More than 400 CEOs, business billionaires and other leaders and investors attributed management talent to contributing more than 50% to business success. This is followed by execution, then strategy with 20% and 17% respectively.
The Scorecard when hiring somebody
Mission: The Essence of the Job
The mission is an executive summary of the job's core purpose. It has to be written in plain english so that everybody understands it.
Don't hire the generalist. Hire the Specialist.
Outcomes: Defining What Must Get Done
Outcomes describe what a person needs to accomplish in a role. Jobs must have 3-8 outcomes. They must be clear and must involve numbers.
Competencies: Ensuring Behavioral Fit
Competencies define how a new hire to operate in the fulfillment of the job and the achievement of the outcomes.
Cultural Competencies: Ensuring Organizational Fit
From Who by Geoff Smart and Randy Street
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Telling Stories
Stories naturally embody most of the SUCCESs framework. Stories are almost always Concrete. Most of them have Emotional and Unexpectedness elements. The hardest part of using stories effectively is making sure they are Simple - that they reflect your core message. It's not enough to tell a great story; the story has to reflect your agenda..
From Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
From Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Monday, November 24, 2008
Eye on the Goal
When your eye is on the goal, the distractions won't be nearly so distracting. Your efforts will gain the immense power of focus when you're always clearly aware of where you're headed.
If you wish to get something done, stop telling yourself why you can't. Begin telling yourself why you must.
Ralph Marston
If you wish to get something done, stop telling yourself why you can't. Begin telling yourself why you must.
Ralph Marston
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
CEO vs Catalyst
CEO .........................................Catalyst
The Boss.................................. A Peer
Command-and-Control...........Trust
Rational................................... Emotionally Intelligent
Powerful...................................Inspirational
Directive.................................. Collaborative
In the Spotlight....................... Behind the Scenes
Order........................................ Ambiguity
Organizing................................ Connecting
CEOs and Catalysts work well in different organizational structures. CEOs work well in top-down organizations, while Catalysts work well in flat organizations.
Both organizational structures have its merits. Traditional heirarichal top-down organizations are functions of size and maximize economies of scale and concentration of resources. Flat organizations are the opposite and they are mainly a function of distance -their members are spread out and may not necessarily know each other.
From The Starfish and The Spider by Brafman andn Beckstrom
The Boss.................................. A Peer
Command-and-Control...........Trust
Rational................................... Emotionally Intelligent
Powerful...................................Inspirational
Directive.................................. Collaborative
In the Spotlight....................... Behind the Scenes
Order........................................ Ambiguity
Organizing................................ Connecting
CEOs and Catalysts work well in different organizational structures. CEOs work well in top-down organizations, while Catalysts work well in flat organizations.
Both organizational structures have its merits. Traditional heirarichal top-down organizations are functions of size and maximize economies of scale and concentration of resources. Flat organizations are the opposite and they are mainly a function of distance -their members are spread out and may not necessarily know each other.
From The Starfish and The Spider by Brafman andn Beckstrom
Monday, November 17, 2008
Measure of a Man
The difference between how a person treats the powerless versus the powerful is as good a measure of human character..
From The No Asshole Rule by Robert Sutton
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Why We Are Prone To Make Mistakes
Why can't practice and coaching prevent us from making mistakes?
1. Because we are influenced by how we last felt when we did something.
When we refer to our memories for guidance, there is a good chance that we will be misguided because we don't actually remember the entire experience of something, we remember only how it felt in the end.
2.Advice we get is actually bad advice that has been transmitted through time.
So what do we do about it?
Instead of remembering our past experience, we use other people as surrogates for our future selves (because there is a great chance other people have experienced the state we are trying to be in).. Just don't let ego get in the way..
From Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
The Happiest Country on Earth
The most crucial factor that makes this country the happiest is: Low Expectations..
Click here to read the full article.
Click here to read the full article.
On Habituation
Among life's cruelest truths is this one: Wonderful things are especially wonderful the first time they happen, but their wonderfulness wanes with repetition... Psychologists call this habituation, economists call it declining marginal utility.
Two ways to beat habituation: increase the variety of one's experiences and to increase the amount of time that separates repetitions of the same experience..
From Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
Two ways to beat habituation: increase the variety of one's experiences and to increase the amount of time that separates repetitions of the same experience..
From Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
Not The Secret?
In order to succeed, should you retrace steps that led to your current situation or should you visualize a positive outcome coming out of your present situation or dilemma?
Most probably, you have chosen the latter, you visualize success, as most modern self-help or psychology literature recommend that yo do. On the contrary..if you choose the former you will be better off. At least, that's according to a study involving a group of UCLA students.
"Event-simulators", or those who mentally simulate how a problem has unfolded are more likely to take more specific actions to solve their problems compared to "outcome-simulators" - people who mentally simulate a positive outcome out of their problem.
From Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Most probably, you have chosen the latter, you visualize success, as most modern self-help or psychology literature recommend that yo do. On the contrary..if you choose the former you will be better off. At least, that's according to a study involving a group of UCLA students.
