August 10, 2016
Superman Leadership
August 4, 2016
America's Great Disappointment
They say that with Obama, "No president was ever better positioned to lead a strong recovery...no resources were spared...yet not once in the last seven years has annual economic growth ever reached [even] 3%."
But the news gets worse, in fact, "U.S. GDP grew a disappointing 1.2% in the second quarter...[and] economic growth is now tracking at a 1% rate in 2016...that makes for an average annual 2.1% rate since the end of the recession."
And that is after Obama's $836 billion stimulus and $3 trillion in Federal reserves injected into the economy!
The Great Recession may be the most disastrous economic results short of the Great Depression itself.
However, this is not the only reason Americas are disappointed with what they are getting from Washington (and we won't even talk about the candidates).
80% say we are heading in the wrong direction! Let's repeat that again, 80% say we are heading in the wrong direction.
Harvard Business Review says it's not just the economy stupid, since we still [despite ourselves--with failing policies of enormous tax and spend and over-regulation] rank #5 on GDP per capita.
Yet that doesn't translate into overall social progress for us.
Get this, the U.S. ranks 19th in social progress in the world--just one place above Slovena!
Why???
- We rank 26th on personal rights because of restrictions on freedoms like the right of assembly.
- We rank 27th on personal safety because of high homicides and poor road safety.
- We rank 36th on environmental quality because of high greenhouse gases and poor water quality.
- We rank 40th on basic knowledge because of poor education and high dropout rates.
- We rank 68th on health and wellness because of suicides, obesity, cancer, and heart disease.
HBR points out that there may be individual reasons for each of these, but overall this is a bleak "troubling picture" and Trump isn't the one who painted it.
The sad fact is that one of the only things that the U.S. is ranking #1 in the world in is our national debt to everyone else...and this is being squandered.
Think good and hard about the nation you are leaving your children and grandchildren...this is a horrible performance scorecard for America, the superpower! ;-)
(Source of the amazing photo: Minna Blumenthal)
America's Great Disappointment
July 29, 2016
I Like Working Here
The bad news was that he was concerned that he hadn't gotten the raise that he wanted from his company for the last number of years.
The good news was that he said that despite that, "I and everyone else on the team really like working here--it is a special group."
It was funny, because recently someone else from a different office stopped me on the elevator when I was getting off on my floor, and she points and says "everyone says that is one of the best groups to work in!"
I can't tell you how happy I was to hear this feedback.
And while I certainly know that "you can't satisfy all of the people all of the time," it was especially meaningful to me to hear this on such a fast-paced and high performance team--where people routinely seem to not only pull their weight (and more), but also pull together.
As to the raises from this gentleman's company that is a separate matter, especially as I understand that we all have bills to pay, but in terms of a good work environment and inspiring team that is something that also means the world to me. ;-)
(Source Photo Andy Blumenthal)
I Like Working Here
May 31, 2016
Broken Mirror Reflections D.C.
Broken Mirror Reflections D.C.
April 3, 2016
Not Your B*tch
A person has someone working for them who hasn't been working out all that well.
Basically, the staff person is having challenges simply getting their job done.
The boss asks what the problem is and if there is anything they can do to help the person be successful.
The staff person blurts out to their boss that "Nothing is wrong--I just don't want anyone to say I'm your b*tch!"
For all the possible reasons for not doing your job this one was quite a shocking one.
Sure people have challenges--not everyone is good at everything and it's not always a right fit, but being worried about what other people think about your doing your job...uh, not a very good excuse.
Seems like something the boss is not going to be able to really fix...maybe a shrink. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Not Your B*tch
March 3, 2016
Relationships Matter Most
And not only that they matter, but that they matter the most.
Results are great and important; however if they come at the expense of relationships or it's a "burn the bridges" type deal--then the results are not just tainted, but perhaps will be doomed to fail anyway and all the more so.
The way we treat others is paramount to what we do.
G-d watches us--and He/She will judge us accordingly.
Every interaction with others is a test for us.
How do we speak to and act with another one of G-d's loving creations.
Treating people well does not need to come at the expense of results--rather it is the secret sauce to getting results.
