Although the literature in this area is extensive, in essence there are three different types of boards or models of governance. They are: An Operational (or Administrative) Board A Policy-Governance (or Carver) Board A Policy Board Operational boards are useful when: The organization is grassroots and has few or no employees. The organization is experiencing a major crisis and the … Read More

I am a Baby Boomer – born between 1945 and 1964. When I was growing up, there were lots and lots of us. This did not seem at all problematic. The sandbox (and swing-sets and teeter-totters and merry-go-rounds) were crowded with kids. We learned to wait our turn, and we learned that we sometimes needed to compete for the things … Read More

Disciplinary action or “progressive discipline” is used to assist employees to improve sub-standard job performance. Performance issues addressed by this process are more serious than those addressed using constructive critical feedback. The first step in progressive discipline is called a Verbal Warning. Disciplinary action is used when an employee: makes a serious mistake OR fails to respond to constructive critical … Read More

There are two types of performance issues and also two reasons that an employee may not perform according to an employer’s standards or expectations. When an employee does not perform one or more specific job duties to the standards of quality and/or efficiency expected by the employer, this is determined to be a performance issue. Performance problems are related to … Read More

The Internet was alive this week with another round of stories about Generation Y and the struggle many appear to be having to make their way in the adult world of work and life. Gen Ys were born between 1986 and 2000, making the oldest 26 years of age while the youngest are still in grade school. As the best … Read More

The hit reality TV show “Undercover Boss” follows managers of large corporations as they give up a soft boardroom chair for a week of hard work on the line. The jobs they must learn and the problems and people they encounter make for an interesting hour of viewing. At the end of the week, the manager “comes clean” with employees, … Read More

This is the second of three blog posts covering a total of ten powerful tips for surveying employee engagement or satisfaction. The term “employee engagement” appears to be replacing “staff satisfaction” in much of the human resource literature. However, a leopard doesn’t change its spots! Staff satisfaction surveys and employee engagement surveys usually cover the same turf. Employee satisfaction is … Read More

This is the first of three blog posts covering a total of ten powerful tips for surveying employee engagement or satisfaction. The term “employee engagement” appears to be replacing “staff satisfaction” in much of the human resource literature. However, a leopard doesn’t change its spots! Staff satisfaction surveys and employee engagement surveys usually cover the same turf. Employee satisfaction is … Read More

Many readers will be familiar with the “Slow Food” movement in North America and Europe. World-class chefs and everyday kitchen cooks have been pushing back against fast, often unhealthy foods that have become part many North American’s lifestyles. Careful preparation, orchestrated service and slow consumption make dining a much more enjoyable and healthy experience. The organizational equivalent, “slow management”, unfortunately … Read More

“A co-worker of mine applied for an internal promotion and did not get it. He threatened to quit and because he’ really good at his work, the manager decided to give him the promotion after all. Now everyone feels he didn’t get the job fairly and the whole place is fully of negative gossip.” Entrenched in every union agreement is … Read More