"Event-simulators", or those who mentally simulate how a problem has unfolded are more likely to take more specific actions to solve their problems compared to "outcome-simulators" - people who mentally simulate a positive outcome out of their problem.
From Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Friday, November 14, 2008
What is your 'fair' salary?
Companies will always pay at the lowest rate to maximize the talent of its hires. (Only) Competition drives this rate upwards. In the end, it's a demand vs supply principle.
Demand (Employers) and supply (Applicants OR you) will arrive at a 'fair' price and that price will be your salary. If your skills and experience are rare and there is huge demand for your kind of talent, then you'd expect to be paid at a premium.
Advanced education may help in validating your skill but it doesn't really follow that you'd be paid well for it.
From this article in the Undercover Economist
Demand (Employers) and supply (Applicants OR you) will arrive at a 'fair' price and that price will be your salary. If your skills and experience are rare and there is huge demand for your kind of talent, then you'd expect to be paid at a premium.
Advanced education may help in validating your skill but it doesn't really follow that you'd be paid well for it.
From this article in the Undercover Economist
Thursday, November 13, 2008
12 Key Elements of Practical Personal Finance
1. Discover your comparative advantage.
2. Be entrepreneurial. In a market economy, people get ahead by helping others and discovering better ways of doing things.
3. Spend less than you can. Begin a regular savings program now.
4. Don't finance anything for longer than its useful life.
5. Two ways to get more out of your money: Avoid credit-card debt and consider purchasing used items.
6. Begin paying into 'real-world' savings account every month.
7. Put the power of compound interest to work for you.
8. Diversify- don't put all of your eggs in one basket.
9. Indexed equity funds can help you beat the experts without taking excessive risk.
10. Invest in stocks for long-run objectives; as the need for money approaches, increase the proportion of bonds.
11. Beware of investment schemes promising high returns with little or no risk.
12. Teach your children how to earn money and spend it wisely.
From Common Sense Economics by Gwartney, Stroup and Lee
2. Be entrepreneurial. In a market economy, people get ahead by helping others and discovering better ways of doing things.
3. Spend less than you can. Begin a regular savings program now.
4. Don't finance anything for longer than its useful life.
5. Two ways to get more out of your money: Avoid credit-card debt and consider purchasing used items.
6. Begin paying into 'real-world' savings account every month.
7. Put the power of compound interest to work for you.
8. Diversify- don't put all of your eggs in one basket.
9. Indexed equity funds can help you beat the experts without taking excessive risk.
10. Invest in stocks for long-run objectives; as the need for money approaches, increase the proportion of bonds.
11. Beware of investment schemes promising high returns with little or no risk.
12. Teach your children how to earn money and spend it wisely.
From Common Sense Economics by Gwartney, Stroup and Lee
Making Ideas Stick
If you have a message or an idea that you want your audience to not forget, then what you convey should have the below principles: Simplicity
Cut the fat of what you want to say and get to the core of your message.
Cut the fat of what you want to say and get to the core of your message.
Simple = Core + Compact
Unexpectedness
Create interest and don't go for the conventional
Create interest and don't go for the conventional
Concreteness
Put your audience into your story. Make your ideas be something that your audience can feel, sense, imagine
Credibility
Credibility
This is very important. As important as the first principle, Simplicity.
External credibility - Get someone with authority to deliver your message
Internal credibility - Have vivid details, Use statistics, Use the Sinatra Test: If it can make it here, then it can make it anywhere
Internal credibility - Have vivid details, Use statistics, Use the Sinatra Test: If it can make it here, then it can make it anywhere
Emotional
Make people care by giving attention to a single person not the whole population.
Appeal to self-interest. What's in it for them?
Stories
Stories
Simulate a message or an idea thru a story.
From: Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Ten Tips to Being Happy
From Gretchen Rubin
1. Don't start with the profundities
Go to basics like get enough sleep, Don't let yourself go hungy.
2. Do not let the sun go down in anger
3. Fake it till you feel it
4. Realize that anything worth doing is worth doing badly
5. Don't treat the blues with a 'treat'.
Don't binge(?) if you feel down. You will feel good, but only for a while
6. Buy some happiness
7. Don't insist on the best.
This is interesting. There are two types of people: Satisficers and Maximizers. Satisficers make a decision once their criteria is met. Maximers want to make the best possible decision. They exhaust every option to make sure they have the best decision. Satisficers are happier than Maximizers. Logic being they spend less energy and after all, their criteria is still met after making their decision. Sometimes good enough is good enough.
8. Excerise to boost energy
I find this tip really hepful. It beats out stress too.
9. Stop nagging
10. Take action
Full article here.
1. Don't start with the profundities
Go to basics like get enough sleep, Don't let yourself go hungy.
