Stop Managing People, Step 1
People pay attention to people – and make lots of assessments and judgments. That’s natural. But it maybe not the best way for a manager to support high performance or reach an organization’s goals.
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About Laurie Ford
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But we are proud to say that Laurie Ford contributed 235 entries already.
Entries by Laurie Ford
This Middle Manager is Between a Rock and a Hard Place
November 1, 2017 in Accountability, get results, project management, requests, Understanding conversations /by Laurie FordWhen your Boss is not paying attention to what you need, and you are managing a group of people who want to become a team, what do you do? Claire paved the way.
Emotional Intelligence and Workplace Performance (Two Very Different Things)
October 9, 2017 in Accountability, Credibility, Manage agreements, Performance conversations /by Laurie FordWorkplace performance sometimes needs to be addressed more specifically, to clarify what you really want people to produce. Separating performance from personality might create the space for greater understanding of what performance means in your particular workplace.
Why Executives are Cautious about Implementing Change
October 2, 2017 in Uncategorized /by Laurie FordWe wonder why executives don’t leap at the chance to make “changes for the better” in their organizations. Here’s a thought: you’re not changing one thing – you’re changing a network. Put on the kid gloves.
Even if We Aren’t “Managers”, Most of Us Need to Manage THIS
August 24, 2017 in Accountability, Credibility, Manage agreements /by Laurie FordChuck, a maintenance guy, did some work for us the other day and we got talking about how he scheduled his job appointments. Since he was both friendly and skilled at his work, he had a few spare minutes to let me know the secrets of managing a contractor’s calendar. “It’s all about how I keep […]
Is Management a Soft Skill?
August 14, 2017 in Accountability, Management, People /by Laurie FordBeth, the head of Human Resources in a law firm, was talking with me about the problem of management in an organization full of lawyers. She rolled her eyes, not wanting to criticize her attorney co-workers. “They know the law”, Beth said, “but do they know how to be a manager?” Good question. This is […]
Productive Communication Works!
July 28, 2017 in Closure conversations, effective communication, get results, requests, the four conversations /by Laurie FordA woman who had been waiting for an executive in another department to make a budget decision finally stopped waiting and… communicated productively. Good work, Kelly!
Talking About “Performance” – But Which Kind of Performance?
July 5, 2017 in Accountability /by Laurie FordDon’t just assume your Boss(es) want one kind of work from you. Three kinds of performance – Doing, Done, and Delivered – deserve to be clarified.
Is Resistance a Useful Response to Change? Yes and No.
June 28, 2017 in change management, effective communication, get results, Understanding conversations /by Laurie FordResistance to change – or to anything – is only effective if you focus on producing a specific intended result + talk about it with people who can alter the path toward accomplishing it. Otherwise, take a deep breath and let it go.
Management May Not Be Sexy – But It Really Is Necessary
May 30, 2017 in effective communication, get results, leadership /by Laurie FordHow I learned that talking about management is boring. And now I’m more determined than ever to get a little more respect for managers!
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