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ArticlesCincinnati Bell Expands Training Partnership w/ Xavier Leadership Center’s New Corporate UniversityPosted by ElizabethRM Apr 24 2012, 8:17 pm CINCINNATI, Apr. 24, 2012 –Cincinnati Bell (NYSE: CBB) has renewed its commitment with Xavier Leadership Center (XLC) as its training partner for Cincinnati Bell Academy and will now offer its employees access to XLC’s Corporate University @ Xavier University, a brand new program that makes once exclusive, private and customized courses available to the public. [...] Xploring Leadership Today: Why Is Change So Hard?Posted by Mary Apr 19 2012, 12:45 pm in Business Strategy, Change, Change Leadership, Influencing Without Authority, Innovation, Leadership Programs, training Why Is Change So Hard? There is an old saying, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” By that definition alone, it’s safe to assume the entire human race is a little bit crazy. Let’s face it, human beings are pretty adept at falling into patterns of behavior that [...] Why You Need a Personal Leadership Statement… NowPosted by xlc Feb 27 2012, 12:13 pm by Len Brzozowski Download full article and instructions Most people have no trouble seeing that it would be foolish to try to run any organization today without a sense of purpose and direction (mission), a set of clearly defined goals and objectives (vision) and a thoughtful plan for getting there (strategy). These are important because [...] Insights from XLC’s recent training surveyPosted by xlc Jan 24 2012, 5:42 pm in Leadership, Survey, training HINT: Leadership Matters! Download Survey Results by Len Brzozowski We recently surveyed business professionals in the Greater Cincinnati area to get a better understanding at Xavier Leadership Center of professional development, training and education needs. Results indicate that local businesses are investing in training, with [...] Leading Through Social TechnologyPosted by admin Dec 13 2011, 4:50 pm by Len Brzozowski While we'd all agree that social media has transformed how people receive, engage with and experience content and information… its impact is actually far deeper. Social technology is actually changing how we lead, and how we are led. In my blog and via Linked In, at Xavier Leadership Center we're using social [...] 5 Tips for Packaging Your Personal BrandPosted by admin Sep 11 2011, 11:49 am by Jennifer Stark As a business professional, company owner, sales expert or public speaker, an effective Personal Brand gives you an edge to achieve your professional goals. It's the first thing people experience about you and the last thing they remember-whether you're meeting people in person, online, or introducing yourself solely through your work! The [...] Five Steps to Learning that LastsPosted by admin Aug 19 2011, 11:23 am Improving How You Learn Based on material by Train-the-Trainer expert: Ed Jones How many of us have dreaded going to training – or even dreaded being in the role of the trainer – for fear of having to endure a long, boring, and unengaging experience? The truth is, we often find ourselves in the role [...] How many uses are there for a shoe?Posted by admin Jul 17 2011, 9:07 pm Download Case Study[1]: Mayo Clinic – Design Thinking in Health Care Divergent Thinking @ Work By Len Brzozowski When asked the question, “How many uses can you think of for a shoe?” most adults can generate 10-12 responses before running out of ideas. But someone who is really good at thinking creatively (which most of [...] 9 Signs Your HR Manager is TerriblePosted by admin Jun 15 2011, 12:14 am A Good HR Manager is invaluable – a bad one can be devastating. Click Here for a recent article to see the warning signs. (Article posted on bNet, the CBS Interactive Business Network) Customer Service is No Longer OptionalPosted by admin Jun 13 2011, 5:56 pm by Laurie Brown Where would you least expect to find great customer service? At or near the top of anyone’s list, you’re likely to find government services… long waits, indifferent staff, lots of confusing and seemingly archaic forms to fill. Not anymore. Terri Lynn Land based her re-election campaign for the position of Michigan’s Secretary [...] Making Your Projects SuccessfulPosted by admin May 18 2011, 5:19 pm in Project Management The following information is drawn from the work of Timothy Kloppenborg, author of Contemporary Project Management, Second Edition. For a complete discussion of ensuring the success of your next project, we highly recommend reviewing this text. Successful projects mean happy customers—whether those are your team members, executive management, end users, or your clients. Success can [...] Facing Up to the Under-Performing EmployeePosted by admin Apr 24 2011, 11:26 pm By Len Brzozowski One of the most challenging issues we all deal with as supervisors, managers, and executives is under-performing employees. Nothing creates more angst for managers who would likely rather shove a sharp stick in their eye than face a confrontational situation with an employee – especially one with long tenure. We all abhor [...] Does Performance Management really work?Posted by admin Apr 18 2011, 4:44 pm By Len Brzozowski We spend a lot of energy working to train people and organizations about performance management systems’ design and execution. We develop carefully thought-out forms and procedures, and coach managers on how to deliver performance reviews, yet few people we encounter perceive that the performance management process works anywhere nearly as well as [...] Enhancing Your Emotional Intelligence for