Management Muse

EP11 Organizational Change: Solutions In the Dumpster

Organizations move slowly, until they don’t. They resist change, until they can’t. Why? On this episode of Management Musewe discuss an unusual—and unusually powerful—way of thinking about organizations…like they are trash cans! Hosts Cindi Baldi and Geoffrey Tumlin talk about one of the greatest management papers you’ve never read: "A Garbage Can Model of Organizational Choice," the classic article written by Michael D. Cohen, James G. March, and Johan P. Olsen. As crazy as it sounds, the trashcan model of organizations makes a lot of sense: Organizations are messy and chaotic. There’s a lot of different issues inside them, and occasionally the contents spill out and come into full visibility. Grab your flashlight; it’s time to climb into the trashcan.Episode Highlights:● Organizations aren’t efficient like computers, they are messy and somewhat unpredictable like trashcans.● Do you feel unheard? Like your ideas are neglected? Don’t take it personally. It’s a garbage can out there, and you have to reach in, grab the item you care about, and champion it.● Organizational change often happens on its own timeline, but smart managers can often spot moments to push, and times to back off.Timestamps:[0:00] Cindi and Geoff talk about key managerial lessons from the garbage can model.[4:00] The hosts discuss championing your ideas in a garbage can environment.[6:00] Cindi and Geoff talk about floating ideas up and outside of the trashcan.[8:25] The hosts talk about using your time and energy in the trashcan wisely.[9:20] Geoff and Cindi cover the ways that Covid knocked over many trashcans, and created numerous opportunities for change.[14:00] The hosts explore how external shocks often lead to big changes.[17:12] Geoff and Cindi talk about using the garbage can model to help people improve their organizations.[25:10] Cindi and Geoff talk about making change happen with limited time and other resources.[28:00] The hosts cover two scenarios that prompt change in a garbage can world: (1) Something internal or external knocks over the trashcan, revealing messes that require attention. (2) Someone external takes the lid off, raises a flag, and forces action.[37:00] Why it’s so humbling to try changing an organization. No matter what you think you know or which methodology you deploy, it’s a trashcan out there. The process is messy, so when an opening emerges, don’t hesitate to seize what might be a sacred opportunity.[38:32] Geoff and Cindi talk about what’s in the trashcan and what can be done to evolve the organization.Episode Quotes:“It’s humbling to try to change an organization because no matter what you think you know or what methodology you’re following that seems to have all the answers, it’s a trashcan out there. It’s just not going to be clean.” –Geoffrey Tumlin“At the lower end, you really have to be able to build a coalition, go up the chain. There’s still a lot of work that you have to do if you decide that it’s really important and it’s a much longer, harder process because you’re that much further away from the actual decision-makers.” –Cindi BaldiEpisode Resources: Would you like to read the original article? Here it is: "A Garbage Can Model of Organizational Choice," by Michael D. Cohen, James G. March and Johan P. Olsen.https://culsure.com/coaching/https://ondemandleadership.com/executive-team-building/www.managementmuse.com

