it again in 2009 and again in 2010 and again in 2011," Richey said.
Also, Richey said the Mt. Lebanon library lost funding through the Allegheny County Library Association, known as ACLA. Additional money was diverted from the library due to formula changes through the county's Regional Asset District, known as RAD. She said the lost revenue streams total almost $250,000 with the result being her annual budget dipped from $1.61 million to $1.5 million."
"The problems of funding began in 2004, Richey said, when then Gov. Ed Rendell cut state funding in half for libraries across the state. The money was "gradually brought up, but he cut it again in 2009 and again in 2010 and again in 2011," Richey said.
Also, Richey said the Mt. Lebanon library lost funding through the Allegheny County Library Association, known as ACLA. Additional money was diverted from the library due to formula changes through the county's Regional Asset District, known as RAD. She said the lost revenue streams total almost $250,000 with the result being her annual budget dipped from $1.61 million to $1.5 million."
The Dirty Little Secret of Successful Companies; New York Times, 2/8/11
Jay Goltz, New York Times; The Dirty Little Secret of Successful Companies:
"If you want to run a great company — a company they gives great customer service and delivers a great product and has happy employees and a good bottom line, you occasionally have to fire people. Who? The people who after exhaustive training and coaching and counseling cannot do the job. The people who would probably be rated a six on a scale of one to 10. You’ve probably already parted company with the people who rate worse than a six – but it’s the sixes who can be tricky. They’re not that bad, but they’re just not good."
"If you want to run a great company — a company they gives great customer service and delivers a great product and has happy employees and a good bottom line, you occasionally have to fire people. Who? The people who after exhaustive training and coaching and counseling cannot do the job. The people who would probably be rated a six on a scale of one to 10. You’ve probably already parted company with the people who rate worse than a six – but it’s the sixes who can be tricky. They’re not that bad, but they’re just not good."
Hospitals Shift Smoking Bans to Smoker Ban; New York Times, 2/11/11
A. G. Sulzberger, New York Times; Hospitals Shift Smoking Bans to Smoker Ban:
"More hospitals and medical businesses in many states are adopting strict policies that make smoking a reason to turn away job applicants, saying they want to increase worker productivity, reduce health care costs and encourage healthier living...
Applications now explicitly warn of “tobacco-free hiring,” job seekers must submit to urine tests for nicotine and new employees caught smoking face termination.
This shift — from smoke-free to smoker-free workplaces — has prompted sharp debate, even among anti-tobacco groups, over whether the policies establish a troubling precedent of employers intruding into private lives to ban a habit that is legal."
"More hospitals and medical businesses in many states are adopting strict policies that make smoking a reason to turn away job applicants, saying they want to increase worker productivity, reduce health care costs and encourage healthier living...
Applications now explicitly warn of “tobacco-free hiring,” job seekers must submit to urine tests for nicotine and new employees caught smoking face termination.
This shift — from smoke-free to smoker-free workplaces — has prompted sharp debate, even among anti-tobacco groups, over whether the policies establish a troubling precedent of employers intruding into private lives to ban a habit that is legal."
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
The Worst Interview Question (and How to Answer It); Harvard Business Review, 1/31/11
Priscilla Claman, Harvard Business Review; The Worst Interview Question (and How to Answer It) :
"[W]hat do you consider your greatest weakness?"...
For my part, I don't believe in the abstract idea of individual "weaknesses," only weaknesses in the context of particular corporate cultures. For example, someone who might seem weak or indecisive in an execution-oriented culture might fit right into a highly collaborative culture. What looks like weakness in one culture may be strength in another. It's much more useful for an interviewer to know what strengths are needed to do the job and to determine if the candidate has those strengths...
Loathed as it is, you will have to be prepared for this question — because sooner or later some stickler will ask. Rather than hemming and hawing for an answer on the spot, follow these recommendations..."
"[W]hat do you consider your greatest weakness?"...
For my part, I don't believe in the abstract idea of individual "weaknesses," only weaknesses in the context of particular corporate cultures. For example, someone who might seem weak or indecisive in an execution-oriented culture might fit right into a highly collaborative culture. What looks like weakness in one culture may be strength in another. It's much more useful for an interviewer to know what strengths are needed to do the job and to determine if the candidate has those strengths...
Loathed as it is, you will have to be prepared for this question — because sooner or later some stickler will ask. Rather than hemming and hawing for an answer on the spot, follow these recommendations..."
Monday, February 7, 2011
Corner Office, Interview with Julie Greenwald; New York Times, 2/6/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Julie Greenwald, chairwoman and chief operating officer of the Atlantic Records Group: Meeting Space? In Her Eyes, Less Is More:
"Q. Talk more about your leadership style now.
A. I spend a lot of time in small meetings. I make sure, as we’re working on projects, that we constantly talk about culture and what we need and why something is not just one person’s responsibility. I’ll talk through an issue, and really make sure everybody understands that we all have to have ownership over the artist and over the project and over this company. We’re all in it together. We’re all going to win together and we’re all going to lose together. So what do we need to learn about each other’s departments? How do we make sure everybody’s working together better?""
"Q. Talk more about your leadership style now.
A. I spend a lot of time in small meetings. I make sure, as we’re working on projects, that we constantly talk about culture and what we need and why something is not just one person’s responsibility. I’ll talk through an issue, and really make sure everybody understands that we all have to have ownership over the artist and over the project and over this company. We’re all in it together. We’re all going to win together and we’re all going to lose together. So what do we need to learn about each other’s departments? How do we make sure everybody’s working together better?""
