From Academy Leadership Affiliate Tom Watson

There are times when it takes moral and ethical courage to go counter to the apparently popular business practice of the day. The late 1980’s and early 1990’s were the “go-go” years of business growth in Asia. Many contracts and business agreements were facilitated by drinking and partying into the wee hours of the morning. The popular understanding was that one could not secure new business deals within certain Asian countries without significant alcohol consumption. This was not necessarily the case. ,

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From Academy Leadership Affiliate Carr Boyd

I recently attended a diversity program for fire service officers and was struck by the many issues of leadership that were raised. One in particular was repeatedly brought up by the participants and affirmed by the facilitator. I kept hearing that we as officers simply need to treat others the way we want to be treated to avoid conflict. As I pondered this statement, the so called “Golden Rule” of my childhood, it dawned on me that the participants and facilitator were missing a critical point. ,

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Ed Ruggero

An executive I know, mild-mannered and kind most of the time, admits to being infuriated by a colleague who talks incessantly at meetings, laughing at his own jokes, weighing in with his opinion on every comment, filling the room with hot air and dragging out already long meetings. My friend fantasizes about grabbing this fellow by the hair and banging his head on the table while chanting, “Just (BAM) stop (BAM) talking!”

Although many of us have no doubt indulged in similar fantasies, this kind of behavior might be, well, counterproductive for the team. Talking too much is fairly innocuous compared to some examples of bad manners in the workplace. Have you ever found yourself looking at someone and thinking, “Man, that’s something you should have learned about in kindergarten!”

The mature, adult way to address the slob in the next cubicle is to approach that person in private and, without judging his or her character, mention the effect that this particular behavior has on you. Then you might make a kind suggestion or polite request.

But few of us want to be the manners police, so we hope that some boss will step in and squash the bad behavior. It could happen. You might also get to watch the guy who just cut you off in traffic get pulled over by a cop a half-mile ahead. But don’t bank on it. ,

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by Guest Blogger Quint Studer

If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably interested in creating or sustaining a culture in your organization that gets results. If so, then here’s a simple question to ask yourself to see if you’re on track, “If an employee at my organization is upset with another employee, who do they tell?”

If the answer is HR, or their boss, or that person’s boss — actually, if it’s anything other than the employee they’re upset with — then your culture is at risk of being derailed.

I have learned that a key building block of a strong culture is for employees to address each other directly, especially when they are upset, frustrated, disappointed, etc. Of course, it’s equally important to have direct conversations that are positive, but those usually aren’t the problem. When the message is tough, all too often we ask someone else to carry it for us. ,

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Wednesday, September 17th is the 221st anniversary of the Constitution.

by Ed Ruggero

As the hot summer of 1787 wound down in Philadelphia, the men who sat in the Constitutional Convention prepared to take a stand for or against the amazing—though flawed—document before them. The oldest delegate, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, had spoken only occasionally throughout the debates, preferring to spend his political capital where it would do the most good. Franklin knew that there were plenty of reasons to oppose the Constitution, and the argumentative delegates could sink the entire enterprise if they failed to compromise. For all the frustration in those state delegations that did not get their way, most members knew that the nation needed to chart a new course, that the failure to come together would leave the thirteen colonies grasping and conniving against the others. America would always be too weak to withstand foreign incursions, too poor to become a great nation. ,

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