More Feedback Is Not Always Better

A nine-year-old baseball player nervously takes practice swings, watching intently from the on-deck circle. If you are the coach, what do you want him to think about?...

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October 1, 2019

The Reason I Ask Candidates To “Sell Me Something” In An Interview

“Um, this pen comes in multiple colors, and uh . . . ” “I don’t write in multiple colors.” “Oh, I see. Well, this one here . . . it has a...

by Ian Mathews

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September 24, 2019

The Reason Your CEO Does Not Email As Much As You Do

A CEO rarely responds to an email. If they do, the response might be a sentence or two. A reply might say something like “Call me,” “Get on my calendar...

by Ian Mathews

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September 20, 2019

What Kind Of Teammate Are You?

This is my fifth season coaching youth sports. When I get a new group of kids, I find that they break into two groups. The first responds to every bit of coaching with...

by Ian Mathews

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September 12, 2019

How To Reduce Employee Turnover (The Glassdoor Dilemma)

“Damn. That’s gonna leave a mark.” “What?” “Another Glassdoor review and it’s a doozy.” “Print it out and let’s discuss at next week’s leadership...

by Ian Mathews

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September 4, 2019

Yogi Berra And The Case For Management Flexibility

Yogi Berra was a Hall of Fame baseball player on arguably, the greatest baseball team in Major League history. Berra played catcher and was captain of a New York Yankees team...

August 26, 2019

How The Pittsburgh Steelers Chose Team Culture Over Antonio Brown’s Elite Talent

Few can argue that Antonio Brown is immensely talented. Brown’s best five-year run will hold up against any wide receiver in NFL history. From 2014 to 2018, Antonio...

August 7, 2019

Effective Managers Focus On Outcomes More Than Process

Early in my career, I took a call from the top executive in my business. This was an unusual phone call, as he was several rungs up in the corporate hierarchy. After some...

July 31, 2019

Business Lessons From Michelangelo’s David

Pictures don’t do it justice. A vein is running along the young hero’s neck. The strap of the sling is hidden along David’s back, out of view of the warrior...

July 23, 2019

Are You A Manager People Want To Work For?

I nearly accepted an executive role with a big company in Chicago several years ago. I passed through the first round of interviews and enjoyed the time I spent with everyone,...

by Ian Mathews

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