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Pitt library holds a black-gold party; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2/5/11
Katie Park, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Pitt library holds a black-gold party:
"The University of Pittsburgh's colors may be blue and gold, but its library Friday was decked out in black and gold instead.
The University Library System hosted a Black and Gold Party and Steelers rally at the Cup and Chaucer cafe in Hillman Library on Friday afternoon. The event, which ran from 1 to 3:30 p.m., provided free food, including pierogies and haluski, and discounts on cafe drinks for customers dressed in black and gold.
The library had never hosted an event like this before, said Crystal McCormick Ware, the library's coordinator for communications and diversity...
Events such as the Black and Gold party help make the library a "very friendly place," Ms. McCormick Ware said."
"The University of Pittsburgh's colors may be blue and gold, but its library Friday was decked out in black and gold instead.
The University Library System hosted a Black and Gold Party and Steelers rally at the Cup and Chaucer cafe in Hillman Library on Friday afternoon. The event, which ran from 1 to 3:30 p.m., provided free food, including pierogies and haluski, and discounts on cafe drinks for customers dressed in black and gold.
The library had never hosted an event like this before, said Crystal McCormick Ware, the library's coordinator for communications and diversity...
Events such as the Black and Gold party help make the library a "very friendly place," Ms. McCormick Ware said."
Friday, February 4, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Director Says Young People Protect Library in Alexandria; Library Journal, 2/1/11
Michael Kelley, Library Journal; Director Says Young People Protect Library in Alexandria:
"As street protests continued to unfold in Egypt against the 30-year reign of President Hosni Mubarak, the director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is crediting young people in the country with protecting the library.
In a January 30 statement on the library's website, Ismail Serageldin, the director, wrote:
"The library is safe thanks to Egypt's youth, whether they be the staff of the Library or the representatives of the demonstrators, who are joining us in guarding the building from potential vandals and looters. I am there daily within the bounds of the curfew hours."
"As street protests continued to unfold in Egypt against the 30-year reign of President Hosni Mubarak, the director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is crediting young people in the country with protecting the library.
In a January 30 statement on the library's website, Ismail Serageldin, the director, wrote:
"The library is safe thanks to Egypt's youth, whether they be the staff of the Library or the representatives of the demonstrators, who are joining us in guarding the building from potential vandals and looters. I am there daily within the bounds of the curfew hours."
Monday, January 31, 2011
Nancy Pearl: LJ's 2011 Librarian of the Year; Library Journal, 1/15/11
John N. Berry III, Library Journal; Nancy Pearl: LJ's 2011 Librarian of the Year:
"No one other than Nancy Pearl has so convinced Americans that libraries, books, and reading are critical to our communities. Her passionate advocacy has done that nationwide for thousands of individual readers and library workers in the trenches at the local level. She has spread book lust via broadcasts to the nation on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition and from local radio and TV outlets and through her blog posts and tweets. She has done it in hundreds of workshops and performances for library patrons, library staff at all levels, and small groups of readers who want to be with her to discuss what they’ve read and what they have written. She has taught the skills and techniques of collection development, readers’ advisory (RA), and booktalking to the LIS students at the University of Washington Information School, and honed RA skills across staffing lines in the public libraries of Detroit, Tulsa, and Seattle.
Her work has reinforced reading via libraries as essential and empowering for all people. Her innovation in training has deepened the book skills of library workers. Her public outreach has effectively promoted libraries well beyond library walls, broadening the public’s perception of the purpose of libraries. All of these efforts have earned her recognition as LJ’s 2011 Librarian of the Year...
Pearl’s high profile translated into her becoming the model for the shushing librarian, which is the best seller of all the action figures produced by Seattle manufacturer Archie McPhee. Both adored and abhorred, it is still a favorite among librarians and book lovers."
"No one other than Nancy Pearl has so convinced Americans that libraries, books, and reading are critical to our communities. Her passionate advocacy has done that nationwide for thousands of individual readers and library workers in the trenches at the local level. She has spread book lust via broadcasts to the nation on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition and from local radio and TV outlets and through her blog posts and tweets. She has done it in hundreds of workshops and performances for library patrons, library staff at all levels, and small groups of readers who want to be with her to discuss what they’ve read and what they have written. She has taught the skills and techniques of collection development, readers’ advisory (RA), and booktalking to the LIS students at the University of Washington Information School, and honed RA skills across staffing lines in the public libraries of Detroit, Tulsa, and Seattle.
Her work has reinforced reading via libraries as essential and empowering for all people. Her innovation in training has deepened the book skills of library workers. Her public outreach has effectively promoted libraries well beyond library walls, broadening the public’s perception of the purpose of libraries. All of these efforts have earned her recognition as LJ’s 2011 Librarian of the Year...
Pearl’s high profile translated into her becoming the model for the shushing librarian, which is the best seller of all the action figures produced by Seattle manufacturer Archie McPhee. Both adored and abhorred, it is still a favorite among librarians and book lovers."
Civic Engagement Trumps ‘Shhh!’; New York Times, 1/31/11
Nicolai Ouroussoff, New York Times; Civic Engagement Trumps ‘Shhh!’ :
"So when the Queens Library Board of Trustees approved the design of the new Hunters Point community library this month, it was a well-deserved and long overdue breakthrough. The project, done in collaboration with Mr. Holl’s partner Chris McVoy and scheduled to begin construction early next year, will stand on a prominent waterfront site just across the East River from the United Nations. It is a striking expression of the continuing effort to shake the dust off of the city’s aging libraries and recast them as lively communal hubs, and should go far in bolstering the civic image of Queens...
