Comments for Management Skills Blog

Comment on The Way We See the World by Tom Foster

Tom Foster — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:01:34 +0000

Mike, The best example of that is a teenager (of legal age) operating an automobile. They are running and aware of multiple integrated systems. A speed-braking system, a traffic system including traffic control systems, an air environment system, a music system, a turning system (direction), a navigation system (one place to another), and often a communication system (turn signals and iPhone). But the Time Span is in real time.

Comment on The Way We See the World by michael cardus

michael cardus — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:35:34 +0000

I like how you explained stratum 4 as ‘NOT multitasking’ at level 1 you can still multitask the time-span is just shorter in what you are completing in these tasks.

Comment on Open Door Policy by Aaron Drake

Aaron Drake — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:16:44 +0000

I think you can have an open door policy in spirit, without it being literal. To me, “Open Door” means you can speak frankly and honestly to me about anything regarding the company. However, if good time management and productivity skills are taught, there should not be an endless parade through the manager’s door.

If an employee interrupts to talk about a problem and I say, “Let’s meet about that at 2 pm.”, they usually will have solved the problem by then.

Thanks for the thoughtful article!

Comment on Open Door Policy by Travis M.

Travis M. — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:32:30 +0000

I don’t think anyone is advocating closing your door. Keep your door open, but when someone comes to you with a problem, don’t give them the solution, guide them to the solution. Think of it like the old proverb about giving a man a fish compared to teaching a man to fish.

Comment on Open Door Policy by Ron Allred

Ron Allred — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:56:46 +0000

Last Fall, I suffered a stroke at my desk. Without an open door policy, I would be a vegetable. Because of my open policy, I’m fine, since an employee found me in time. Not changing the policy!

Comment on Open Door Policy by Michael Boren

Michael Boren — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:30:52 +0000

One of my favorite lessons from Vistage on how to deal with this issue is to always ask your employees the exact same questions when they come to you for advice.

1.) What are your options?
2.) If you had to pick one which one would you choose?

If you ask them those same questions every time it will initially train them to make sure and come to you with all possible options and then subsequently it will train them to know that you will force them to make the decision / determine the solution on their own. Eventually they stop coming to you with every issue they run into.

Comment on WHO is on the Team? by Tom Foster

Tom Foster — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:52:38 +0000

Mike, You are correct, a great team in a dysfunctional system will yield poor results. -TF

Comment on WHO is on the Team? by michael cardus

michael cardus — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:40:52 +0000

Tom, that is funny. I was reading your post and enjoying it until I saw your sports team reference.
I agree that the right players make the team, along with the structure and system for getting work done. For example you can have a team of all-stars and a horrible play book.
Choosing the right team members, plus having the authority to de-select based on evidence and effectiveness of their work, is necessary. This is a skill that managers really need to master.

Comment on Over-Confidence by Aaron Drake

Aaron Drake — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:34:04 +0000

This is a great strategy. In almost every case, it is most effective to bring them to a place where they verbalize first what you want to say to them. That involves asking the right questions to bring them to their own conclusion. People internalize more deeply what they think is their idea.

Comment on Production of Software Code by Tom Foster

Tom Foster — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:18:39 +0000

Kevin, Thanks for the insight on how these principles work in highly technical disciplines, specifically programming, which, in my mind is the most difficult discipline for managers to get their heads wrapped around. For most, it’s a magic black box operated by wizards and gnomes. -TF