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Sir Alex Ferguson’s slow management
As I wrote last time, the recent announcement of the retirement of Alex Ferguson, Manchester United’s legendary manager, generated an outpouring of articles in the British press. Of course, much of what I saw in the newspapers and magazines focused on the man’s remarkable record of success in leading his side to the peaks of British and European football glory. More interesting to me, though, was discovering aspects of his personality and management philosophy that I had not seen before, characteristics that led me to compare him to another sports legend, former basketball coach Phil Jackson. Why did my recent reading about Alex Ferguson make me think of Jackson? On … Continue reading
Working from home…the way of the future, or a thing of the past?
The Wall Street Journal wrote recently that a debate is raging about tech companies and their “work from home” arrangements. In fact, since Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer decided to end remote work at the company, reactions in the press and on blogs have generated considerable heat. Numerous issues and arguments are surfacing, and it may be a debate that will continue for quite a while. Online, some people are commenting that the basic issue is the tension between workers’ need for flexibility and need for visibility. While telecommuting may have significant practical advantages for the individual worker, the perception in many companies is that one needs to participate in the … Continue reading
Making our classrooms, and our lives, more personal
Making our classrooms, and our lives, more personal. My latest question for reflection: Are we not realizing these days that the future is about making all things more personal, in our classrooms, in our work, and in our lives in general? When I was preparing to speak to the MBA program directors last week (see the two previous posts) about “creating a positive group dynamic” in the classroom, I thought quite a bit about the interaction of e-learning and classic on-site learning. One direction education appears to be headed is toward more “blended” models, where students will learn basic concepts online at their own pace. Then, the classroom becomes more … Continue reading
Reflecting on the power of mythic stories and legends
An early iPhone call: This week, I read a story in Fast Company about the first public phone call made from an iPhone, which happened on January 9, 2007. From the stage of the Moscone Center in San Francisco, where he was unveiling the new “insanely great” product, Steve Jobs opened Google Maps, searched for Starbucks, and called a nearby store. While such events may be commonplace today, at that time it was truly a historic occurrence, foreshadowing the impending revolution in mobile communication. The call went something like this: Starbucks employee: “Good morning. How may I help you?” Jobs [grinning]: “Yes, I’d like to order 4,000 lattes to go, please. … Continue reading