EP10 Deception: Can Lying Be Good? Matt McGlone Makes the Case

To lie or not to lie, that is today’s question. Deception isn’t always a bad thing—you probably don’t tell your significant other everything.There’s a difference between outright lies—almost always counterproductive and bad—and selective deception, which is not saying something. Sometimes, a little selective deception is a smart management strategy. After all, that’s what having trade secrets is all about. Today's guest on Management Muse, Professor Matthew McGlone, is here to tell us more.The key to leveraging deception in business is to focus on the good, like your good reviews, your successes, and your happy customers. Impression management and selective representation can be a very useful skill for businesses managing their public image.The danger, however, comes when what you are not saying is more important than what you are saying.You can still be authentic and mostly honest while using selective deception. Most people tell the truth most of the time. Used sparingly, and without outright lies, selective deception might be a smart occasional choice. In today’s episode, we dive deep into deception. Timestamps:[3:04] When deception in management is a positive tool [6:46] Avoiding deception pitfalls [9:36] Managing your company’s public impression[13:10] Authenticity versus falsehood[16:39] Self-deception to continue to see ourselves in a good light[21:48] Why you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself for deceiving[28:00] Differences in groups (females/males) in lying [37:48] Detecting lies, maybeEpisode Quotes:“Why should organizations which consist of people be any different than the individual who tries to put their best face forward? And so, in that sense, I think that deception can be very useful. I'd say that it is sort of skill. Any sort of impression management selective representation would be very important for a manager. “– Matt McGlone“Astroturfing is when companies will put their campaigns and efforts to engage in sustainable, clean technology. They'll put that in the forefront while not talking about the fact that there are major pollutants. That's why astroturfing is a wonderful word. It looks like grass. But it really isn't. It's as toxic and plastic and artificial as it can be.”– Matt McGlone“We're generally truth tellers, and so the four things that I remember you saying are to go easy on yourself, try not to lie outright, think about the relationship, and then consider being extremely forgiving of other people when you catch them [in a lie].” – Geoffrey Tumlin“I’ve always thought that organizations get hung up when they make their identity about like a core value, and then that's the thing that they wind up doing something contradictory towards, whether it's lying or just an overt act.”– Cindi Baldi“Used in a very misleading way, and that's there's a phenomenon people called paltering. Paltering is when you say things that are truthful, and they are every bit as misleading as a falsehood. I would urge managers to think about how much paltering might be going on in there. In their organizations because I think misleading truths is an overlooked category.” – Matt McGloneResources:McGlone, Matthew S., and Mark L. Knapp. "Historical perspectives on the study of lying and deception." The Palgrave Handbook of Deceptive Communication. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2019. 3-28.McGlone, Matthew S., and Mark L. Knapp, eds. The interplay of truth and deception. New York, NY: Routledge, 2010.www.managementmuse.comhttps://ondemandleadership.com/executive-team-building/https://culsure.com/product/organizational-benchmark/

EP9 Incentives: Dodging Carrots

Organizational incentives are tricky, in at least eight counterproductive ways. This episode of Management Muse is inspired by "On the Folly of Rewarding A, While Hoping for B," a timeless article written by Steven Kerr in the 1970s, this episode provides eight classic examples of incentives that frequently are either misplaced, distorted or internally inconsistent:Demanding teamwork but rewarding individual achievement.Valuing diversity but continuing to hire the same types of people.Encouraging merit and excellence, but doling out paltry, across-the-board increases that reward no one.Rallying employees to show customer love, but internally communicating dismissiveness or disrespect towards those very same customers.Asking for innovation and experimentation but executing on trusted old ideas.Claiming to value women in the workplace, but perpetuating schedules and policies that disadvantage them.Asking for loyalty to the organization, but rewarding free agency.Asking for candid feedback but responding much more positively to butt-kissing.In this episode, Cindi and Geoff offer thoughts for anyone who has ever been confused by mixed organizational messages. Episode Highlights:· Organizations don’t mean to be contradictory, but incentives are so tricky they often tie well-meaning managers in knots.· Managerial goals don’t always correlate with desired outcomes.· Data analytics can be a double-edged sword, as goals and measures may alienate the very employees they’re designed to help.· Employee evaluations are often skewed by co-mingled rewards and flawed productivity measures.· Feedback and introspection can often illuminate inconsistent corporate incentives.Timestamps:[03:15] Measuring outcomes is often hard because managers want teamwork, but reward individual achievement.[06:45] Managers often wrestle with: how to encourage better teamwork, elicit more creativity, enhance productivity, compensate people, and when and how to administer discipline.[11:48] Cindi and Geoff discuss safe hires vs. hard hires, and why the distinction matters.[24:10] Employee evaluations are often based on flawed formulas.[38:02] How to unwind workplace incentives that unintentionally penalize women.[42:59] Corporate leadership praises the idea of candor and people speaking up, until they say something unfavorable.[49:28] Historical examples emphasize how incentives often go wrong, and how to get them right.Episode Quotes:"Organizations commonly say they want teamwork, but all of their reward systems and how they pay out and how they give praise are built on individual achievement.” – Geoffrey Tumlin“Incentives are tricky. We have to get out of the mindset that we’re going to set up incentives and then just let it go because you have to swing back around (to look at) all the unintended consequences.” – Cindi BaldiEpisode Resources:· https://www.ou.edu/russell/UGcomp/Kerr.pdf· Ryan, Richard M., and Edward L. Deci. "When paradigms clash: Comments on Cameron and Pierce’s claim that rewards do not undermine intrinsic motivation." Review of educational research 66.1 (1996): 33-38.· Cameron, Judy. "Negative effects of reward on intrinsic motivation—A limited phenomenon: Comment on Deci, Koestner, and Ryan (2001)." Review of educational research 71.1 (2001): 29-42. · https://www.gallup.com/workplace/249332/harm-good-truth-performance-reviews.aspx