The strength of this layout is that it allows Mr. Holl to balance the reader’s need for solitude with a strong sense of community...
Mr. Holl is not interested in creating a monastic sanctuary; he wants to build a monument to civic engagement. The views aren’t just pretty; they remind us that the intellectual exchange of a library is part of a bigger collective enterprise."
"So when the Queens Library Board of Trustees approved the design of the new Hunters Point community library this month, it was a well-deserved and long overdue breakthrough. The project, done in collaboration with Mr. Holl’s partner Chris McVoy and scheduled to begin construction early next year, will stand on a prominent waterfront site just across the East River from the United Nations. It is a striking expression of the continuing effort to shake the dust off of the city’s aging libraries and recast them as lively communal hubs, and should go far in bolstering the civic image of Queens...
The strength of this layout is that it allows Mr. Holl to balance the reader’s need for solitude with a strong sense of community...
Mr. Holl is not interested in creating a monastic sanctuary; he wants to build a monument to civic engagement. The views aren’t just pretty; they remind us that the intellectual exchange of a library is part of a bigger collective enterprise."
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Corner Office, Interview with Michael Lebowitz, founder and C.E.O. of Big Spaceship; New York Times, 1/30/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Michael Lebowitz, founder and C.E.O. of Big Spaceship, a digital marketing and communications agency; Hey, Rock Stars: Take Your Show Someplace Else:
"Q. Who were some important mentors for you?
A. I haven’t really had a lot of mentors. I’ve had to sort of figure things out for myself, because I’ve had a lot of whatever the opposite of a mentor is. I’ve learned a lot from seeing what didn’t work. There should be a word for that kind of boss —“dismentor” or something...
Q. So what kind of culture did you want to create when you started your company?
A. Probably the biggest lesson I learned as we started to grow was — and this is a more sanitized version of the expression we use — “Don’t hire jerks, no matter how talented.” I became very attuned to this early on, when we were still a small start-up, and you’re doing everything you can to maintain a positive framework. So I’m looking for people I like, because I’ve seen how, no matter how talented they are, the negative is always going to pull down any positive. The second- or third- or fourth-best candidate who isn’t a jerk is going to ultimately provide way more value. Because we learned that early on, we’ve always guarded against that sort of rock-star culture."
"Q. Who were some important mentors for you?
A. I haven’t really had a lot of mentors. I’ve had to sort of figure things out for myself, because I’ve had a lot of whatever the opposite of a mentor is. I’ve learned a lot from seeing what didn’t work. There should be a word for that kind of boss —“dismentor” or something...
Q. So what kind of culture did you want to create when you started your company?
A. Probably the biggest lesson I learned as we started to grow was — and this is a more sanitized version of the expression we use — “Don’t hire jerks, no matter how talented.” I became very attuned to this early on, when we were still a small start-up, and you’re doing everything you can to maintain a positive framework. So I’m looking for people I like, because I’ve seen how, no matter how talented they are, the negative is always going to pull down any positive. The second- or third- or fourth-best candidate who isn’t a jerk is going to ultimately provide way more value. Because we learned that early on, we’ve always guarded against that sort of rock-star culture."
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Around Town: We can't afford to keep quiet about saving libraries; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1/25/11
Brian O'Neill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Around Town: We can't afford to keep quiet about saving libraries:
"Do we want Pittsburgh to be a great city or not?
That was the unintentional question posed in the fall of 2009 when the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh announced plans to close five of its 19 branches.
The library board backed off when citizens raised the dickens about any move to raze the Dickens.
Raising money is a bit harder. A variety of stopgap measures have kept all branches open, but what the library desperately needs is a dedicated funding source.
Andy Carnegie left some beautiful buildings, but he didn't endow them. The library has to go hat in hand to the city, state and Regional Asset District each year for funding, and the first two legs of that trio have been consistently inconsistent.
Library directors need to crank up individual and corporate giving to build up the endowment, and city voters may be asked in November whether libraries are worth a few dollars."
"Do we want Pittsburgh to be a great city or not?
That was the unintentional question posed in the fall of 2009 when the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh announced plans to close five of its 19 branches.
The library board backed off when citizens raised the dickens about any move to raze the Dickens.
Raising money is a bit harder. A variety of stopgap measures have kept all branches open, but what the library desperately needs is a dedicated funding source.
Andy Carnegie left some beautiful buildings, but he didn't endow them. The library has to go hat in hand to the city, state and Regional Asset District each year for funding, and the first two legs of that trio have been consistently inconsistent.
Library directors need to crank up individual and corporate giving to build up the endowment, and city voters may be asked in November whether libraries are worth a few dollars."
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Corner Office, Interview with Jeremy Allaire, chairman and chief executive of Brightcove; New York Times, 1/23/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Jeremy Allaire, chairman and chief executive of Brightcove, an online video platform for Web sites; How to Shape the DNA of a Young Company:
"Another attribute, which has been really important from a cultural perspective, is that I want people who are nice, who are genuinely good people, who have humility. If I had the opportunity to have someone who is the most brilliant person in the world but they were a prima donna, I wouldn’t want them. We’ve had a couple people like that and they just kind of get ejected from the organization. They can’t thrive, because they turn people off and they can’t operate in this kind of environment...
