The Buy-In Leadership Challenge and the 20-70-10 Rule

The Buy-In Leadership Challenge and the 20-70-10 Rule

As leaders, we are on a never-ending journey of continuous improvement in all areas of our business. Some of us, including myself, derive a great deal of satisfaction from transitioning teams and businesses into a new and improved future state. This journey towards a better future state can become arduous if we do not have genuine support from some of the stakeholders. One way of managing your stakeholders is what I call the 20-70-10 rule of buy-in. The numbers represent…

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When You Don’t Agree with Upper Management

When You Don’t Agree with Upper Management

Recently I was watching an episode of the show “Silicon Valley” in which, the CEO of Pied Piper made a decision to create an appliance instead of a platform. The engineering lead and his team thought the decision a bad one, but the sales people liked it. So the CEO and the board decided it was worth producing. But later, the board changed direction to go with the platform concept when Hooli decided to buy Pied Piper’s main competitor who…

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What Gets You Out of Bed in The Morning?

What Gets You Out of Bed in The Morning?

I’m motivated to do a good job when I have the freedom to manage my team without interference from my manager. Why? Because I enjoy taking on new challenges and like to create clear goals for my teams and for myself. When these needs are met, I enjoy my work. I’m motivated to succeed. But what motivates me doesn’t necessarily motivate the people that work for me. One of my jobs as a manager is to understand what motivates each…

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Managing a New Team

Managing a New Team

When I start managing a new team, be it at a new company or at a company for which I already work, I like to get as much information as I can before deciding if any changes are needed. Of course, I meet with my direct reports first. If they are all managers, I also schedule a few skip level meetings and not just with people they recommend. I meet with the external teams my team interacts with. If I…

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Talk Positive Instead of Negative

Talk Positive Instead of Negative

“You always talk about how great your team is,” my manager said to me, “and it’s not good that you do.” Talk about confusing. I didn’t know how to reply to that one. I do know my teams’ weaknesses and strengths. I work with them on the weaknesses. So why would I tell my peers and my manager about the weaknesses all the time? Why wouldn’t I instead talk about the strengths, the good stuff, the positive stuff about my…

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