Success in BusinessPosted by admin Mar 15 2011, 9:19 pm in Emotional Intelligence, Leadership By: Linda Gravett Got smarts?! We’re not referring to IQ – we’re asking about your ability to understand yourself, read others, and adapt to situations that occur in your daily work life. Regardless of our organizational role, each of us has the ability to enhance our EQ, or Emotional Intelligence. Now you can learn concrete [...] A New Approach to Strategic PlanningPosted by admin Jan 23 2011, 11:12 pm Telling Powerful Stories By Len Brzozowski, Executive Director, Xavier Leadership Center For many of us, Organizational Strategy Development is seen as a complex task requiring an MBA or special training to complete. We can often get lost in the many templates, spreadsheets, matrices and other elements that constitute the process of strategic planning. Sometimes we [...] Facing the Crisis in K-12 FinancePosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 10 2010, 12:19 am in Innovation, Transportation Consolidation By: Len Brzozowski Sometimes it makes sense to pay attention to extreme situations that are unlike your own at the moment. Sometimes we can draw lessons and learn from the experiences of others. One such example in public education is found in Michigan. There, the economic picture is bleak, fueled by the financial sector melt [...] Leadership Lessons from Vince YoungPosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 9 2010, 6:58 pm in Leadership, Vince Young By: Len Brzozowski Note: this article was written prior to Vince Young’s arrival on the pro football scene. Looking back at his career both before and after the beginning of his NFL career, there are certainly lessons to be learned, are there not? On one fateful Super Bowl Sunday, my highlight was not the game [...] An Open letter to all “Boomer” CEOsPosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 9 2010, 5:17 pm in Retirement, Succession Planning By: Len Brzozowski According to the US Department of the Census, there are over 82 million so called “Baby Boomers” in the United States. They represent a full 1/3rd of the entire US labor force. At about the year 2005, this group began to retire in substantial numbers. The rate at which these “boomers” reach [...] Business Simulation Games: Real World LearningPosted by Bruce Miller Dec 9 2010, 5:10 pm in Simulation Training By: Bruce Miller Real life is complex. You never have perfect information. You never have enough time, and you must make immediate decisions to resolve the issues that you face. We often fail and learn from our mistakes, becoming better at decision making for next time, even though the next time the specific situation may [...] What are you waiting for? Recession is the best time to position yourself for growthPosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 9 2010, 5:07 pm in Growth, Recession By: Len Brzozowski When recession hits, not all firms are affected equally. Some of your competitors who have blundered earlier may be in weakened cash positions now. Naturally, many of our attentions turn to downsizing expense cutting, and delaying capital and R&D plans. If you have been thoughtful in the past you may have a [...] Economic “Natural Selection”: Improvisation is Imperative to Business SurvivalPosted by admin Dec 9 2010, 12:41 pm in Improvisation, Innovation Economic “Natural Selection” – Improvisation is Imperative to Business Survival By Liz Wu In the wild, natural selection rules: only the strongest, fastest, and most adaptable survive. In today’s international economy, with competition coming from a global level, success requires more than simply maintaining an even keel. To thrive, a business must continuously grow and [...] P&G’s Innovation RevolutionPosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 7 2010, 10:23 pm in Innovation, P&G, Research & Development By: Len Brzozowski Procter and Gamble is arguably one of the most successful organizations in the world at designing and delivering quality products to consumers. They are almost always on the list of America’s most innovative companies. While P&G is perhaps best known for its marketing prowess, a strong case can be made that its [...] Keeping Your High Value EmployeesPosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 7 2010, 10:11 pm in Employee Retention As the economy improves, what are you doing to retain your future leaders? By: Len Brzozowski Recently, I was interviewed by Smart Business on the value of corporate education and training. Although training has long been a topic of interest to savvy companies looking to retain their workers, it is now taking on even greater prominence. [...] Getting Mid-Level Managers to Step UpPosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 7 2010, 7:54 pm in Emerging leaders, Management By: Len Brzozowski Being a middle level manager can be a challenging thing today. You are caught in between the senior executive ranks and are nearer to the firing line where things are happening every day, and decisions must be made. Here are some comments from typical mid level managers here in Cincinnati. Does any [...] Military academies train what P&G wantsPosted by admin Dec 7 2010, 7:28 pm in Military, News Decisiveness, discipline among qualities sought in managers By Keith T. Reed • kreed@enquirer.com • Cincinnati Enquirer, September 28, 2008 Over four days in 2006, Ryan Hollin left Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., got married in California, and moved to Cincinnati to start a new job as a logistics manager at a Procter [...] Customer Service: A Culture, Not a DepartmentPosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 7 2010, 7:26 pm in Customer Service By: Len Brzozowski As the iconic Nordstrom Inc prepares to open its newest store in Cincinnati’s Kenwood Towne Center It seemed logical to reflect on the essence of what makes great customer service. For some companies, Customer Service is the name of a department where people answer the phone to respond to customer inquiries and [...] Emerging Leadership Talent: The New DifferentiatorPosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 7 2010, 7:24 pm in Competitive Advantage, Developing Talent By: Len Brzozowski Constantly changing markets, demographics, and technologies, combined with higher energy costs and complex geopolitics today create an environment that favors businesses quick to evolve and threatens those slow to adapt. According to the US Department of the Census, there are over 82 million “Baby Boomers” in the United States, who represent a [...] Executive Evocateurs: How to be a master at developing talentPosted by admin Dec 7 2010, 7:18 pm in Developing Talent, Human Resources By John P. Schuster Real leaders know that they have less of certain kinds of power the higher up they go in an organization. They gain increased authority – the ability to set policy and direction. But the power to execute is in the hands of the doers– middle managers down to the front-line performers. [...] Managing Diversity: Not solely a Question of ethnicity, race or genderPosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 7 2010, 7:14 pm in Diversity, Teams By: Len Brzozowski In my “Management of Organizations” class a short time ago, we were engaged in a discussion about human performance management and things that sometimes prevent organizations from achieving their desired goals. Finally one student tentatively raised his hand and commented that many of his co-workers get upset at the number of “affirmative [...] Why Performance Appraisals Don’t WorkPosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 7 2010, 7:09 pm in Performance Appraisals, Performance Reviews By: Len Brzozowski When I ask my MBA students to give me a list of reasons why we do performance appraisal, it normally includes such items as: Motivate workers Constructively shape employee behavior Document a case for dismissal Justify the size of a pay (or bonus) increase Give Feedback Make people feel good Yet when [...] Put Your Mission To Work: Creating AlignmentPosted by Len Brzozowski Dec 7 2010, 6:54 pm in Mission, Strategy, Wal-Mart by Len Brzozowski For many people, a mission and values statement are an academic creation. They may have some mild marketing benefit by posting it on a web site or by framing it in a nice plaque on the wall in the lobby. Most employees can’t recite them, and most do not deeply own them. [...] High-Performance Project TeamsPosted by admin Dec 5 2010, 11:05 pm By: Richard Kunst In today’s rapidly changing business environments, organizations carry out a significant portion of their work efforts using project teams. Our research underscores the value of using team best practices in managing project teams. Best Practice Benchmarks The following best practices were used significantly more often by high-performing organizations than other organizations. Team [...] Value Stream MappingPosted by admin Nov 10 2010, 2:54 pm in Process Excellence, Value Stream Mapping By: Richard Kunst The following comment was recently posted on Industry week’s blog. Although exciting to see more organizations are using the tool … we must remember that probably the companies polled by Industry Week are already leaders and progressive thinkers. “Value stream mapping is wildly popular among Industry Week’s Best Plants winners and finalists, [...] Compression ThinkingPosted by admin Nov 10 2010, 2:53 pm in Compression Thinking, Process Excellence By: Richard Kunst Lean Thinking invaded the Western hemisphere during the late 70’s and early 80’s. It started as a manufacturing thing and the early proponents that were able to embrace and absorb Lean Thinking within their organization were able to distance themselves from their competitors. Although many organizations are still becoming aware of Lean [...] JessenkenPosted by admin Nov 10 2010, 2:53 pm in Jessenken, Process Excellence By: Richard Kunst “Go-and-see-ism” plus Speed. Many similar attributes to a Kaizen Blitz, Jessenken focuses on short-term improvements and problem solving through a cross functional team activity. Jessenken methodology has been adopted by Yokohama Tire Corporation and is delivering significant results. Some of the Jessenken concepts are portable to any Kaizen event. First the team [...] The White Board Marker: Learning Through WritingPosted by admin Nov 10 2010, 2:52 pm in Learning through Writing, Process Excellence By: Richard Kunst WITHOUT PREJUDICE!!! First let me state that I love technology, gadgets and all forms of technology …But implore you to resist their use (initially) on your shop floor or in your department. During the early stages of my Lean Training, I was constantly reminded to resist the use of computers to track [...] The Road to GreatnessPosted by admin Nov 10 2010, 2:52 pm in Process Excellence By Richard Kunst Here is something that Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, Built to Last and How the Mighty Fall shared with the audience to get started on the road to greatness. This checklist will enable you to assess your organizational and personal priorities and get them in alignment. Make sure you download [...] |
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