This doesn't mean that you have to be liked or loved, but that you do the right thing and for the right reasons--great deeds come with truly best intentions.
Integrity is not just a word--it is a life principle!
When you treat people badly--how do you think that impacts the office and the ultimate mission?
Success is people and product.
And life has a funny way about it with karma being ever present.
(Source Photo: here with attribution to PoYang)
Relationships Matter Most
February 21, 2016
Random Luck My A*s
"Good luck is the result of good planning."
Everybody wants good fortune, but a big differentiator is whether you are willing to think through life's scenarios, pull together a solid plan (A, B, and C to be on the safe side) and put in the effort and hard work to achieve your dreams and goals.
Fortunes rise and fall likes the tides, but a solid plan (with G-d's blessings) can take you further than any ocean spans. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Random Luck My A*s
August 18, 2015
Traits To Be Prez
The personality to be President:
1. Experience, Diplomacy
2. Direct, Honest, Strong, Results-oriented
3. Passionate, Dedication, Survival of the Nation
A short interview with Andy Blumenthal
(Source Video: Dannielle Blumenthal)
Traits To Be Prez
May 12, 2015
Yeah, A Pat On The Back
Some people deserve a pat on the back--truly great job, went the extra mile, great collaboration, communication, and results.
Others deserve A PAT ON THE BACK (or a good kick in the behind)--nasty, dirty, selfish, do little, take a lot, backstabbers.
I only know people in the first category. ;-)
(Source Doodle: Linkedin)
Yeah, A Pat On The Back
July 16, 2014
Garbage In, Repair The World Out
In this case, I took a photo of a garbage truck--of all things--that had prominently plastered on its side, "Tikkun Olam - Repair the World."
That is quite a positive message to put on a garbage truck!
Maybe that is our challenge in life, to make good things happen from the garbage that life often throws our way.
Make something sweet like lemonade out of something sour like lemons.
This is not easy without some sugar, but in life, we need G-d to supply the raw ingredients and we add the elbow grease. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Garbage In, Repair The World Out
April 26, 2014
Treat People Nice
The quote is by Maya Angelou and it is very powerful:
"People will forget what you said,
People will forget what you did,
But people will never forget how you made them feel."
As human beings in this world, we come and go.
Our time here is finite.
We will be replaced by others.
What is truly memorable about us is our relationships and how we treat others.
When we show kindness to people or when we are cruel to others--these things are never forgotten.
Our interactions are the mark of who we are inside--do we sincerely care about others and the bigger picture or are we just plain selfish?
How about you--can you remember:
- how that parent who loved you made you feel?
- how that teacher who taught you made you feel?
- how that friend who played with you made you feel?
- how that boss who mentored you made you feel?
- how that clergy who inspired you made you feel?
- how that spouse who was your companion made you feel?
- how those children who looked up to you made you feel?
- how those colleagues who supported your work made you feel?
I'm sure you can also remember times when people made you feel not so good--perhaps, you scowled or even cursed them under your breath.
Getting results in life is not enough--we can't do it by stepping on other people and really being successful that way.
Empathy and kindness or a hard heart and cruelty--you will be remembered one way or another. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Treat People Nice
January 28, 2014
The Movers and Shakers
But I think there is another and more accurate meaning to this phase.
And it is related to the old adage of "those who can do, and those who can't teach."
Note, there is no disrespect intended to good, solid teachers here, as they have one of the most important jobs in society in educating and molding our children, but the point is that there are some that can only talk theory, but haven't actually done the job!
Similarly, in the organizations, movers and shakers are often not one and the same, but two different types of people.
We have those who are "the movers"--who actually get things done, who break logjams, who overcome bureaucracy, who solve problems, who make things better.
And then there are "the shakers," those who do more jumping up and down and waving to get attention for themselves, their egos, their resumes, and their bogus brands, but don't or can't actually deliver the goods--real results.
The movers are the genuine, hardworking doers and carers of our organizations; the shakers are the Billie Big Mouth Bass showpeople.