EP8 Transitions With Nate Self: Finding Yourself Is So Yesterday

Transitions are tough, even if you are a war hero. In this episode of Management Muse, former U.S. Army Special Operations (Ranger) officer and founder of the management consulting firm Praevius Group, Nate Self, talks about the most challenging transitions in his life, and shares his advice for more smoothly navigating work and home transitions. Episode HighlightsTransitions can be: Structured or unstructured, abrupt or deliberate, and voluntary or involuntary.When possible, try to consider the complexities of transitions before making them.Abrupt and involuntary transitions are often particularly jarring.Group membership and other external resources, such as family, communities, religion, hobbies, etc, can provide critical support and stability during transitions.Timestamps [1:43] Nate gives examples of different types of transitions, including structured vs. unstructured, abrupt vs. deliberate, and voluntary vs. involuntary. [6:25] Nate talks about the importance of considering the challenges and complexities of transitions before making them. [9:50] Nate describes the value of considering important relationships during transitions. [13:26] Nate shares recommendations for managers, leaders, and organizations to help individuals make good transitions. [20:03] Geoff describes multiple role theory, and how it relates to transitions. [30:29] Cindi shares an example of how one person’s transition can spur transitions for people close to them. [36:44] Geoff notes that managers are often the instigators of abrupt change for other people, and Nate shares how managers can blunt some of the counterproductive impacts of fast change. [39:15] The group discusses final transition advice for managers. Episode Quotes “The number one thing that’s at stake in your transitions is the relationships that you have. I think it’s the most important part of our lives. Our jobs are typically the source of most of our transitions… But there are some transitions that are relationship-based, and those are the most painful ones. Sometimes, when we change roles or we change jobs, we unknowingly have collateral damage in our relationships. So, that’s one of the things I would want to emphasize: You have to account for your relationships first.” -Nate Self “People have a tendency, when they feel uncertainty, to just make a decision, even if it’s a bad decision, because they just want to get out of uncertainty. Discipline yourself not to do that. Live with uncertainty and get yourself in a better spot.” – Cindi Baldi About Nate Self Nate is a former U.S. Army officer and founder of the Praevius Group Nate graduated from West Point with honors and served on active duty in Germany, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Nate speaks extensively on the topics of transition and personal growth, and he lives in Central Texas with his wife and four children. Resources Ashforth, Blake. Role transitions in organizational life: An identity-based perspective. Routledge, 2000. Kyprianides, A., M. J. Easterbrook, and R. Brown. "Group identities benefit well-being by satisfying needs." Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 84 (2019): 103836. Brook, Amara T., Julie Garcia, and Monique A. Fleming. "The effects of multiple identities on psychological well-being." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 34.12 (2008): 1588-1600. https://culsure.com/coaching/https://ondemandleadership.com/executive-team-building/https://managementmuse.com/