Q. Are there other things you do to maintain that start-up feel?
A. There’s the core communications piece. In the last year, we grew to a size where I was feeling kind of out of touch with everybody, and that felt a little bit scary. We went from 180 people to almost 280 in less than a year, so that’s a lot of change.
I actually was inspired by one of the rituals the founders of Google established — every Friday they would invite anyone in the company on a worldwide basis to join a town hall to just talk about anything that’s happening in the company. So every Friday at 10 a.m., we tell people, you’ve got an hour and we’re going to talk about anything. Everything is on the table, and we’ll bring some topics, too. It is completely open book, we could talk about anything, and people can ask any hard question. Not everyone shows up, because people have a lot going on. But it just creates this sense for people that they’ve got access to anything that’s going on in the company strategically. It’s a really helpful thing."
"Another attribute, which has been really important from a cultural perspective, is that I want people who are nice, who are genuinely good people, who have humility. If I had the opportunity to have someone who is the most brilliant person in the world but they were a prima donna, I wouldn’t want them. We’ve had a couple people like that and they just kind of get ejected from the organization. They can’t thrive, because they turn people off and they can’t operate in this kind of environment...
Q. Are there other things you do to maintain that start-up feel?
A. There’s the core communications piece. In the last year, we grew to a size where I was feeling kind of out of touch with everybody, and that felt a little bit scary. We went from 180 people to almost 280 in less than a year, so that’s a lot of change.
I actually was inspired by one of the rituals the founders of Google established — every Friday they would invite anyone in the company on a worldwide basis to join a town hall to just talk about anything that’s happening in the company. So every Friday at 10 a.m., we tell people, you’ve got an hour and we’re going to talk about anything. Everything is on the table, and we’ll bring some topics, too. It is completely open book, we could talk about anything, and people can ask any hard question. Not everyone shows up, because people have a lot going on. But it just creates this sense for people that they’ve got access to anything that’s going on in the company strategically. It’s a really helpful thing."
Monday, January 24, 2011
Proposed Budget in Texas Nearly Zeros Out Key State Library Funds; Library Journal, 1/21/11
Michael Kelley, Library Journal; Proposed Budget in Texas Nearly Zeros Out Key State Library Funds:
""A wholesale slaughter"
The proposed budget would eliminate:
• direct aid grants to public libraries statewide by reducing the Loan Star Libraries program's funding from $16.2 million in FY10/11 to $100,000 in FY12/13;
• all state funding for TexShare, a collaboration established in the early 1980s among public and academic libraries administered by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission that provides access at a reduced price to online resources, from $9.5 million to $600,000. This also would eliminate the K-12 database program for Texas public schools and their libraries...
The proposal would also eliminate the state law library and put at risk about $8 million in Institute of Museum and Library Services funds, which are the sole funding source for the state's regional library systems and interlibrary loan (ILL), because Texas would fall below the "maintenance of effort" threshold that is a requirement for the federal money.
"It's a wholesale slaughter," Peggy Rudd, the state librarian, told LJ. "I've worked in three states, and I have never seen a starting point like this for budget negotiations."
""A wholesale slaughter"
The proposed budget would eliminate:
• direct aid grants to public libraries statewide by reducing the Loan Star Libraries program's funding from $16.2 million in FY10/11 to $100,000 in FY12/13;
• all state funding for TexShare, a collaboration established in the early 1980s among public and academic libraries administered by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission that provides access at a reduced price to online resources, from $9.5 million to $600,000. This also would eliminate the K-12 database program for Texas public schools and their libraries...
The proposal would also eliminate the state law library and put at risk about $8 million in Institute of Museum and Library Services funds, which are the sole funding source for the state's regional library systems and interlibrary loan (ILL), because Texas would fall below the "maintenance of effort" threshold that is a requirement for the federal money.
"It's a wholesale slaughter," Peggy Rudd, the state librarian, told LJ. "I've worked in three states, and I have never seen a starting point like this for budget negotiations."
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Digital Divide Propels Barnes & Noble Past Rival; NPR, 1/6/11
NPR; Digital Divide Propels Barnes & Noble Past Rival:
"While Barnes & Noble was developing the Nook, Borders was already having financial problems, leaving it ill-prepared to make the investments needed to meet the challenges of the digital age.
Michael Norris, an analyst with Simba Information, says some of Borders' problems can be traced back to its leadership.
"They've actually been through quite a few executives over just a short number of years, and every time there's been an executive change, it basically slows the company down," he said. "And it just hasn't been as nimble or agile as it should have been."...
"There's always a possibility of a resurrection here, but at this point, it looks like Borders is probably the Tower Records of books," he said."
"While Barnes & Noble was developing the Nook, Borders was already having financial problems, leaving it ill-prepared to make the investments needed to meet the challenges of the digital age.
Michael Norris, an analyst with Simba Information, says some of Borders' problems can be traced back to its leadership.
"They've actually been through quite a few executives over just a short number of years, and every time there's been an executive change, it basically slows the company down," he said. "And it just hasn't been as nimble or agile as it should have been."...
"There's always a possibility of a resurrection here, but at this point, it looks like Borders is probably the Tower Records of books," he said."
