Ever sat through a strategic planning session that was facilitated by an inept facilitator or, worse, a CEO who wasn’t sure what strategy was? Or even worse than that, the “strategic plan” was to drag out the old plan from the previous year, dust it … Read more
You’re Invited! What: A Dinner Party/Fundraiser Why: To Support Anytown’s Homeless Population Where: The Estate of Our Founder, Bill Brookstone, in South Highlands Please join us for an evening of wine, dinner, and song. Our homeless population is important to us, so we at Brookstone … Read more
Sent: January 13, 10:30 a.m. From: Alisson To: Brenda, CEO & Founder Alisson here from accounting. At the last staff meeting, you said that if anyone had any questions they wanted to discuss with you directly, you’d make yourself available. Well, I do have some … Read more
Sent: September 17 From: CEO To: Exec. Team Subject: Anti-Harassment Training OK, guys, It’s that time of year again that we have to sit through listening to HR tell us how we’re supposed to behave. So, show up, behave, and put your time in. I … Read more
It landed on Carol’s desk with the muffled thump of a dead body wrapped in a heavy, wet flannel blanket. A neat but heavy package, it was a nine-by-twelve-inch envelope no less than four inches thick. FedEx had delivered it that morning, and the receptionist … Read more
Sent: September 9 From: CEO To: Executive Team Subject: Launch Date for New Warehouse in Texas Team, Per our 2019 strategic plan, we were supposed to have a timeline worked out for the new warehouse in Texas. At our last meeting, we agreed that you … Read more
Notes for my Leadership Memoir: Let’s take a lesson from Tom, the newly minted and inexperienced CEO. When you’re the new CEO on the block, everyone is looking at you to do great things. Some, like your employees and especially the leadership team, are a … Read more
Sent: September 20 From: CEO To: HR Subject: Chief of Compassion Jennifer, Please prepare a promotion package for Randy. I believe this new role, Chief of Compassion, will be much better suited to what he does on a regular basis. We need someone with his … Read more
From: Amy Hoohoo, Director of HR To: Jeff Parson Subject: Job Offer Dear Jeff, We are pleased to present you with this formal offer for employment with the Acme Corporation as our new director of corporate communications. This is a full-time salaried position located in … Read more
You will never see “She made me what I am today” written on anyone’s tombstone. But a leader’s job is just that: identifying the individual strengths that each team member comes to the table with; coaxing, leading, training, cajoling, and developing those strengths into greatness. … Read more