Laurie Ford

Evaluating Leaders – It’s Not a Popularity Contest

May 1, 2019 in Accountability, leadership /by Laurie Ford

Evaluating leaders for their “people skills” is not the same as evaluating their effectiveness. Being effective is not a personality thing.

Leadership? Or Management? What’s the Difference?

April 10, 2019 in dialogue, effective communication, Performance, Understanding conversations /by Laurie Ford

We often make leadership sound like a lofty and desirable role, while making management sound useless and misdirected. Maybe we should think again.

You’ve Got an Improvement Project? First, Listen!

April 3, 2019 in change management, dialogue, Understanding conversations, Workplace situations & problems /by Laurie Ford

Sometimes we are so sure we know what other people need and want that we don’t talk with them about it. We just go ahead and give them our solution, then wonder why they don’t appreciate it.

The New World of Management

March 14, 2019 in Accountability, change management, Closure conversations, Daily communication, Initiative conversations, Manage agreements, Performance conversations, the four conversations, Understanding conversations /by Laurie Ford

We used to think people should “just do their jobs”. That day is pretty much gone. Now that we need to reinvent the job – often, and sometimes every day – we’d better get really good at productive communication.

Trump Abandons a Basic Element of Good Management

February 2, 2019 /6 Comments/in Uncategorized /by Laurie Ford

The US president has reduced the White House press briefings to once a month, and those conversations could go to zero soon. An article about the Die-out of Press Briefings says Trump told his Press Secretary not to bother with briefings anymore. That’s a mistake. I remember when my boss, in a job I held […]

Communication – One Way to Get Unstuck

October 16, 2018 in Closure conversations, Daily communication, effective communication, Initiative conversations /by Laurie Ford

Sometimes people get resigned about where they find themselves in their work or their life. (Been there!) It’s good to find a way to have some new conversations with people who can offer a new perspective, or a new access to another approach, another path. Communication is the key.

Getting Things Done. Or Not.

September 26, 2018 in Accountability, get results, the four conversations /by Laurie Ford

Procrastinating on our unfinished chores and projects is natural. Maintaining an effective “Results Wanted” list – and doing the work to check things off that list – isn’t hard either. But we sometimes forget that’s what it takes to get some things done.

The Missing Piece in Managing for Results: Know Your CRABs (no, not that kind!)

August 27, 2018 in Credibility, Manage agreements, Performance conversations /by Laurie Ford

We specify our work goals, and our intended results, and (sometimes) remember to give solid deadlines. But we often forget an important piece of our work specifications: the collaborators, resource-providers, authorities, and beneficiaries of our productive work.

Create Certainty for Yourself and Others – Start Saying “By When”

August 8, 2018 /2 Comments/in Accountability, Credibility, Manage agreements, Performance conversations /by Laurie Ford

Specifying “by when” you’ll get back to someone is an easy way to give people confidence in you. You may have to check your calendar to do that, but it’s a small task that benefits you as well as the people around you.

How to Handle Lateness – It’s Everywhere!

June 12, 2018 in Accountability, change management, Closure conversations, Credibility /by Laurie Ford

People, assignments, resources – lots of things show up late. We can do something to turn it around, or, if not, lateness will become a cultural fixture.

About Laurie Ford

Entries by Laurie Ford