Business
Suicide Among Execs: Coping with Stress in the C-Suite
The recent, unusual number of suicides by top executives reminds me of how important it is to talk about the dangers of severe stress in the workplace and some steps you can take to manage your own stress. Just consider this (incomplete) list of media coverage: On Tuesday Kate Spade, the founder of fashion line…
Read MoreThe Right Negotiation Approach Matters
It was a mess. A large government agency administered contracts through individuals and departments scattered across the country. The process had broken down so badly that substantial amounts of money were at risk, contracts were disappearing into “black holes,” and legal action was pending. Emails were flying back and forth with as many as 33…
Read MoreTales from the C-Suite: Merger Challenges & Solutions
“How’s the merger going?” I asked my dinner companion. “Great!” she replied. 5 seconds later, she said, “It’s terrible.” Six months before, the mid-sized engineering firm she worked for had acquired an attractive, smaller firm in a nearby location. Expectations were high, as they were certain this venture would lead to increased business beyond what…
Read MoreSexual Harassment: Let Not the Pendulum Swing
Much good can be said about women having the courage to come forward, and finally being believed, about the sexual harassment they have endured. It is not an exaggeration to describe some of it – by Harvey Weinstein, Mario Batali, Matt Lauer – as horrendous. Nearly every day, we hear about congressmen – Al Franken,…
Read MoreExecutive Succession Planning
If you want to build a sky scraper, don’t start by buying a hammer.
The head of HR for a small regional bank called wanting to know the names of the evaluation tools I use to assess leadership.
“Why would you like to know?”
Read MoreThe Wells Fargo Scandal was Inevitable (If not there, elsewhere.)
As Wells Fargo begins to pick up the pieces after the news broke that about 5,300 employees and managers at 6,000 retail branches were involved in opening up about 2 million fraudulent accounts under the names of current investors, Wall Street is reeling from the blow. Many are asking how a scandal of such proportions could happen at one of the big four banks, especially given the federal oversight that was put in place following the financial crisis of 2008.
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