Its not what you know …

It’s not what you know but what you understand that matters most.  ~ Redge Discerning  perceived knowledge from understanding is a challenge for many leaders. For example, it is possible for anyone to memorize facts and figures and to correctly answer related questions simply by recalling this same information from memory. Similarly, many of us “perform” simple multiplication from recall – without even thinking […]

Welcome to 2014

Happy New Year and welcome to 2014. We wish you the best of continued successes in the year ahead. After a much needed break, we’re excited to get back to work. We recently celebrated 5 years of blogging here on WordPress, reaching over 160 countries and more than 160,000 views. While this is very encouraging, we are motivated to share our lean leadership […]

Desk Jockey Leaders – Where Did That Come From?

The inspiration that tipped the scales and served as a motivator to write about Desk Jockey “Leaders” came from a headline that appeared on the front page of Friday’s edition of the Toronto Sun (October 25, 2013): “Despite $862M repair backlog, housing boss says: I need a bigger office! – Keeping Up With the Jones – TCHC Eyes $2-Million Reno […]

Desk Jockey “Leaders”

Behind The Desk For some people, being bound to a desk is an inherent and perhaps unfortunate part of the work they do. But, the last place I would expect to find a lean leader is sitting behind their desk. I recognize the need for an office and understand that managing a business does require some desk time. However, it’s amazing how […]

It’s Time to Celebrate! Happy Thanksgiving Canada

It’s Thanksgiving Monday here in Canada and I want to thank you – our valued subscribers, contributors, and visitors – for your continued support.  This is also a day where we turn to family and friends to celebrate and share the many things that we are thankful for. I am also reminded that we need to be thankful for the […]

Leadership is NOT an Event

We’ve all been to the employee “town hall” meetings where a senior executive attempts to motivate the team and clarify the vision just one more time. A captive audience, donuts, and free coffee are all it takes to reignite the passion and synergy that once was – or so they like to think. Leadership is not an event, it’s a […]

Apple-opoly: It’s Not a Game

Some people can hardly contain their excitement when a company like Apple is thriving with sky high profits in the midst of a dismal global economy. Yet, this same excitement is seldom shared when banks or oil companies report similar results. Wouldn’t we all prefer reduced fees or lower gas prices over excessive profits from the very companies that portend […]

Transition Versus Change – 2013

The time between Christmas and New Year’s eve is one of transition as we consider the events that occurred over the past year and prepare for the new year ahead. Experts are sure to present their annual summaries and will also attempt to “predict” what may be in store for us in the year to come. As lean leaders we […]

Apple’s Best Kept Secrets … May Be Their Worst Enemy

One of the roles of leadership is to instill and foster a culture that embraces change and empowers the team to improve. This call for change is also echoed in the Plan-Do-Check-Act or PDCA cycle that serves as a typical model for driving continuous improvement in many organizations. In this regard, Apple has clearly demonstrated their commitment to develop and improve their existing […]