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Managing and Motivating Employees in Their Twenties; Harvard Business Review, 1/19/11
Michael Fertik, Harvard Business Review; Managing and Motivating Employees in Their Twenties:
"The best managers of younger employees are people who would otherwise love teaching for a living. They prize helping others grow and tend to overexplain their reasoning for decisions. Rather than assuming that twenty-somethings possess enough experience or perspective to read between the lines of their choices, these managers take an extra few minutes to lay out pros and cons and diagram their rationale. Three short minutes of explanation usually make excellent junior employees excited, since they feel the immediate benefits of gaining insight into decision-making processes. It also makes them better at working for you and your company, because it teaches them how you think."
"The best managers of younger employees are people who would otherwise love teaching for a living. They prize helping others grow and tend to overexplain their reasoning for decisions. Rather than assuming that twenty-somethings possess enough experience or perspective to read between the lines of their choices, these managers take an extra few minutes to lay out pros and cons and diagram their rationale. Three short minutes of explanation usually make excellent junior employees excited, since they feel the immediate benefits of gaining insight into decision-making processes. It also makes them better at working for you and your company, because it teaches them how you think."
Book weeding, changes stir debate at Central Library; BuffaloNews.com, 1/21/11
Mark Sommer, BuffaloNews.com; Book weeding, changes stir debate at Central Library:
"Other librarian concerns, Galvin said, include:
• Librarians are being moved out of their area of expertise without consultation.
• Librarians fear being driven into “irrelevance” to save costs.
• Centralizing collection development responsibilities will diminish a primary librarian responsibility.
• Librarians have not been consulted on management changes. They say consultation, though not contractually required, could improve morale."
"Other librarian concerns, Galvin said, include:
• Librarians are being moved out of their area of expertise without consultation.
• Librarians fear being driven into “irrelevance” to save costs.
• Centralizing collection development responsibilities will diminish a primary librarian responsibility.
• Librarians have not been consulted on management changes. They say consultation, though not contractually required, could improve morale."
Friday, January 21, 2011
Amy Chua Is a Wimp; New York Times, 1/18/11
David Brooks, New York Times; Amy Chua Is a Wimp:
"Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon have found that groups have a high collective intelligence when members of a group are good at reading each others’ emotions — when they take turns speaking, when the inputs from each member are managed fluidly, when they detect each others’ inclinations and strengths.
Participating in a well-functioning group is really hard. It requires the ability to trust people outside your kinship circle, read intonations and moods, understand how the psychological pieces each person brings to the room can and cannot fit together.
This skill set is not taught formally, but it is imparted through arduous experiences. These are exactly the kinds of difficult experiences Chua shelters her children from by making them rush home to hit the homework table.
Chua would do better to see the classroom as a cognitive break from the truly arduous tests of childhood. Where do they learn how to manage people?"
"Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon have found that groups have a high collective intelligence when members of a group are good at reading each others’ emotions — when they take turns speaking, when the inputs from each member are managed fluidly, when they detect each others’ inclinations and strengths.
Participating in a well-functioning group is really hard. It requires the ability to trust people outside your kinship circle, read intonations and moods, understand how the psychological pieces each person brings to the room can and cannot fit together.
This skill set is not taught formally, but it is imparted through arduous experiences. These are exactly the kinds of difficult experiences Chua shelters her children from by making them rush home to hit the homework table.
Chua would do better to see the classroom as a cognitive break from the truly arduous tests of childhood. Where do they learn how to manage people?"
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
[Podcast] Steve Jobs Takes 2nd Medical Absence In 2 Years; NPR's Morning Edition, 1/18/11
[Podcast] Jim Zarroli, NPR's Morning Edition; Steve Jobs Takes 2nd Medical Absence In 2 Years:
"Apple announced Monday that CEO Steve Jobs is taking another medical leave of absence. Jobs said he'll continue to be involved with major strategic decisions. Day-to-day running of the company will be left to Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook, a longtime Apple executive."
"Apple announced Monday that CEO Steve Jobs is taking another medical leave of absence. Jobs said he'll continue to be involved with major strategic decisions. Day-to-day running of the company will be left to Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook, a longtime Apple executive."
Corner Office, Interview with Robin Domeniconi, senior vice president and chief brand officer for the Elle Group; New York Times, 1/16/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Robin Domeniconi, senior vice president and chief brand officer for the Elle Group: Say Anything, but Phrase It the Right Way:
"Q. What would say if you were asked to speak to a group of young entrepreneurs about building a culture at a company?
A. I could boil that down to two words. One is trust. You need to trust everyone you work with — and it goes into personal relationships, too — because the only thing that creates jealousy, the only thing that creates fear, is that you’re not trusting or understanding something.
Communication is the second one. If you can communicate what your fears are, your challenges are, and if you trust that the people you work with all want the right outcome, then the environment is going to create itself. It really does. If you have complete and utter trust in somebody, you’re going to really be able to be vulnerable.
It all comes down to that. It all comes down to trusting that you’re going to be O.K. with what I’m going to say, and me trusting that you’re going to be O.K. that I made a mistake, as in: “You know that risk we took? We failed. We lost money here. But this is what we learned, and you’re going to be O.K.” You’ve got to trust me, and I’ve got to trust you."
"Q. What would say if you were asked to speak to a group of young entrepreneurs about building a culture at a company?
A. I could boil that down to two words. One is trust. You need to trust everyone you work with — and it goes into personal relationships, too — because the only thing that creates jealousy, the only thing that creates fear, is that you’re not trusting or understanding something.
