Every time you’re in a meeting, whether with one other person or twenty, you’re in a group. Task groups, work groups, departments, committees—all kinds of groups dominate organizational life. In fact, they’re every organization’s basic operating unit. Yet, how many people complain that groups and meetings are the least productive and rewarding parts of their job? As much as we work in groups, it’s sad that their potential often goes unrealized. This is where the social science of group dynamics comes in.
Read MoreBasic Strategic Planning Models
To develop an effective business or strategic plan, the process doesn’t need to be complicated. Sometimes simpler is better. This is especially the case for non-profit organizations or communities for whom planning involves many different people and interest groups. But simplicity also pays off for many for-profits, excepting those that face a lot of market complexity.
Read MoreAssessing an Executive’s Readiness for Executive Coaching
Not every executive or leader is well suited for executive coaching. What’s more, no amount of time or money spent on coaching is likely to benefit someone who lacks the intrinsic desire or extrinsic support for growth and change. This is why it’s important to evaluate the executive’s readiness before deciding coaching is the right performance-improvement method for her or him. Here are some things to consider:
Read MoreChallenges to Effective Team Building
Team building is not necessarily a good fit for all organizations. In fact, studies show that certain organizational structures, cultures, programs, and procedures actually undermine teams. No matter how much team-building initiatives are pushed, teams won’t be effective in these work settings. These types of organizations include ones with:
- Hierarchical or bureaucratic structures.
- Authoritarian cultures, which lock power and control in one place.
- Cultures that primarily reward individual performance and initiative.
What is Strategy Anyway?
The word strategy derives from the Greek strategia, which means “office or command of a general.” Since the days of Alexander, usage of the word has expanded considerably from its original military context. Today, strategy generally refers to plans, methods, or activities for obtaining desired results. In other words, strategy is about creating successful futures—however such success might be defined.
Read MoreWhy More Organizations are Using Executive Coaching
In recent years, many organizations have made coaching a core part of their executive development programs. Some of them even consider it the crux of their performance improvement strategy. Under the right circumstances, executive coaching can provide faster return on investment than other forms of organizational development. Perhaps this explains why 86 percent of Fortune 1000 companies use coaching to sharpen the skills of their leaders.
Read MoreWhat Is A Real Team?
Teams have been defined as a small group of people with complementary skills committed to a common purpose and specific performance goals. The work of real teams requires collaboration and interdependence among team members. This means that the leadership role tends to shift among team members rather than remain static. And it means that people with different jobs and skill sets must work together in a coordinated effort, and at the same time, to be effective.
Read MoreGoals v. Objectives: Are They The Same or Different?
The terms goals and objectives are often confusing because they are frequently used interchangeably. Some people classify objectives as broad and general and goals as specific and measurable. Others see it the other way around.
The important point is that defining goals and objectives is a critical part of most, if not all, strategic planning processes. So guidelines for establishing viable goals and objectives can be invaluable.