EP7 Management Errors: The Shortcut That Is Under Construction

Mistakes are a part of life, but when they happen in business, they can be costly. That's why Management Muse brought you this episode, to help you identify a common management mistake—question substitution error—and to improve your own decision-making skills. Today, Cindi and Geoff discuss substitution error, which happens when our brains unconsciously replace the tougher questions in our day-to-day lives with simpler ones, because our brains are constantly trying to help us find shortcuts. The substitution error occurs at work and at home, and almost happened to Cindi and Geoff as a very costly mistake on vacation. This episode also covers the destructive impact of exhaustion, hunger, and decision fatigue on our decision making. Cindi and Geoff also talk about how hiring can end up as a question substitution error (Do I like this person?(easy) instead of Is this person likely to be successful in this job?(harder), and how to reduce the negative effect of question substitution at work and at home. Episode Highlights:Question substitution occurs when our brains default to simpler questions, like How do I feel right now?(simple), instead of How do I feel about the issue I’m facing? (harder).When hiring new employees, it’s easy to ask ourselves how we feel about a person. The harder question is whether the interviewee will be successful in the position.When our brain senses that something is hard, it tries to reduce the cognitive load by simplifying, or by looking for a quicker and easier rule of thumb to generate an answer. That’s often helpful, but not always. When we are tired or in decision fatigue, we’ll often agree to anything, just to get out of the decision-making situation, or we’ll select the safest, most conservative decision. Both of these shortcuts replace a harder question (What should we actually decide?) with an easier question (How do I get out of this mentally taxing situation quickly?).Time Stamps: [5:06] Deep dive into question substitution and how the brain routinely substitutes the hard questions into simpler ones to reduce our cognitive load [16:09] How the unpredictability of job interviews encourages question substitution [26:15] How tiredness, hunger, and repeated decisions cause decision fatigue [35:04] How to cope with the hard questions to reduce management errors [44:26] How to move toward better decisions Episode Resources: Thinking Fast and Slow (2011) by Daniel Kahneman, Penguin: New York. See Chapter 9: Answering an Easier Question.Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength (2011) by Roy Baumeister and James Tierney, Penguin: New York.Danziger, S., Levav, J., and Avnaim-Pesso, L. (2011) Extraneous factors in judicial decisions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108(17), 6889-6892. We incorrectly referred to the Israeli Parole Board study as being from Roy Baumsieter and colleagues, when, in fact, the study is from Shai Danziger referenced above. https://culsure.com/product/organizational-benchmark/https://ondemandleadership.com/strategic-planning/

EP6 Crisis Management: The Columbia Disaster with Jefferson Howell

Encountering crisis as a leader comes with profound challenges. Having the right plan in place can mitigate the hardships that inevitably arise from crisis. In this episode of Management Muse, retired Marine Corps Lieutenant General Jefferson “Beak” Howell shares his experience leading through crisis and tragedy while Director of the Johnson Space Center during the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Episode HighlightsClear crisis communication plans with well-defined job responsibilities are integral for efficient crisis management.The failures and successes of previous crisis responses should inform responses to future crises.In addition to the increased job responsibilities of a team facing a crisis, tending to the emotional and mental health toll of individuals involved is part of crisis management.Crises can happen to any organization at any time, so creating a well-planned and practiced crisis response plan is crucial.Timestamps [6:22] General Howell’s description of Space Shuttle Columbia’s mission. [10:05] Causes of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. [14:32] How a previous crisis, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, informed NASA’s response to the Columbia tragedy. [17:14] How General Howell established his role in the crisis response efforts. [24:45] An example of some of the ways managers can help support their employees and boost morale after a crisis at work. [28:34] General Howell acknowledges the mistakes of leadership, and NASA as a whole, that contributed to the Columbia disaster. [32:43] The importance of having a well-planned and well-practiced crisis response plan. [35:27] General Howell describes the process of creating a plan for the Columbia memorial service, including the U.S. president’s attendance. [41:36] General Howell discusses how his previous experiences in leadership with crisis, loss, and death informed his response to the Columbia disaster. Episode Quotes from Lieutenant General Jeff Howell: “[Because of the] awful tragedy [of the Challenger], NASA had learned some great lessons about organizing and practicing for a disaster, and being ready for a disaster. And the disaster is never quite what you think it’s gonna be, but at least you’re organized, you’ve practiced… And we had all of our disaster control teams and emergency reaction teams organized. They all met and started coming together about collecting evidence and recovery of the wreckage, which was spread out all the way from west of Fort Worth into Louisiana. And we did that, but it was quite an operation.” “I realized that if you allow yourself, in a crisis, to get down in the weeds too much, you lose sight of the big picture. So, as a leader, you’ve got to be thinking about that. You’ve got to be looking up and out two steps ahead of the organization to help the organization move forward and to get things done correctly.” About Lieutenant General (retired) Jefferson Howell: Lieutenant General Jefferson Howell had a 37-year career in the Marine Corps, serving at all officer levels, and then was Commander of the Johnson Space Center. Following his retirement from NASA, he served on the faculty at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. Episode Resources Oral History of General Howell’s time as Johnson Space Center Director at NASA: https://historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCHistoryPortal/history/oral_histories/HowellJD/HowellJD_7-9-15.htmhttps://lbj.utexas.edu/directory/faculty/jefferson-howell