Communication is the second one. If you can communicate what your fears are, your challenges are, and if you trust that the people you work with all want the right outcome, then the environment is going to create itself. It really does. If you have complete and utter trust in somebody, you’re going to really be able to be vulnerable.
It all comes down to that. It all comes down to trusting that you’re going to be O.K. with what I’m going to say, and me trusting that you’re going to be O.K. that I made a mistake, as in: “You know that risk we took? We failed. We lost money here. But this is what we learned, and you’re going to be O.K.” You’ve got to trust me, and I’ve got to trust you."
Monday, January 17, 2011
Swiss bank UBS to change much-mocked dress code; YahooNews.com/AP, 1/17/11
Frank Jordans, YahooNews.com/AP; Swiss bank UBS to change much-mocked dress code:
"Swiss banking giant UBS AG said Monday it is revising its 44-page dress code telling its Swiss staff how to present themselves, which generated worldwide ridicule for its micromanagement of their dressing and dining habits.
The code instructs employees on everything from their breath — no garlic or onions, please — to their underwear, which should be skin-colored."
"Swiss banking giant UBS AG said Monday it is revising its 44-page dress code telling its Swiss staff how to present themselves, which generated worldwide ridicule for its micromanagement of their dressing and dining habits.
The code instructs employees on everything from their breath — no garlic or onions, please — to their underwear, which should be skin-colored."
Sunday, January 16, 2011
California Librarians Push Back Against Brown's Zero Budget for Public Libraries; Library Journal, 1/14/11
Michael Kelley, Library Journal; California Librarians Push Back Against Brown's Zero Budget for Public Libraries:
"California's public librarians are concerned that if Gov. Jerry Brown's budget proposal to eliminate all state funding for public libraries were to pass, that it could grievously harm a subtle but vital ecosystem that underpins statewide library collaboration. And they are planning a grass-roots campaign to change the governor's mind.
Brown's proposal would eliminate funding for the Public Library Fund (PLF), the California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Service, and the California Library Services Act (CLSA). All told, $30.4 million."
"California's public librarians are concerned that if Gov. Jerry Brown's budget proposal to eliminate all state funding for public libraries were to pass, that it could grievously harm a subtle but vital ecosystem that underpins statewide library collaboration. And they are planning a grass-roots campaign to change the governor's mind.
Brown's proposal would eliminate funding for the Public Library Fund (PLF), the California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Service, and the California Library Services Act (CLSA). All told, $30.4 million."
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Libraries seen as easy touch when it comes to balancing the books; Guardian, 1/7/11
Alexandra Topping and Benedicte Page, Guardian; Libraries seen as easy touch when it comes to balancing the books:
"Libraries were already under siege before the recession struck. Although the number has stayed largely stable over the past decade at the 4,500 mark, there has been a relentless decline in library use. Some argue fewer people visit libraries because the core service – book lending – has been badly run.
Many campaigners warn that councils are choosing to keep larger urban libraries but scrap local branches relied on by those unable to travel easily – the elderly, the poor, parents with young children. More than 300m book loans were made from public libraries last year, according to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, yet there are libraries under threat in every part of the country."
"Libraries were already under siege before the recession struck. Although the number has stayed largely stable over the past decade at the 4,500 mark, there has been a relentless decline in library use. Some argue fewer people visit libraries because the core service – book lending – has been badly run.
Many campaigners warn that councils are choosing to keep larger urban libraries but scrap local branches relied on by those unable to travel easily – the elderly, the poor, parents with young children. More than 300m book loans were made from public libraries last year, according to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, yet there are libraries under threat in every part of the country."
Friday, January 14, 2011
Preparing for Your Interview; Chronicle of Higher Education, 1/13/11
Rob Jenkins, Chronicle of Higher Education; Preparing for Your Interview:
"When I say "craft" your narrative, I don't mean make it up. I trust that, if you're applying to community colleges, you really are committed to teaching. If you're faking it, the committee members will almost certainly sniff that out. And even if they don't, even if you sell your act and manage to get yourself hired, you're going to be pretty miserable teaching five courses a semester.
What I'm suggesting, assuming you really do consider yourself a good teacher, is that you keep that role foremost in your mind. Think about the experiences you've had in the classroom that led you to enjoy teaching and convinced you it was something you wanted to do. Then weave those stories into your interview answers.
For instance, you may be asked about your experience with diverse student populations. Don't answer by spouting numbers: "My last campus was 43 percent African-American and 17 percent Asian." Instead, tell a brief story about the time a student's cultural differences enlightened your class discussion, or the time you went out of your way to help a student who was struggling with the language."
"When I say "craft" your narrative, I don't mean make it up. I trust that, if you're applying to community colleges, you really are committed to teaching. If you're faking it, the committee members will almost certainly sniff that out. And even if they don't, even if you sell your act and manage to get yourself hired, you're going to be pretty miserable teaching five courses a semester.
What I'm suggesting, assuming you really do consider yourself a good teacher, is that you keep that role foremost in your mind. Think about the experiences you've had in the classroom that led you to enjoy teaching and convinced you it was something you wanted to do. Then weave those stories into your interview answers.
For instance, you may be asked about your experience with diverse student populations. Don't answer by spouting numbers: "My last campus was 43 percent African-American and 17 percent Asian." Instead, tell a brief story about the time a student's cultural differences enlightened your class discussion, or the time you went out of your way to help a student who was struggling with the language."
