Mourning the Loss of Steve Jobs: An American Icon and One of the Greatest Leaders of All Time
October 11th, 2011 by Jeremy Lurey
Never met him myself. Have a few friends who worked with and for him until the day he died. Wrote a paper about him and the impact his leadership style had on Apple’s organizational culture once in my first year of grad school. I can’t imagine that makes us close though, so why is it that I’ve been taking Steve Jobs’ passing so hard. Maybe it’s because he is arguably the greatest leader of all time!
Inventor. Innovator. Visionary. Rebel. Icon. Oh yes, let’s not forget Micro-Manager of micro-managers. All of these are labels I’ve heard used to describe the genius that was Steve Jobs. Sure, Steve Jobs probably wasn’t a treat to work for 24/7, and he absolutely had a “particular” way of wanting things done. There is no question about that. With that said, he accomplished what no one before him ever has and quite likely what no one else ever could or will again. Steve Jobs was all but walked out of Apple – a company he envisioned and co-founded and truly loved to his core – at a time when its demise seemed likely. Since returning to the company years later when its total demise was all but imminent though, he rebuilt Apple into being one of the most successful businesses to ever exist – in America and throughout the world. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave Them Smiling and They’ll Keep Coming Back For More!
September 30th, 2011 by Jeremy Lurey
I suppose if I had ever attended a customer service training session in my life, I would have learned this a long time ago. The funny thing is that I’ve taught a few customer service training sessions over the years, and I’ve never reinforced let alone even mentioned the basic principle of making sure you leave your customers smiling. Happy? Sure. Satisfied with your service? Of course. Smiling though, not so much!
When I was in college, my mother taught me the important lesson of always putting a smile on my face whenever I was in a job interview. Since then, I’ve always tried to parlay that into an effective approach when meeting a client for a first time or when presenting to a large group. If I’m smiling, then I’m more likely to be in a good mood. If I’m in a good mood, I’m more likely to be present in my conversations and not be thrown off balance by an unexpected curve ball or even a more critical jab. This still is a pretty introspective and self-centered way of being though. Read the rest of this entry »
Taking a Break to Recharge: An Organizational Imperative for a Sustainable Future
September 20th, 2010 by Jeremy Lurey
Summer has quickly come and gone again, so it must be time to dig in and get back to work, right? Wrong! In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing business environment, business leaders must continually make “getting away” an organizational imperative to ensure the long-term viability of their organizations. Taking time away from work is the only sure-fire way to get the rest we need as humans to recharge our engines and maintain high levels of functioning and enhanced performance longer-term. So why do many of us continue charging hard day in and day out as if the world may come to an end if we don’t?
Many might say it’s just a sign of the times and ask, “Is it really appropriate to take a break at this point in time?” Unemployment has soared to astronomical heights in recent past, and many (Americans at least) are still struggling just to hang on to their jobs to avoid bank foreclosures on their homes. Some economists report that the economy is showing signs of recovery, but it’s going to be quite some time before Read the rest of this entry »
5 Critical Steps to Implementation Success: Why Aren’t We Learning From Our Mistakes?
April 7th, 2010 by Kim Barnett
For the last 10+ years I’ve been managing client relationships and selling Change Management consulting and training solutions to organizations that want to adopt a common approach to manage change. It continues to fascinate me that despite the increased focus and discipline applied in this field, implementation efforts continue to fail because of human factors. Organizational Change Management as an industry has existed for 40 years if not longer. Over the past 10-15 years it has become increasingly more common for large organizations to recognize the need to manage the human issues when implementing large-scale change (i.e. ERP or technology implementations, mergers and acquisitions, culture change, reengineering or business process change, downsizing, organization redesign, or any project that involves changing the way people do their jobs). Much has been written about why implementation efforts fail. Statistics continue to illustrate that approximately 80% of change efforts fail to meet budget, target dates, or key objectives. It is also well documented that the highest risk of implementation failure is on the human side, and not with the technology. Many Fortune 500 organizations today understand that by applying a structured approach or framework to manage the human side, the chance of a successful project will substantially increase. Then why aren’t we learning from our past mistakes? Read the rest of this entry »
The 4 P’s of Olympic Gold: Grooming the Next Generation of Shaun Whites in your Organization
March 15th, 2010 by Jeremy Lurey
Whether it’s a skater or skier or snowboarder or other, everyone who won a Gold Medal in Vancouver recently is a role model for us all. Practice, patience, persistence, and passion – the 4 P’s of Olympic Gold – are likely mantras for all these winners. Shaun White, in particular, is a true living example of exactly what every senior executive and business leader should be focused on creating in their organizations – not because he won gold on the half pipe, but because he won gold after winning gold on the half pipe!
That’s right. Shaun White was standing at the top of his second and final run when the results came in, and he found out that he already won the gold medal without even completing his last run. In that very moment, he had a choice- Read the rest of this entry »
Organization Development as a Profession: Will Certification or Licensing Help You Choose Your Consultant?
