Management-Issues : News

Reptilian brains

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Why do otherwise rational, competent people make dumb, short-term decisions they know to be wrong? The answer lies in the reptilian part of our brain – a part that really ought not to be in the forefront when it comes to running an organization

Entrepreneurs buck the economy

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Despite the economic turmoil, entrepreneurial activity in the US actually increased in 2008 compared to 2007, although new ventures tend to be smaller and the risks of failure greater.

Friendship and burgers

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

The New Oxford American Dictionary has announced that its 2009 Word of the Year is "unfriend", as in to remove someone as a 'friend' on a social networking site. But what about the deeper emotional experience of "unfriending" and what does it tell us about online friendships?

Blood is thicker than water

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Alison is a long-time employee of a family-owned company. But she has fallen foul of the owner's daughter, whose management style leaves much to be desired. Charles Helliwell spells out what her options are now.

Keeping top talent in a down economy

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

How do organizations boost the performance of employees when times are so tough? Stuart Crainer hears from Sylvia Ann Hewlett that ignoring your best people leads to the evaporation of loyalty and trust as alienation and disengagement sets in.

The dangerous ego of authority

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

People parading their positional authority with an air of superiority rarely command the admiration they think they're getting. After all, how much respect do we give people who rely on the phrase "because I said so" to motivate? They should drop the ego and build some real leadership skills, instead.

Will China be the next subprime disaster?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Is China an economic miracle or a disaster waiting to happen? That depends who you ask.

Get lost!

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

In the midst of the upheaval that seems all around us, it's not surprising that so many of us feel a sense of anxiety and hopelessness. But these challenges also have much to teach us about ourselves – if we choose to stop, explore and ask for the teaching.

Three cheers for the pointless survey

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

You may not have noticed, but another casualty of the recession has been the utterly pointless workplace survey. When times were good, not a week would pass without a press release plugging things like "the twelve most bizarre excuses for being late for work". Not any more.

The death of work?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

When the economy bounces back, will jobs start to grow again, too? We all hope that the answer will be "yes", but there's a real fear that that might not be the case.

Why some people succeed more than others

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

When was the last time you wrote out a goals list? If you can't remember or if you've never written down your goals, today is a good day to do it. The principle here is that you will go where you're focused, and the process of writing goals gets you focused.

A Tribute to Derek Torres

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

The team at Management-Issues would like to pay a special tribute to our blogger Derek Torres who died in Paris on Tuesday night.

The £15 billion black hole

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Poor customer service is costing UK businesses an astonishing £15.3 billion a year. So what does "poor service" mean in practise? And what can orgainsations do to provide better service?

Who's afraid of your opinion?

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Why do organisations make such an effort to seek out the opinions of those working for them, only to reject them out of hand? Perhaps it is because seeking opinion from the floor is something that undermines the myth of executive authority.

Moving beyond survival

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

With new research highlighting a sharp decline in employee commitment - particularly among top performers - isn't it time organisations stopped cost-cutting and lay-offs and started to plan for the future?

Just asking

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

For years, people have been trying to get HR to take a more strategic role in companies. But perhaps HR isn't and never will be a strategic partner. Maybe it should quit trying to be something it's not, accept a tactical role and got on with the job.

Moving beyond judgement

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

One of the major causes of disconnects and friction between individuals is our tendency to not only make observations about their behavior, but to use these as the basis make snap judgments about their character.

Is your leadership developing or diminishing?

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Many leaders are gifted, enthusiastic and driven, but they often overlook the fundamentals. Things like monitoring the ideas, the horizon, and their organization's capabilities, plus listening to feedback and adapting appropriately to create the conditions for success.

Reinventing the wheel

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

It's easy to think that something is so simple that you couldn't improve it or so low-tech your intellect would be wasted even thinking about it. But you'd be wrong. Because anything that is invented can - and often should - be reinvented.

Leader or manager?

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Too many people still confuse strong leadership with good management and vice versa. So I thought I would provide some simple guidelines and examples to differentiate between the two and determine whether an individual is either or both.

Smoke and mirrors

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

I came across a study recently stating that the people most likely to smoke are those who work in the food-service industry. What's amazing to me is how anyone can either afford to smoke or find a place to legally enjoy a cigarette in that sort of environment.

Feelings of inadequacy fuel bullying

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

In a new slant on the perennial problem of bullying bosses, US psychologists have found that managers who feel out of their depth in their roles are more likely to bully their subordinates.

Thumbs up for flexibility

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Here's the million dollar question: "can a flexible boss improve your health?" It seems quite an easy question to answer. Let me count the ways.

Tackling the fear of presenting

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

How do you tackle the fear of presenting? Here are some techniques to help you stay calm, get your audience hooked and keep in control when delivering a presentation.

The manager's missing link

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Many first-time managers struggle because they have never been taught how to master their core responsibilities - the heart of which is becoming an expert about the people they manage.