Thursday, January 13, 2011
[Podcast] The Best Way to Play Office Politics; Harvard Business Review, 1/11/11
[Podcast] An Interview with Linda A. Hill and Kent Lineback, Harvard Business Review; The Best Way to Play Office Politics:
Monday, January 10, 2011
Groups produce collective intelligence, study says; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1/10/11
Mark Roth, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Groups produce collective intelligence, study says:
"There were three factors that did make a difference, though.
One was the social sensitivity of group members -- how much they paid attention to each other and asked questions.
The second was turn-taking. Groups that shared the floor had much better results. "When you had someone really dominating the conversations in these groups, the group did not perform well," she said.
Finally, in general, the more women in a group, the smarter it was...
One critical step, she said, is to make sure group members take some time to discuss how they can work together to achieve their goal.
Many people don't like to discuss such "process" issues, she said, but the research has shown that "groups that pay more attention to that gets things done more efficiently."
"There were three factors that did make a difference, though.
One was the social sensitivity of group members -- how much they paid attention to each other and asked questions.
The second was turn-taking. Groups that shared the floor had much better results. "When you had someone really dominating the conversations in these groups, the group did not perform well," she said.
Finally, in general, the more women in a group, the smarter it was...
One critical step, she said, is to make sure group members take some time to discuss how they can work together to achieve their goal.
Many people don't like to discuss such "process" issues, she said, but the research has shown that "groups that pay more attention to that gets things done more efficiently."
Sunday, January 9, 2011
[Podcast] Giving Negative Feedback; Wall Street Journal, 12/9/10
[Podcast] Wall Street Journal; Giving Negative Feedback:
"Freddie Mac CEO Charles E. Haldeman, Jr. tells us the importance of being candid when giving negative criticism to an employee."
"Freddie Mac CEO Charles E. Haldeman, Jr. tells us the importance of being candid when giving negative criticism to an employee."
Corner Office, Interview with Gregory B. Maffei, president and chief executive of Liberty Media; New York Times, 1/9/11
Corner Office, Adam Bryant, New York Times; Interview with Gregory B. Maffei, president and chief executive of Liberty Media; Sure, Take Me On. You Might Get a Promotion:
"Q. Talk about the culture you’re trying to foster at your company.
A. There has been a general change in a lot of organizations. There’s more transparency, more openness, and at least some of the trappings of the imperial boss have been reduced. And I think that’s good. I try very hard to do the things that I appreciate, like being direct about what the organization is doing. We make sure we have quarterly meetings that are very open and encourage questioning, so people feel like they are part of the organization.
Q. Can you elaborate?
A. I’ve always felt most comfortable in a culture where people do feel, regardless of the size of the organization, that there is an ability to have dialogue, and that there is an ability to feel like you can ask the C.E.O. any question. Too much formality or reverence can get in the way of a good exchange of ideas. So how do you make that happen? You’ve got to somewhat walk the walk and talk the talk. In our meeting with all employees, I try to be candid about what we did right and what we did wrong in the quarter, what’s the longer term, how we’re doing and what some goals are. And you try to get them to ask tough questions.
So I usually make sure there’s at least one or two that I know somebody will ask, that are going to be viewed as tough, because they want to make sure they get covered. Because you want to set a tone of, “Hey, people get to ask those questions.”"
"Q. Talk about the culture you’re trying to foster at your company.
A. There has been a general change in a lot of organizations. There’s more transparency, more openness, and at least some of the trappings of the imperial boss have been reduced. And I think that’s good. I try very hard to do the things that I appreciate, like being direct about what the organization is doing. We make sure we have quarterly meetings that are very open and encourage questioning, so people feel like they are part of the organization.
Q. Can you elaborate?
A. I’ve always felt most comfortable in a culture where people do feel, regardless of the size of the organization, that there is an ability to have dialogue, and that there is an ability to feel like you can ask the C.E.O. any question. Too much formality or reverence can get in the way of a good exchange of ideas. So how do you make that happen? You’ve got to somewhat walk the walk and talk the talk. In our meeting with all employees, I try to be candid about what we did right and what we did wrong in the quarter, what’s the longer term, how we’re doing and what some goals are. And you try to get them to ask tough questions.
So I usually make sure there’s at least one or two that I know somebody will ask, that are going to be viewed as tough, because they want to make sure they get covered. Because you want to set a tone of, “Hey, people get to ask those questions.”"
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Death by Irony: How Librarians Killed the Academic Library; Chronicle of Higher Education, 1/2/11
Brian T. Sullivan, Chronicle of Higher Education; Death by Irony: How Librarians Killed the Academic Library:
"In summary, it is entirely possible that the life of the academic library could have been spared if the last generation of librarians had spent more time plotting a realistic path to the future and less time chasing outdated trends while mindlessly spouting mantras like "There will always be books and libraries" and "People will always need librarians to show them how to use information." We'll never know now what kind of treatments might have worked. Librarians planted the seeds of their own destruction and are responsible for their own downfall."
"In summary, it is entirely possible that the life of the academic library could have been spared if the last generation of librarians had spent more time plotting a realistic path to the future and less time chasing outdated trends while mindlessly spouting mantras like "There will always be books and libraries" and "People will always need librarians to show them how to use information." We'll never know now what kind of treatments might have worked. Librarians planted the seeds of their own destruction and are responsible for their own downfall."
