I have learned that when I ask, “What is a culture?” I am likely to get a wide variety of different answers. Culture is a word we use all the time, especially in organizations, but it is not always clear what we mean. We talk about good culture, bad culture, toxic culture, healthy culture, organizational culture, and workplace culture. We… Read more →
I hear this complaint from supervisors and executives all the time: “My employees just won’t take responsibility.” My experience has taught me that the problem is usually deeper than an employee who simply refuses to be accountable. In many organizations, people have gradually lost their sense of ownership. They come to work, do what they are told, complete whatever is… Read more →
I have asked myself that question. Maybe you have, too. You go to work intending to do a good job. You know what you can do. You may actually like the work. You may like the people you work with. You may even believe in what your organization is trying to accomplish. But somehow, your supervisor keeps getting in the… Read more →
We have a massive problem with the word “leadership.” For decades, we’ve wrapped the concept in an almost mystical shroud. We are told that true leaders possess a rare, innate “spark.” We look for the “Great Man” or “Great Woman” – the charismatic savior who can see a future no one else can see and move mountains through sheer force… Read more →
I’ve spent a lot of years around law enforcement training, and one thing continues to bother me. We sometimes seem to think that if an officer is good at doing the job, that officer will automatically be good at teaching someone else how to do it. That’s not necessarily true. I learned that lesson a long time ago. Knowing something… Read more →