By John McGuinness

Making assumptions is bad, right? The standard answer is ‘yes,’ because most of us have had those moments when we made a decision based on a certain assumption, and then discovered the decision turned out to be wrong because our assumption was wrong. Not good. And to make matters worse, the person pointing out our mistaken assumption probably also felt the need to become a linguist and write out “assume” as a three syllable word on a nearby white board. (Unfortunately, we know the punch line to that one.) (more…)

When You’re Out, Is Your Team Able to Function Without You?

The best leaders train and empower their team so others can step up and move projects ahead without hesitation in the leader’s absence. Here is a case study that can help leaders and managers think through the preparation, training and delegation necessary to be away from the office, using a very realistic scenario. (more…)

Staff Management,  ”My Fair Lady” and George Bernard Shaw (GBS) all share a common theme: the power of expectation. If it’s good enough for Lerner and Loewe and GBS, maybe you should consider it.

Expectation Defined

In 1929, most banks in the USA were solvent. But their customers believed that they weren’t. The customers expected to lose their deposits. They rushed to withdraw them. The banks couldn’t meet the sudden demand. They became insolvent. Expectation created action. As George Bernard Shaw said, “The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves. It’s how she’s treated.” (more…)