Management

Farewell Colonel Potter, management role model

by Matthew Stibbe on December 8, 2011

I was very sad to read on the BBC that Harry Morgan the actor who played Colonel Potter in the TV show MASH has died. For me, the Colonel Potter character was a kind of role model. I have always admired his gentle, avuncular style and the way that he could act firmly and wisely [...]

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Effective managers say the same thing twice

by Matthew Stibbe on June 6, 2011

Listen very carefully, I shall say this only twice… “To get employees to do something, managers need to ask them at least twice,” according to research cited in this month’s Harvard Business Review. Managers are combining different types of communication, such as email, IM and phone calls, to repeat and reinforce key messages.  “Managers who [...]

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Seven signs of online lying

by Laura Connell on July 28, 2010

Up to one-third of workplace conversation involve some form of deception. Unsurprisingly, the most common work-place lie is faking a “sickie”. Body language and facial expressions can give away signs that someone is lying, but this relies being able to see the person that you suspect is lying. Lying online Jeff Hancock, a professor of [...]

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11 things to do at the start of a new (business) relationship

by Matthew Stibbe on May 17, 2010

The last week has seen the beginning of a coalition government in the UK. For me personally, it has seen the start of two new client relationships and the renewal of an older one. It seems like a good time to think about what makes relationships work and how to ensure that each marriage is [...]

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To do or to be, that is the real question

by Matthew Stibbe on April 28, 2010

Like most writers and entrepreneurs, I have a bulging to-do list. It’s like a bottomless cup of coffee; it stimulates, comforts and raises blood pressure all at once. My to-do list runs my life. I manage it on Outlook and via my iPhone with TaskTask. It is the epitome of the “do something” approach to [...]

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It’s not rocket science: 100 rules for NASA project managers

by Matthew Stibbe on March 15, 2010

NASA is undergoing some big changes and some some soul-searching right now. But it is an organisation that has achieved some of humanity’s most sublime and challenging goals. Therefore, any lessons we can learn at their expense are well worth reading. This is why I like this guide: 100 Rules for NASA Project Managers. Much [...]

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