“Culture,” the new buzzword of the financial recovery, has transformed from an ethereal, abstract otherworldly word to a blunt instrument for finding fault on myriad qualitative matters affecting the organization. When an individual, merger, or organization fails, culture takes the blame. We use the word fairly arbitrarily, citing it to explain why things don’t change,Read more
When senior leaders consistently make good decisions, little else matters; when they make bad decisions, nothing else matters. Effective decision-making stands at the center of executive leadership and organizational success. As leaders climb the ladder to top positions, others call on them regularly to solve problems and occasionally to make decisions. At the top, theseRead more
The December 15th edition of People reported that the Discovery Channel had filmed adventurer Paul Rosolie being eaten alive by a giant anaconda on December 7th. But the magazine went to press too soon; it didn’t happen. With sterling intentions, Rosalie donned a high-tech carbon fiber suit with breathing and communications systems to allow himRead more
Espoused beliefs reflect those perceptions that an organization’s leaders consider “correct.” Over time, members of an organization learn that certain beliefs work to reduce uncertainty, so these beliefs gradually develop into an articulated set of norms and operational rules of behavior that serve as a guide for dealing with ambiguity or difficult events. As newRead more
The culture of the U.S. Navy changed forever as the result of the scandal surrounding the 35th Annual Tailhook Association Symposium at the Las Vegas Hilton-a disgrace that involved the bad decisions of those who assaulted women at the 1991 symposium and of those engaged in the resulting investigations conducted by the Department of theRead more