The movers work the problems everyday and make progress and it is wonderful to celebrate their hardwork and successes, but the shakers are the attention-grabbers, boasting more about what they do, instead of actually doing much of anything.
Beware of those that talk a good game, but can't actually hit the ball--and the recognition and attention they are bathing in may actually just be a good cover like from a tanning salon and not from the real beach. ;-)
(Source Photo: here with attribution to RedHerring1up)
The Movers and Shakers
November 8, 2013
Cloud Kool-Aid
And with almost 1 million active apps alone in the Apple Store it is no wonder why.
The cloud can create amazing opportunities for shared services and cost efficiencies.
The problem is that many are using the cloud at the edge.
They are taking the cloud to mean that they in government are simply service brokers, rather than accountable service providers.
In the service broker model, CIOs and leaders look for the best, cost effective service to use.
However, in NOT recognizing that they are the ultimate service providers for their customers, they are trying to outsource accountability and effectiveness.
Take for example, the recent failures of Healthcare.gov, there were at least 55 major contractors involved, but no major end-to-end testing done by HHS.
We can't outsource accountability--even though the cloud and outsourcing is tempting many to do just that.
Secretary Sebelius has said that the buck stops with her, but in the 3 1/2 years leading up to the rollout relied on the big technology cloud in the sky to provide the solution.
Moreover, while Sebelius as the business owner is talking responsibility for the mission failures of the site, isn't it the CIO who should be addressing the technology issues as well?
IT contractors and cloud providers play a vital role in helping the government develop and maintain our technology, but at the end of the day, we in the government are responsible to our mission users.
The relationship is one of partners in problem solving and IT product and service provision, rather than service brokers moving data from one cloud provider to the next, where a buck can simply be saved regardless of whether mission results, stability and security are at risk.
In fact, Bloomberg BusinessWeek outlines the 3 successful principles used in the creation of consumerfinance.gov by the new CFPB, and it includes: "Have in-house strategy, design, and tech"!
Some in government say we cannot attract good IT people.
Maybe true, if we continue to freeze salaries, cut benefits, furlough employees, and take away the zest and responsibility for technology solutions from our own very talented technologists.
Government must be a place where we can attract technology talent, so we can identify requirements with our customers, work with partners on solutions, and tailors COTS, GOTS, open source solutions and cloud services to our mission needs.
When Sebelius was asked on The Hill about whether Healthcare.gov crashed, she said it never crashed, which was technically incorrect as the site was down.
The cloud is great source for IT provision, but the pendulum is swinging too far and fast, and it will by necessity come back towards the center, where it belongs as an opportunity, not a compliance mandate.
Hopefully, this will happen before too many CIOs gut the technology know-how they do have and the accountability they should provide.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Cloud Kool-Aid
October 18, 2013
Mr. Universe of Leadership
The thesis of the book is that the most effective and powerful leaders balance projecting strength and warmth.
If you just show strength, then you would potentially be seen as dictatorial, a micromanager, unapproachable, all work and no personality, and maybe even a tyrant.
And if you just project warmth, then you would likely be seen as wimpy, emotional but not intellectual/skilled, managing by friendship and not professionally, and not focused on results.
That's why combining and projecting a healthy balance of strength and warmth is effective in leading towards mission results, but also in being a "mensch" and caring for the people you work with.
You can't have sustained strong performance without a happy workforce.
And you can't have a happy workforce without strength to achieve meaningful work performance.
In funny, but in a sense Arnold Schwarzenegger is a good example of someone who combines the two.
On one hand, he represents the big and strong "Mr. Universe," and was able to play in numerous action movies, such as Terminator, Predator, Conan The Barbarian, and more.
At the same time, Schwarzenegger always had a warm, softer side and stared in comedies like Kindergarten Cop, Twins (as the intellectual twin of street-wise Danny Devito), and Junior (where he undergoes a male pregnancy!).