March 12th, 2010 by Cris Hagen
Should the profession of Organization Development (OD) require professional certification or licensing for practitioners to practice?
As we look to the future of OD, some questions come to mind :
- Should anyone wanting to “hang out a shingle” as an OD practitioner be allowed to do so?
- Should there be minimum educational requirements? If so, what should they be?
- Should OD practitioners be licensed through a formal licensing or certification process?
- How would a governing body for licensing or certification be “selected”?
- What risks to the OD profession are posed if licensing or certification is required?
- How do you market your practice to differentiate and distinguish yourself?
Having practiced in the field for 30 years, now, I have seen OD grow to encompass a broad range of “specialty” areas beyond its origins in the area of “group dynamics”, “human relations research”, and “action research” back in the 1940’s and 50’s. (See the Wikipedia article on OD here). Read the rest of this entry »
Best Recognition and Rewards Programs for the Post-Recession Economy
February 23rd, 2010 by Jeremy Lurey
At Plus Delta Consulting, we are committed to creating a brighter future for those seeking to improve individual, group, and organizational performance as well as those focused on transforming organizations in ways that produce better business results. Broadly speaking, we are part of “OD” (Organization Development), but we also push the boundaries of the field and what many call “new OD” to connect communities of organizational professionals from other arenas. We not only seek but also strive to share new theories and practices that serve the 21st century organization with others. Towards that end, we launched a LinkedIn group called the “Future of Organization Development (OD)” last fall (see http://bit.ly/FutureOD) and regularly participate in other online conversations to facilitate these discussions.
Here is an excerpt of a recent discussion about the Best Recognition and Rewards Programs for the Post-Recession Economy:
[Jeremy Lurey]: A couple weeks ago, I facilitated a great session with a local NHRA (National Human Resources Association) chapter. The topic was Recognition and Rewards programs, and we used a World Cafe (see www.theworldcafe.com) format to bring everyone – and their richly diverse perspectives – into the room. During the World Cafe rounds, groups were asked the following 3 questions:
1. What are the top three MONETARY recognition and rewards approaches that you use in your company?
2. What are the top three NON-MONETARY recognition and rewards approaches that you use in your company?
3. What are the underlying assumptions of your recognition and rewards system, and does the absence of receiving a reward equate to PUNISHMENT?
Provided below are some of the key themes that emerged from the group. I’m curious if this is in line with your experiences or if you have other “best programs” you would recommend.
FREE 360-Degree Survey Offer Extended Another 30 Days – Act Now and Get Started Today!
February 15th, 2010 by Jeremy Lurey
Due to the popular demand we received from our clients last month, we are extending our New Year’s offer for FREE 360-Degree Leadership Excellence Surveys for anyone who starts a new Executive Coaching program. Plus Delta’s coaching programs range from 6 months of rigorous support to help you and your senior leaders develop the skills you need to ensure the success of your organization to our much more targeted “Quickstart” program. Either way, Plus Delta’s talented executive coaches will help you leverage the tools and insights you need to bridge the gap between more traditional managerial roles and your new responsibilities as business leaders in this post-recession economy. And to make sure these programs deliver long-term sustainable results, we’ll include not only a FREE 360-Degree Leadership Excellence Survey but also a one-year subscription to ThinkBox – one of the most powerful online, on-demand learning and development resources around today – with every program.
Interested in learning more? Ready to invest in yourself and invest in your leaders? With Plus Delta’s Executive Coaching programs, you can improve the performance of an individual leader or an entire executive team. Give us a call at 866.PLS.DLTA (757-3582) or send an email to info@plusdelta.net and get started today. Believe it or not, our Quickstart programs begin at just $1950 per leader, so you don’t want to miss this amazing opportunity!
Have you ever considered the possibility that the language we use in organizations can have a direct impact on the experience of an individual worker or larger group? How many times have you seen individuals or work groups that seem to exude a culture that undermines either their own stated goals or those of the organization as a whole? In what ways do they speak of themselves, their co-workers, and the work itself, and how has this correlated with their success?
Alternatively, have you seen individuals or groups within organizations that seem to “get it?” How do they speak about themselves and others, and what culture tends to form around them and spread to other parts of a larger organization?
Tribal Leadership, written by Dave Logan, John King, and Halee Fischer-Wright, provides a framework from which to understand the various “tribes” in an organization and the cultural stages in which they reside. One of their goals is to educate leaders on how to take a tribe (or set of tribes, if in a larger organization) from one cultural stage to the next, until they align around core values and a noble cause. This is achieved both through providing specific coaching tips and through addressing how a leader and an employee can speak about themselves and others. Read the rest of this entry »
Never met him myself. Have a few friends who worked with and for him until the day he died. Wrote a paper about him and the impact his leadership style had on Apple’s organizational culture once in my first year of grad school. I can’t imagine that makes us close though, so why is it that I’ve been taking Steve Jobs’ passing so hard. Maybe it’s because he is arguably the greatest leader of all time!