EP5 Crisis Management: Noses In Collision with Jefferson Howell

Generations of Marine Corps leaders have been inspired by ethos of honor and respect. But what happens when aspirational maxims crash—in a fraction of a second—with a potentially career-ending collision over the Sea of Japan? The answer, according to Lieutenant General (retired) Jeff Howell, is it gets real, because “the farther you go up the flagpole, the easier it is to get shot down.” Our guest on this episode of the Management Muse, Ret. USMC Lt. Gen. Jefferson Howell, takes us on the roller-coaster ride he experienced when a joint exercise he was leading with Japanese fighter pilots went awry mid-air. Howell shares a colorful blow-by-blow account of how he navigated the emotional highs, lows, and unexpected ending that ensued, including a John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership. Episode Highlights:Mayday: Have you looked at the nose of your plane lately? How General Howell’s fighter jet took a hit during joint training exercises with Japan, and the implications.From blood brothers to the doghouse. Howell manages through a long, stomach-turning wait in a no-frills hotel room.When a call from the top commander of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces turns the tide.General Howell determines, in a quiet moment, to commit himself above all to learning and imparting model leadership principles.Timestamps: [8:56] The play-by-play of a harrowing scramble over the Sea of Japan that left Howell’s jet with its nose clipped. [24:14] What being relieved of command means to a military career. [25:56] General Howell’s crisis after the crisis. [28:40] When a Non-Happening Occurs: The Commander of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force saves General Howell’s career. [30:30] Ironic Timing: Just a few months later, back in Hawaii, General Howell was awarded the coveted John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership, the first Marine Corps officer ever to receive the honor. From zero to hero in under 100 days. [32:00] The midnight reflection that inspired Howell to become a student of leadership, weaving together various threads of his career into a cohesive mission. [34:15] Advice for managing heightened emotions in the midst of a roller-coaster crisis. Episode Quotes from Lieutenant General Jeff Howell: “If you’re relieved of command, that just ends your career. Wipes it out. You’re not going to get promoted anymore. You’re not going to get good assignments. You’re laid up on somebody’s staff somewhere.” “I decided from here on out I’m going to become a student of leadership and strive to be the best leader I can possibly be and that’s when I really got dead-serious about following the leadership principles. Prior to that I was sort of playing it by ear and doing okay, but obviously I needed to improve.” “The farther you go up the flagpole, the easier it is to get shot down … It’s remarkable that it all ended up so well and I feel fortunate.” About Lieutenant General (retired) Jefferson Howell: Lieutenant General Jefferson Howell had a 37-year career in the Marine Corps, serving at all officer levels, and then was Commander of the Johnson Space Center. Following his retirement from NASA, he served on the faculty at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. Episode Resources: Oral History of General Howell’s time as Johnson Space Center Director at NASA: https://historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCHistoryPortal/history/oral_histories/HowellJD/HowellJD_7-9-15.htm UT Austin LBJ School biography of General Howell: https://lbj.utexas.edu/directory/faculty/jefferson-howell

