WEBLOG Archive March 2009

INTENTION AND THE GRUMBLER

A beatiful spring day last weekend got Jamie and me back on our road bikes. As a farily novice rider, I don't like to ride on the streets.  We are fortunate to have a well-maintained bike path near our home, with underpasses that allow us to avoid the traffic and delays that come with riding on the roads. 


One of the first things I learned from Jamie, who has been cycling for years, was the importance of letting others know that you're coming. When he is riding in the lead, he is unfailing about alerting people when we are behind them wanting…

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Mar 30, 2009 2:06 PM

SAVING JOBS BY ENGAGING EMPLOYEES

Paul Levy


Paul Levy is the CEO, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is the organization. The problem is a $20 million shortfall in revenues, and 600 employees are in the cross-hairs for layoffs.

What happened next is so uncommon it made the news:  A head with a heart.

Mr. Levyconvened a large meeting of employees and gave them a direct, clear picture of what was going on with the company. He told them he wanted help resolving the issue so that the “lower wage earners” wouldn't be the ones who suffered the most. He made it clear that resolution…

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Mar 19, 2009 1:25 PM

 ONE OF THE GOOD APPLES

We have been hammered ad nauseum in the last several months with stories about  CEO self-interest and greed. So a recent article about CEO Bobby Keen, of Hancock Regional Hospital near Indianapolis, radiated hope and a shining example of what is possible.  If you’re looking for a lift, we highly recommend reading the article.

As CEO of this hospital, which in 2008 generated $155 million in revenue, Keen understands — and exhibits through action — that if employees at all levels don’t understand and commit to the organization’s mission, they…

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Mar 9, 2009 3:35 PM

TRY, TRY AGAIN

We recently had dinner with a friend who expressed frustration at her inability to engage her father in an authentic conversation about politics. “I told him I could see the reasons he supported his candidate — and I really could. I wasn’t just saying it. I thought that would create an opening for me to talk about my views so we could understand each other. But when I tried to tell him how I saw things, he shut the conversation down.”

It reminded me of a situation I ran into professionally several years ago. The newspaper where I worked had…

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Mar 2, 2009 11:09 AM

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