Forums

Mark & Mike,

You've mentioned that you're open to suggestions for future podcasts, so I thought I'd mention a few:

• “Managing” employees who don’t report to you (i.e. getting the best out of non-directs) This is a big one for me. I work with external vendors and internal business partners, where the usual tools of management don't really apply, and yet sometimes, I feel like I need to give some feedback...)
• Managing interruptions (i.e. how to manage projects while contending with short-term urgent requests; How to Juggle…; this may be tied into your 'implementing GTD' podcast)
• Interviewing (both how to interview & how to hire)
• Informational interviews & “managing your network” (I posted on this under 'Building Your Network')
• Working with people whose work-style differs from yours (I guess this will tie into your planned DISC podcasts)
• Educational development (including, but definitely not limited to, “should I get an MBA?”; How to come up with a professional self-development program)
• How to 'lead from the middle'

Thank you again for your key contribution to the field of practical management.

mauzenne's picture
Admin Role Badge

Thanks, Chris. We'll add these to our list (Mark and I maintain an internal Wiki where we keep track of all this stuff ... I'll cut and paste your comments right there).

Thanks again ... although we're not in any way short of ideas for future casts, keep the ideas coming; we're always interested in what specific challenges our listeners are having.

best regards,
Mike

MattJBeckwith's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

Mike, the industry I'm in seems a lot like like the telecom industry as it relates the consolidation. Mergers have a way of really testing a manager's strength.

I'd like to hear a 'cast about managing through a merger. A lot of your topics (such as dealing with a recruiter, building a network, coaching, etc.) touch on parts of succeeding through a merger but how about how to manage when you are suddenly put into a new role managing people that are "new" to your organization.

mauzenne's picture
Admin Role Badge

Great suggestion! ... we'll add it to the (growing!) list.

Mike

akmolteni's picture

As I'm implementing all my learnings from Manager Tools I'm encountering a new set of circumstances. The big one for me is:

When you have new/different responsabilities (promotion, restructuring, mergers, etc) how do you maintain the expectations of people outside of your influence. For example (a) you hired an assistant. How do you get people to work through your assistant without making them seem like they are less important than before? (b) you have expanded your team and have delegated reponsabilities. How do you let customers know that they are important when you are managing less of their needs?

ps. People have offered so many suggestions on how to be a better manager. I've read, tried, and studied many management related things. It wasn't until your podcasts that everything clicked. The greatest value to me is how you provide examples and instructions on how to do it right.

Mark's picture
Admin Role Badge

Thanks for the suggestions! Glad we made everything click for you... that's why we started Manager Tools....because this stuff helped others click.

Mark

drken's picture

Mark & Mike,

Here's what I'd like to hear:

• Management of change, your perspectives and experiences about this
• Best practices for jobs with high "adversity quotients" -- what happens, for example, if your management goals instill resistance or even hatred by the workforce
• Dealing with idiots and incompetent leaders. On (very rare) occasion I've had people above me who either stole my ideas or else whose incompetence negatively impacted me. Other than resigning, are there best practices for this? (For example, does it make sense to bring to other people's attention that there are problems in the ranks above you? It seems like a pretty delicate situation, prone to backfire.)
• Special guests. As nice as your voices are, it would be fun to hear special guests who have unique perspectives or interesting stories to tell. Not just notables like Jack Welch, but possibly unknowns such as heads of recruiting companies, etc.
• Career advancement within multinational companies. Multinational companies may have special challenges; for example, advancement (or other management challenges) may be coupled with needing to change countries or, at least, dealing with different company cultures, etc.
• Impact of the local culture on organizations (not just intercultural awareness). Here it strikes me that the demographics of America and other countries are changing rapidly, and because of this perhaps the corporate cultures are changing as well. For example, a traditional company that suddenly embraces a hefty offshore delivery model may suddenly see forces that change the company culture. (OK, maybe this is a bit esoteric. But I still think demographics has various impacts...)

Keep up the great work!

Ken

stripe34's picture

Hi guys -

I listened to your podcasts for the first time over Tgiving weekend - 12 hours to S. Carolina & back. Very informative, thank you!

One other voice requesting something that I bet Mark could talk for an hour on - introductions. It sounds so simple, but I'd love to hear his analysis of business introductions.

Thanks -

- CC

aspiringceo's picture

Some great suggestions there that I would be interested in. I would also be interested in a cast on dealing with short term and persistant absence.

pneuhardt's picture

I had an idea that I don't know if you can come up with a podcast for or not. But hey, you did handshakes and becoming part of a conversation group, so I'm thinking you guys might have a 'cast for anything. (And I hate to admit it, but that whole handshake thing works like a charm. It really does make a difference.)

Do you guys have a note taking system? It's been my experience (both from my history and observing others) that there is skill involved in taking useful notes in meetings (or earlier in life, classes). I've created tricks and methods along the way, but I've never been truly satisfied with my note taking process, and as I've asked around I've found most other people aren't either.

I'll patiently wait for any show you might come up with, but I would love to hear now if you think you can do it or not.

davidmould's picture

Mark and Mike,

I would appreaciate it if you could consider a show on managing virtual teams and/or diverse teams.

Some context:

My background:

Working for a US company with headquarters in Cincinnati and based in Bangkok. I am a British national with an Indian boss and 10 reports: 4 in Thailand, 2 in Hong Kong, 3 in Singapore but currently working in Jakarta and 1 in Melbourne (a Croatian national with Australian PR). As a Civil Engineer by education and Army Officer by choice you can probably imagine what my DISC profile looks like and the challenge of managing a team of this nature.

Dimension 1: Virtual Teams. With team spread across 4 time zones and with a need to stay connected to both the competency centers in India and the UK and core functions in the US I would welcome a theme of managing within the excellent franework that Manager Tools is laying down for me.

Dimension 2: Diverse Teams. I totally agree with your reply that step one is learn the language. Over the past 4 years I have taught myself Thai and am reasonably fluent with passable reading comprehension and less developed writing proficiency. Very limited spoken Mandarin and no Hindhi ability to speak of. This not only lends itself to communication challenges for both verbal and written channels but the cultural differences add another level of complexity on to non-verbal cues (although this lessened by the need to rely on phone and email with no real visual media available). Maybe this is too far out on left field to be easily covered in your program.

Should you coose to pick up and run with this idea having had some experience of the challenges, and with some successes amongst the failures, I would jump at the chance to provide you with some more focussed insights if it could help any of the members out there with similar environments.

Many thanks in advance,

alyurek's picture

Hey David,

Have you checked out the [url=http://www.manager-tools.com/2005/10/virtual-teams/]virtual teams podcast.[/url]. One of my favourites!

Mark's picture
Admin Role Badge

Thanks Alex!

rlinares's picture

Suggestion for a future cast: focus on issues of small companies, startups, managing chaos.

Enjoy the casts, Thank you.

Ron

Mark's picture
Admin Role Badge

Thanks Ron!

Mark