EP4 Crisis Management: Who Slashed My Tires? with Jefferson Howell

In this episode of Management Muse, we’re joined by retired Marine Corps Lieutenant General Jefferson “Beak” Howell. Beak Howell has managerial experience at all levels of organizations, and he has handled a number of significant crises throughout his distinguished careers in and out of uniform. In this episode, Beak talks about the first crisis he navigated as a squadron commander in the Marines. Beak talks about admitting when you’re wrong and owning up to your mistakes, and he also shares why he believes transparent communication, even in times of crisis, and even when painful, is essential for building strong teams. Episode Highlights:Face crises directly, and find joint solutions to steer teams out of danger.Don’t stick with bad decisions-- admit when you are wrong.It’s usually not too late to repair a relationship.Some crises originate from misunderstandings and miscommunication, but that doesn’t necessarily make them easy to solve.Timestamps: [1:21] The different types of crises that Lieutenant General Howell faced in his career [7:15] The challenges Beak encountered as a squadron commander [9:33] How Beak reconnected with his troops when he found out they were unhappy [11:23] The methods Beak used to help his troops open up about what was bothering them [12:15] How Beak took ownership of his mistakes and learned to be a better leader [19:33] The ways Beak improved systems to prevent similar future incidents [20:49] How open communication strengthened Beak’s squadron [22:22] How transparent communication helped Beak throughout his career [22:45] Some of Beak’s principles of leadership [26:30] The importance of working the problems in a crisis, and managing the emotions in a crisis Episode Quotes from Lieutenant General Jeff Howell: “Every day as a leader is a learning experience. If you don’t keep learning, you’re in trouble.” “I try to approach all levels when I communicate my intent and my ideas and talk about how we should do things. I try to just say that we are all in this together.” “One of the principles of leadership is to communicate with your people. Make sure they have good communication. I strive to do that because you can never communicate enough, but you have to keep trying.” About Lieutenant General Jeff Howell: Lieutenant General Jeff Howell had a 37-year career in the Marine Corps and then was Commander of the Johnson Space Center. Following his retirement from NASA, he served on the faculty at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. Episode Resources: https://culsure.com/coaching/ https://ondemandleadership.com/strategic-planning/ https://managementmuse.com/ KW: leadership, communication, team building, leadership qualities, transformational leadership

EP3 Leader Development Inspired by Howard Prince: One Flame, Many Candles

In today's episode, our topic is leadership development in honor of our mentor Howard T. Prince II, a pioneer in leadership education, who passed away last year. We reflect on Howard’s life and contribution to our understanding of leadership. We talk about three myths that Howard disrupted, about his life in the army and in academia, and what a great person he was to know. Howard was a leader who created thousands of other leaders—a light to many candles. He is deeply missed. Episode HighlightsThe crucial difference between experience, reflection, and wisdomBuilding better organizationsLeaving a personal legacyTimestamps [04:00] Understanding the tragedy of psychology[10:25] Howard’s contribution to integrating women into the US Military Academy[23:54] Three important leadership skills—Intelligence (IQ), Emotional Intelligence (EQ), Interpersonal Communication Skills[28:49] 3 myths about leadership[32:16] Transforming toxic organizations into ethical ones[41:48] How Howard got woke in 1970 Standout Quotes from the Episode: "The tragedy of psychology is that people want to change. But they don't reflect enough on the limitations between what they're doing and what they want in order to know how to change. Without reflection, you can't convert experience into wisdom. Without wisdom, you're going to be the same person day in and day out, year in year out.” "When somebody is yelling at you, the only thing you want is to make it end. You'll do anything to make it end, but you're not learning. You're just trying to extinguish whatever that threat is." “It's ethics if it hurts.” - Howard Prince About Howard T. Prince, II: Howard Prince was a 1962 Honor Graduate of West Point who served with distinction as an infantry officer in Vietnam. After sustaining grievous wounds during the battle of Hue, Howard rehabilitated at Walter Reed, and then completed a doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Howard was assigned as the cadet psychologist at West Point and was then promoted to be the founding department head of West Point’s Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership. In 1990, Howard retired from the Army (and was advanced on the retirement roles to Brigadier General) and became the founding dean of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond (in Virginia). In 2001, Howard “retired” to Texas, where he was promptly installed as the Director of the Center for Ethical Leadership in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. He was given West Point’s highest alumni honor, the Distinguished Graduate Award, in 2006. Episode Resources:Prince, H.T., Tumlin, G.R., and Stacey L. Connaughton. “An interdisciplinary Major in Leadership Studies: Rationale, challenges, and template for building an adaptable program. International Leadership Journal 2.1 (2009): 91-128.Prince, Howard. "Teaching leadership: A journey into the unknown." Concepts and connections: A newsletter for leadership educators 9.3 (2001): 1-5.Priest, Robert F., Alan G. Vitters, and Howard T. Prince. "Coeducation at West Point." Armed Forces & Society 4.4 (1978): 589-606.Watch this podcast on YouTubehttps://managementmuse.com/Errors and Omissions: 1) Women entered West Point in 1976, to graduate with the class of 1980. 2) Howard was sent to Vietnam in Oct of 1967 and was wounded for the second time in February of 1968 during the Tet Offensive in the battle to retake Hue.

