I spend a good part of my day talking to potential candidates. Potential, because these are not people who are actively looking for a job. They are top performers with the right blend of leadership experience and scientific depth — they are doing well where they are. And they receive several calls a week from…
I had three conversations last week — all about problem employees who moved on and the positive outcomes that resulted after they were gone. One person finally fired a problem employee: they saw an immediate, positive shift in team morale. One person got rid of several through a RIF: they were amazed how much more…
I was in Boston just after the new year walking my dog Muffin on the Esplanade, a beautiful park that runs along the Charles River. Muffin is always interested in the many geese who frequent the area and I do my best to steer her well clear of them. But on this day, having just…
When a cynic asks, “What if we train them and they leave?” winning organizations respond, “What if we don’t train them and they stay?” — Peter Drucker I had a conversation with a potential client last week. It was about their CMO — he isn’t working out. The CMO was hired out of a…
I had coffee the other morning with “Elaine.” (Have you noticed how much coffee I drink? 😊) She had recently moved into a C-suite position with a biotech — she was already wondering if she made a mistake. The problem is not the job itself or the people she works with as individuals. It’s the group…
I had several recent experiences, all of which reinforced the idea that sometimes, we are literally one good conversation away from fixing a potentially large problem. Experience #1: A C-level executive confided in me that he was thinking of leaving his job. He said that his boss (the CEO) didn’t seem to care or pay…
It was just a few weeks ago (it feels like years!) when Vice President Harris was faced with a challenge: Who to choose as her running mate? Many names were floated and the good news for Harris was that all the serious contenders were well qualified. Not all in the same way of course –…
When I was young, I was always happy whenever a friend invited me to their house for dinner. Even back then, I was endlessly curious about humans and it was fun to get a behind-the-scenes look at another family. But I was always a little bit nervous, too — every family has its own way…
I had a conversation this morning with Richard (not his real name) concerning a job offer he just received. He wanted to know my thoughts. For the past five years, Richard has been at a large company and currently has an Executive Director title. The offer is for a position with the same title, the…
My car died on me last week. It slipped out of gear and I couldn’t get it back into drive. So there I was, stranded, in the middle of the road. Fortunately, it was a quiet street and it didn’t take long for the tow truck to show up. Still, it was unexpected. It’s a…