While no one is good at everything and it can be hard to effectively balance strength and warmth, leaders that master this can become the real Mr. Universe for their organizations and people. ;-)
(Source Photo: Left from Andy Blumenthal and Right from here with attribution to Eva Rinaldi)
Mr. Universe of Leadership
August 31, 2013
Should Or Shouldn't The U.S. Attack Syria
Should Or Shouldn't The U.S. Attack Syria
April 4, 2013
Difficult Employees x 7
- Challengers--employees that are oppositional; they resent authority, are disrespectful and confrontational.
- Clingers--people who are overly dependent; they are uncertain about what to do, fearful of making a mistake, withhold their opinions and may harbor deep resentments.
- Drama Queens/Kings--these folks crave attention; they can be found spreading gossip and rumors and making dramatic pronouncements both professional and personal.
- Loners--people who like to be left alone; they tend to hover over their computers and avoid personal interactions.
- Power Grabbers--staff that tend to get into power struggles with their boss; they ignore instructions and resist direction.
- Slackers--those who don't do the work they are supposed to do; they tend to linger on break, calls, or the Internet or be out of the office altogether.
- Space Cadets--employees whose minds and discussion always seem to be in la-la-land; they tend to be off topic and impractical.
It should never be about the manager and the employee, but rather about the results and the outcomes. Keep it objective, be empathetic, document the issues, and work in earnest with the person to improve (where possible).
Difficult employees are not evil characters (or villains) like in the James Bond movies, but rather humans being that need inspiration, collaboration, guidance, feedback, and occasionally when appropriate, a change in venue--where a square peg can fit in a square hole. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Difficult Employees x 7
March 28, 2013
Perfect, In An Imperfect World
Please read the article here online.
"Recognize the importance of the journey over that of the goal--and accept the task of working to perfect ourselves, rather than of truly being perfect, or as I learned in Jewish day school, there are no angels here on Earth, only in heaven."
Hope you enjoy! ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Perfect, In An Imperfect World
May 28, 2011
Perfect Is The Enemy of Good
Perfect Is The Enemy of Good
April 11, 2011
Optimizing Culture For Performance
Strategy + Business (Spring 2011) has an interview with Edgar Schein, the MIT sage of organizational culture.
Optimizing Culture For Performance
February 5, 2011
Is It "A Message To Garcia" - Or To Us?
There is an inspirational essay by Elbert Hubbard written in 1899 called “A Message to Garcia” that is about taking initiative and getting the job done.
Here is an abstract:
“When war broke out between Spain and the United States, it was necessary to communicate quickly with the leader of the insurgents. Garcia was somewhere in the mountains of Cuba—no one knew where…the President must secure his co-operation, and quickly…Rowan was sent for and given a letter to be delivered to Garcia…[he] strapped it over his heart…landed by night off the coast of Cuba…disappeared into the jungle, and in three weeks came out the other side of the Island having traversed a hostile country on foot, and delivered his letter to Garcia.”
Garcia is held up by Hubbard as an iconic worker who can “act promptly, concentrate their energies: do the thing.”
And the right way for a worker to perform, according to Hubbard (in my words) included:
- Attention and care to the job
- Independent action/autonomy
- Cheerfulness (or a good attitude)
- Integrity to carry out their work with or without supervision
Elbert Hubbard emphasizes a strong work ethic that can be best summarized when he states:
“My heart goes out to the man who does his work when the ‘boss’ is way, as well as when he is at home [interesting that this was written before modern telework!]. And the man who when given a letter for Garcia, quietly takes the missive, without asking any questions, and with no lurking intention of chucking it into the nearest sewer, or of doing aught else but deliver it.”
Hubbard’s essay sold over 40 million copies and was translated into 37 languages. It was also made into two movies. The message of Garcia as a model employee obviously resonates far and wide.
Reading the essay, which is written in “Old English,” it was surprising to me that the management challenges we face today are the same ones that were apparently confronted already 100 years ago.
It seems that the search for great employees – meaning those who can generate results, are accountable for delivering value, and are customer-centric - is timeless!
“A Message for Garcia” is truly a call to action for all. No matter what level on the career ladder we occupy, and no matter what organization we serve, what we do for our jobs does matter. Let us “own it” and own it well, just as if we were delivering the President’s message to Garcia.
Is It "A Message To Garcia" - Or To Us?