Ten Common Mistakes Companies Make when Recruiting.
1. Focusing on a candidate’s resume rather than on exploring in depth their aptitude, past behaviors, and current attitude. The right candidate can share specific stories illustrating their past behavior that will give you confidence they can quickly overcome challenges … Continue reading
Managing employees and raising children
My wife Mary and I decided to have children in our late twenties, somewhat later than many of our peers. One of the advantages of waiting, however, was the decade of experience we had accumulated in managing independent, unrelated employees. … Continue reading
Leave a trail of breadcrumbs
My one-time boss and long-time friend Dan was sharing his work experiences at Westinghouse and IBM. Over a dinner of succulent lobster and locally grown corn, he contrasted the two company’s staffing strategies. When Dan was at Westinghouse, they promoted a … Continue reading
Beware hiring a “Charles Ponzi” to lead your sales or IT team
“How strong is our sales pipeline for next year?” Bob, the CEO of Creative Analytics asked in the annual strategy planning meeting. “Great!” replied Pat, the sales VP. “I’ve got a dozen projects lined up, at least half are a … Continue reading
Attitude and Aptitude: What Combination Makes for the Best Hires?
When I was earning my BSEE from NJIT, then known as Newark College of Engineering, I was a member of an elite group of five top students. We all had high GPAs, but we all didn’t have the same IQs. … Continue reading
The most valuable asset you have is your team
Over the course of my career, I’ve seen many CEOs who underutilize their teams. This letter, written in response to a New York Times article, recently caught my attention. The author’s management insight is not limited to the medical profession. … Continue reading
Today’s youth don’t have the same values as I did
Jack, the CEO of one of my client companies, was complaining that people today don’t have the same values as he did. “Why, when I was a kid I had two paper routes. How many of today’s kids have the … Continue reading
The challenge of low turnover
Bill was bragging about his company’s low turnover. “The lion’s share of our employees have been with us for over ten years! We seldom have to hire anyone new for our plant. That continuity is one of our competitive advantages.” … Continue reading
Why is the status quo so hard to change?
“It can’t be done.” So said Director of Operations, Wally as we discussed how to increase capacity in anticipation of the projected surge in demand in the next year. “Employees will never accept a fourth shift. They won’t be willing … Continue reading
The Gordian knot — how you frame a problem influences the solution
Back in the last millennium, when I was a contract programmer, my customer asked me how long it would take to write a custom program he outlined for me. As I was getting ready to estimate the number of man-months … Continue reading