EP2 Organizational Culture: Values Unmasked with Welela Tereffe

In this episode of Management Muse, we’re joined by Welela Tereffe, the Chief Medical Executive at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Welela talks about strengthening culture in a large organization and what a healthy work culture looks like. Welela also shares how the pandemic taught her the importance of narrative in bringing together people and improving work culture. Finally, Welela shares how COVID caused people to reprioritize their life’s goals and strengthen their gratitude practices. Welela explains that by openly and consistently communicating with employees in times of uncertainty, you build trust and strengthen an organization’s culture. Episode Highlights:Systems and processes sometimes erect unnecessary obstacles for employees.In times of uncertainty, managerial support is more important than ever.There’s immense cultural power in story and narrative.An intentional gratitude practice confers many benefits.Allow employees to correct from mistakes and well-intentioned errors.Timestamps: [1:41] How to impact the culture in a large organization.[2:20] The challenges to instilling a good culture in an organization.[5:05] The most surprising thing Welela learned about culture as a leader.[12:23] The benefits of verbalizing gratitude to one another in an organization.[14:42] The stigma around receiving mental health care, and how it could be overcome.[15:47] Anderson Cancer Center's 'Code Lavender' and 'Code Blue' for managing the mental health of teams.[23:30] Conflicts at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and how they deal with them even in a virtual setting.[28:41] What does it mean to go the extra mile for patients and employees? Welela talks about MD Anderson’s initiatives for employees and patients during the pandemic.[33:16] MD Anderson’s two-part wellness strategy: address all problems, make sure people feel cared for.[35:48] It takes more than four positive interactions to counteract a negative one—the impact of negativity bias.[39:18] Assume good intent; the vast majority of the people want to learn if they're missing the mark at work.[42:36] Welela explains why, after the COVID pandemic, MD Anderson’s employee engagement scores shot up.[44:55] Ramping up employee care and well-being at MD Anderson Cancer Center.[46:18] Key points we've learned from Welela today. Episode Quote from Welela Tereffe: “I think the first thing is to recognize that culture drives everything else, so you have to be thinking about it, talking about it, and moving it forward. You've heard the saying that culture eats strategy for lunch. It eats everything else for breakfast: employee engagement in hospitals, and patient experience. And so much of how we feel about going to work every day is a reflection of our shared norms and behaviors and our sense of engagement on mission. And that's all about culture.” About Welela Tereffe: Welela Tereffe, M.D., is the Chief Medical Executive at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She’s a graduate of Brown University, New York University Medical School, and Harvard University. Her medical specialization is in radiation oncology. Episode Resources:https://culsure.com/coaching/https://ondemandleadership.com/strategic-planning/Watch this podcast on YouTubehttps://managementmuse.com/