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Category Archives: Human Resources

The apprentice

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

The apprenticeship model of management - or leadership - development is a deeply perceptive approach to this vital topic that is most effectively championed by Wally Bock, of Three Star Leadership. The basic premise is that leadership cannot be learned in school, but must be practiced on the job. The wise organization will provide mechanisms - from career path assignments to mentoring programs - to facilitate this. That single insight by itself can save organizations a tremendous amount of aggravation in infusing truly effective and robust talent development systems into their structures. And it need not start only at the entry level for management . . .

Also filed in Management Development, Organizational Leadership, Training and Education | | Comments (2)

The audition

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

It may seem obvious that it is important to understand what skill sets you need in a job before you start looking for someone to fill it. And, indeed, many Human Resource departments know precisely what is required in closely defined line positions. From sales to production or service fulfilment, these criteria are often quite clear, and the process of discovering who has or can develop them can be just as clear. Unfortunately, the situation is more muddled for managers . . .

Also filed in Management Development, Peter Drucker, Women in Management | | Comments (8)

The mustang

Friday, March 28, 2008

Consider a civilian automobile factory, for example, in which someone moves up from being a blue-collar front-line factory employee - and, perhaps through some of the the supervisor levels, as well - to ultimately enter the white-collared ranks of management. There are definitely advantages to this pipeline. For one thing, such managers are often able to detect the sorts of orders coming down from on high that are destined to be greeted, by those who are to carry them out, with amused bafflement - almost never a productivity enhancer. Sometimes they can do something about those, and this usually works to the benefit of both the recipients and the issuers. But there is another interesting aspect to this . . .

Also filed in Culture, Management Development, Training and Education, Women in Management | | Comments (14)

The indicator

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Among the many great hopes pinned on the MBA is that attainment of it suggests meaningful things about one’s knowledge, ability, and character. That is not an overstatement of the regard in which it is held. While it’s fair enough to assume that someone who has completed such a program can be expected to know what was taught in it, his or her ability to apply that knowledge cannot be assumed with equal confidence . . .

Also filed in Management Development, Military Managers, Training and Education | | Comments (5)

The bona fide

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Yesterday’s discussion of the almost mystical faith that has developed in the efficacy of the MBA generated some interesting points among the comments. One of them appears to revolve around the value of the degree as a predictor of performance by hiring or promoting firms. The other, interestingly, looks at the question from the other direction, asking what sort of manager - MBA or otherwise - people prefer to work for. We will take a look at these issues over the next few days. To begin with . . .

Also filed in Management Development, Training and Education | | Comments (7)