Reverse Mentoring: What is it and Why is it Beneficial?; Forbes, 1/3/11
Lisa Quast, Forbes; Reverse Mentoring: What is it and Why is it Beneficial?:
"Here’s how Alan Webber, the co-founder of Fast Company explains reverse mentoring: “Its a situation where the old fogies in an organization realize that by the time you’re in your forties and fifties, you’re not in touch with the future the same way the young twenty-something’s. They come with fresh eyes, open minds, and instant links to the technology of our future”."
"Here’s how Alan Webber, the co-founder of Fast Company explains reverse mentoring: “Its a situation where the old fogies in an organization realize that by the time you’re in your forties and fifties, you’re not in touch with the future the same way the young twenty-something’s. They come with fresh eyes, open minds, and instant links to the technology of our future”."
When Employees Blast Your Company Online; Forbes, 10/25/10
Alexander F. Brigham and Stefan Linssen, Forbes; When Employees Blast Your Company Online:
"If a company's executives feel an employee has unfairly criticized the organization online, should they take legal action? Is that always even ethical?
The executives might argue that the suits are simply meant to intimidate. There's even a word for that: "Slapp," for "strategic lawsuit against public participation." Many states, including California, have enacted anti-Slapp laws, outlawing such suits as detrimental to freedom of speech and criticism."
"If a company's executives feel an employee has unfairly criticized the organization online, should they take legal action? Is that always even ethical?
The executives might argue that the suits are simply meant to intimidate. There's even a word for that: "Slapp," for "strategic lawsuit against public participation." Many states, including California, have enacted anti-Slapp laws, outlawing such suits as detrimental to freedom of speech and criticism."
[Program Announcement] Midwinter Leadership Development Seminar Highlights Unexpected Leadership; LLAMA, 12/17/10
[Program Announcement] Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA); Midwinter Leadership Development Seminar Highlights Unexpected Leadership:
"Midwinter Leadership Development Seminar: Unexpected Leadership
January 9, 2011, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
San Diego Convention Center (SDCC) Room 30 A"
"Midwinter Leadership Development Seminar: Unexpected Leadership
January 9, 2011, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
San Diego Convention Center (SDCC) Room 30 A"
Monday, January 3, 2011
The Best Way to Use the Last Five Minutes of Your Day; Harvard Business Review,
Peter Bregman, Harvard Business Review; The Best Way to Use the Last Five Minutes of Your Day:
"Every day, before leaving the office, save a few minutes to think about what just happened. Look at your calendar and compare what actually happened — the meetings you attended, the work you got done, the conversations you had, the people with whom you interacted, even the breaks you took — with your plan for what you wanted to have happen. Then ask yourself three sets of questions:
•How did the day go? What success did I experience? What challenges did I endure?
•What did I learn today? About myself? About others? What do I plan to do — differently or the same — tomorrow?
•Who did I interact with? Anyone I need to update? Thank? Ask a question? Share feedback?"
"Every day, before leaving the office, save a few minutes to think about what just happened. Look at your calendar and compare what actually happened — the meetings you attended, the work you got done, the conversations you had, the people with whom you interacted, even the breaks you took — with your plan for what you wanted to have happen. Then ask yourself three sets of questions:
•How did the day go? What success did I experience? What challenges did I endure?
•What did I learn today? About myself? About others? What do I plan to do — differently or the same — tomorrow?
•Who did I interact with? Anyone I need to update? Thank? Ask a question? Share feedback?"
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Corner Office, Interview with Catherine Winder, president and executive producer of Rainmaker Entertainment; New York Times, 1/2/11
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Catherine Winder, president and executive producer of Rainmaker Entertainment: Got an Idea? Sell It to Me in 30 Seconds:
"Q. What are the most important leadership lessons you’ve learned?
A. I learned that everybody needs as much communication as possible — you can’t overcommunicate...
Q. What experiences did you have when you were younger that prepared you for that kind of role?
A. I’m just somebody who tends to jump into situations because I love a challenge. I was at Western University in Canada, and they were trying to get a monthly television show off the ground with the local cable company. They said they needed somebody to head it up, and I said, “I’ll do it.” I knew nothing about it. But that experience showed me how to get volunteers inspired, how to hear all the different points of view and how to pull something together and get it done in a relatively short period of time."
"Q. What are the most important leadership lessons you’ve learned?
A. I learned that everybody needs as much communication as possible — you can’t overcommunicate...
Q. What experiences did you have when you were younger that prepared you for that kind of role?
A. I’m just somebody who tends to jump into situations because I love a challenge. I was at Western University in Canada, and they were trying to get a monthly television show off the ground with the local cable company. They said they needed somebody to head it up, and I said, “I’ll do it.” I knew nothing about it. But that experience showed me how to get volunteers inspired, how to hear all the different points of view and how to pull something together and get it done in a relatively short period of time."
Corner Office, Interview with Robert A. Eckert, chairman and chief executive of Mattel; New York Times, 12/26/10
Adam Bryant, Corner Office, New York Times; Interview with Robert A. Eckert, chairman and chief executive of Mattel: The Résumé? No, Let’s Talk About You:
"I’m looking for fit, personality, values. Is this the kind of person we want around here? Will they work well? And I don’t really care how many places you worked at or what grades you got or who your favorite teacher was or what your favorite class was. It’s about what kind of people they are."
"I’m looking for fit, personality, values. Is this the kind of person we want around here? Will they work well? And I don’t really care how many places you worked at or what grades you got or who your favorite teacher was or what your favorite class was. It’s about what kind of people they are."
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