Don’t confuse hierarchy with command and control. The mountain doesn’t control the prairie around it just because the river flows down the mountain and into the prairie. Come on, folks. People talk about org charts like they’re a bad thing. That is bunk.

People need structure. We naturally seek relationships, effective communication channels, and some sense of order.  Just because your company has a traditional org chart or hierarchy, doesn’t mean it’s managed with command and control, overlords barking orders, micro-managing and over ruling decisions.  Those are elements of a culture – not the product of a hierarchy. read more »

Spring has sprung, and along with it comes the painful driving experience with potholes. As you navigate through familiar roads and parking lots, new nasty holes are jarring your car. Once again, the expansion and contraction of the winter temperatures have torn up the road surfaces. What was once a smooth operating surface now has holes you must maneuver around. read more »

Part 2

Recently, I shared some of my chat about Talent Movement analysis with Dr. Kevin Carlson, Associate Professor of Management at Virginia Tech. In Part 2 of our discussion, I asked him about specific metrics to monitor that can improve business performance and results. read more »

Part 1

Talent movement can tell you more than you think about your organization, yet many businesses don’t plumb its full depth. Talent movement statistics have more to offer than just the basics of whether your employees are leaving on their terms or yours. With some deeper analysis, you can actually improve business performance. I recently sat down with Dr. Kevin Carlson, Associate Professor of Management at Virginia Tech, to discuss the topic of monitoring talent movement and why it’s a key factor in effective workforce planning and management. He shared his insight into how businesses can analyze employee movement to maximize business performance in specific areas of their organization. read more »

I know I’ve been writing a lot about Succession Planning lately, but this business discipline is in need of serious management and strategic attention and  re-creation. I found this article, Opening Up Succession Plans, about Frontier Communications’  succession planning particularly interesting.

I’ll let you read it and then I’ll ask a question…”Are you a CEO  afraid to build out your succession plan because it’s planning your own funeral?” I have at least two pieces of advice for you. read more »