Leadership
The Power of ‘Thanks’
We here at The Curci Group talk a lot about leadership, communication, and engagement, offering a lot of advice on various things to do and not do. But there’s just one very small thing you can do today that will have a dramatic impact on the productivity and engagment of your employees: say “thank you.”…
Read MoreThe importance of hiring, training and coaching managers to greatness
More and more companies are recognizing the importance of pushing responsibility and accountability down to the front lines. Being effective at front line accountability requires strong managers providing hands-on support. Gallup CEO Jim Clifton writes that “Millions of Bad Managers Are Killing America’s Growth.” While I don’t agree with this sweeping generalization, it is clear…
Read MoreFormal Authority vs. Moral Authority
In the wake of unrest by Turkish youth over what they consider to be a blatant misinterpretation of democracy by Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the question of formal vs. moral authority has been raised. In a recent Times op-ed, Thomas Friedman quotes executive consultant, Dov Seidman. “There are essentially just two kinds of authority:…
Read MoreThe complexity of human emotions
When I was publisher of a city newsweekly, we hosted a regular editorial board meeting with political candidates. I listened intently during these sessions, so I could ask good questions and tease out a little truth from among the sound bites and scripted responses. On one such occasion, incumbent DA candidate Lynne Abraham paused midway…
Read MoreYour Company’s Culture Will Determine Your Success
A friend of mine swung through town the other day after having moved to Colorado to take a job with DaVita, one of the nation’s largest dialysis companies. DaVita is renowned for its atypical company culture. My friend made that immediately apparent–he blew me away by voluntarily and enthusiastically rattling off DaVita’s values (service excellence,…
Read MoreDoing well by doing good.
It’s the hope of every enlightened business owner. To “do well by doing good.” To profit while in some small (or not-so-small) way, improving the lives of others. Some refer to it as “enlightened self-interest,” or putting others’ interest first in the hopes that they will eventually do the same for you. At the Wharton…
Read MoreEmail Introductions
One of the most common uses for email among professionals is to broker important business introductions. It’s a highly effective practice, if it’s done thoughtfully. We’ve all read about the perils of careless email habits. From voluminous messages (seldom read), to emails with no apparent point; no advising, no call to action, no relevant information,…
Read MoreBeyond Servant Leadership
I fancy myself something of a business book nerd. I’ll spare you the list. Suffice to say that I see value in nearly every popular business book written. But I have to admit that at this point, the pattern’s becoming clear. Many of the mantras are the same. Reframed, repackaged and resold. I’m also a…
Read MoreThe Science of Happiness
I recently had the privilege of hearing Harvard rock-star professor, Shawn Achor, discuss the brain’s response to positivity and the sociology of happiness. Pretty simple stuff, really. And yet profoundly powerful and roundly ignored. Most companies and schools follow the flawed perception that “if I work harder, I’ll be successful. If I become successful, then…
Read MoreSo, What Exactly Do You Mean By “Accountability?”
Take a look at any organizations list of values or guiding principles, and odds are you’ll see “accountability” featured prominently… and for good reason. But what do we really mean by accountability? And how can we effectively track, measure and reward accountability? In leadership roles, accountability is sometimes described as the acknowledgment and assumption of…
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