2. Do not let the sun go down in anger
3. Fake it till you feel it
4. Realize that anything worth doing is worth doing badly
5. Don't treat the blues with a 'treat'.
Don't binge(?) if you feel down. You will feel good, but only for a while
6. Buy some happiness
7. Don't insist on the best.
This is interesting. There are two types of people: Satisficers and Maximizers. Satisficers make a decision once their criteria is met. Maximers want to make the best possible decision. They exhaust every option to make sure they have the best decision. Satisficers are happier than Maximizers. Logic being they spend less energy and after all, their criteria is still met after making their decision. Sometimes good enough is good enough.
8. Excerise to boost energy
I find this tip really hepful. It beats out stress too.
9. Stop nagging
10. Take action
Full article here.
Finding Flow
"Flow" - Metaphor for "being in the zone", "ecstasy" .
When you have flow, you are fully engaged in your task and you don't notice time passing by.
Flow occurs when the following are present:
1. A clear set of goals
2.There is immediate feedback
3.Skills are fully utilized
When these are present, one will be completely focused on what he is presently doing or involved in. Most of the time, the 3 elements can be found in work. So if I'm choosing a new job or work, then these 3 must be present.
Of course, another big factor in enjoying your work is having a good working relationship with your boss, but that's another subject matter.
It is the full involvement of flow, rather than happiness, that makes for excellence in life. When we are in flow, we are not happy, because to experience happiness we must focus on our inner states..
From: Finding Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
When you have flow, you are fully engaged in your task and you don't notice time passing by.
Flow occurs when the following are present:
1. A clear set of goals
2.There is immediate feedback
3.Skills are fully utilized
When these are present, one will be completely focused on what he is presently doing or involved in. Most of the time, the 3 elements can be found in work. So if I'm choosing a new job or work, then these 3 must be present.
Of course, another big factor in enjoying your work is having a good working relationship with your boss, but that's another subject matter.
It is the full involvement of flow, rather than happiness, that makes for excellence in life. When we are in flow, we are not happy, because to experience happiness we must focus on our inner states..
From: Finding Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The Most Addictive Thing on Earth
So, what's the most addictive thing on Earth?
An obvious clue: "Man is not an island."
According to Gary Becker it is (think before hitting the link) this.
An obvious clue: "Man is not an island."
According to Gary Becker it is (think before hitting the link) this.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Happiness Formula
From psychologists:
Pleasure + Engagement + Meaning = Happiness
Not really an exhaustive formula as the BBC site claims, but it does let you know which ingredients must be present at least.
Other ingredients: Friendship, Successful Marriage.
See the full article here.
Pleasure + Engagement + Meaning = Happiness
Not really an exhaustive formula as the BBC site claims, but it does let you know which ingredients must be present at least.
Other ingredients: Friendship, Successful Marriage.
See the full article here.
Strengths
You cannot be anything you want to be - but you can be a lot of who you already are.
Those who have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and more than three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general.
From Strengthsfinder 2.0, Tom Rath
My Top5 Themes
1. Discipline - Order, Structure
2. Focus - Prioritize then act
3. Futuristic -Inspired by visions of the future
4. Intellection -Introspective
5. Learner - Continously improve
Those who have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and more than three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general.
From Strengthsfinder 2.0, Tom Rath
My Top5 Themes
1. Discipline - Order, Structure
2. Focus - Prioritize then act
3. Futuristic -Inspired by visions of the future
4. Intellection -Introspective
5. Learner - Continously improve
Best Financial Advice
From Suze Orman
Q: In 25 words or less, what’s the best financial advice either 1) you have received or 2) you give out now to others? Bonus points if you answer in haiku format.
A:
Can you afford it?
Unpaid credit card balance?
One word, friend: denied!
Read the full article.
Q: In 25 words or less, what’s the best financial advice either 1) you have received or 2) you give out now to others? Bonus points if you answer in haiku format.
A:
Can you afford it?
Unpaid credit card balance?
One word, friend: denied!
Read the full article.
The Untouchables
Untouchables - people whose jobs cannot be outsourced
1. Special
People like Michael Jordan, Bill Gates
2. Specialized
Knowledge workers. Their skills are always in high demand and are not 'fungible'. Fungible - Work that can easily be digitized or easily substituted.
3. Anchored
Jobs that must be done in a specific location, involving face-to-face contact with a customer, client, patient or audience. E.g. barbers, lawyers,entertainers, electricians, etc.
4. Really adaptable
Constantly acquiring new skills, knowledge and expertise that enable you constantly to create value.
From: The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman
1. Special
People like Michael Jordan, Bill Gates
2. Specialized
Knowledge workers. Their skills are always in high demand and are not 'fungible'. Fungible - Work that can easily be digitized or easily substituted.
3. Anchored
Jobs that must be done in a specific location, involving face-to-face contact with a customer, client, patient or audience. E.g. barbers, lawyers,entertainers, electricians, etc.
4. Really adaptable
Constantly acquiring new skills, knowledge and expertise that enable you constantly to create value.
From: The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman
Bear Grylls
'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, covered in scars, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'yahoo!', what a ride.' - Bear Grylls.
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