Topic: Organizational Culture

Making the Invisible Visible – 7 Levels of Organizational Consciousness

Posted on , by Greg Gast
Making the Invisible Visible – 7 Levels of Organizational Consciousness

Why do some organizations continually fight the same internal battles, struggling with productivity and financial viability while other companies forge ahead to new levels of performance with empowered leaders and enthusiastic staff? Why do certain groups require micro-management and still fail to make sustainable progress while other teams are bursting with creativity and initiative?

Ignoring the Evidence

The failure to learn and change is exemplified with one particular client; a professional services firm who called needing interim HR management assistance as their […]

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Microsoft versus Yahoo Performance Management Systems…Who is right?

Posted on , by Greg Gast
Microsoft versus Yahoo Performance Management Systems…Who is right?

Coincidentally, Microsoft and Yahoo have made the news recently for their changes in approach to performance management.  Journalists have conjured up a debate that pits these systems as good against evil or good and bad or the theoretically neutral “people” versus “process”.  I’m not sure if the writers really don’t understand the complexity of performance management or they are simply trying to drive traffic to their blogs.  For me it’s a reminder where not to get useful […]

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What is Values-Based Leadership?

Posted on , by Greg Gast
What is Values-Based Leadership?

Defining “values”

An increasing number of business leaders and consultants are embracing the term, “values-based leadership.”  While the words “values-based” generally produce a positive emotional response, most people have no clear idea what it actually means. For some, values refer to presumed universal principles like integrity, justice and service.  Others believe that values are beliefs acquired from parents or the church, such as putting family first, obeying God and playing fair.  Values may also be ideals communicated by […]

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God Speaks

Posted on , by Greg Gast
God Speaks

I always thought God only spoke underneath a steeple,

Tears of saints, boasts of sinners, laughs of children,

Rainbows, hurricanes, sunsets and earthquakes,

God speaks to his people.

Thought there were designated deliverers of God’s word,

Scripture, history, her story and their story,

Movies, media, songs and sighs,

God speaks to his people.

Creeds, psalms and hymns, God’s approved message?

Dreams, glimpses, hopes and fears,

Murder and mayhem, redemption and salvation,

God speaks to his people.

Used to think that God only answered when we were praying,

Shouts of politicians, […]

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Why Collins is Great – “Built to Last”

Posted on , by Greg Gast
Why Collins is Great – “Built to Last”

Collins’ Classics

As a business owner and management consultant, I struggle to identify quality business books.  However, I believe I am in good company when I say that Jim Collins’ books “Built to Last”, “Good to Great”, “Great by Choice”, and “How the Mighty Fall” are enduring business classics.  They fall into a narrow group of writings in which the conclusions are built on scads of financial data and historical research and are not simply […]

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