tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43714642386048121182011-11-20T12:04:40.618-08:00Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.comBlogger441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-48259131086408655092011-04-27T18:48:00.000-07:002011-04-27T18:49:08.513-07:00

Cisco has been in the news this month as chief executive, John Chambers, admitted in a memo to employees that Cisco has lost its way (http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2011/04/05/read-cisco-ceos-mea-culpa-no-excuses/). To show shareholders he’s serious, Cisco shut down the Flip video camera business and promised to undergo an organizational restructuring. Chambers promised “tough decisions in the wake

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-15284966979237487442011-04-08T17:34:00.000-07:002011-04-08T18:12:42.604-07:00

This week the management-consulting firm McKinsey & Company released a report on the barriers to women advancing in corporate America. One of the main reason was inadequate career development. It’s not that organizations are not making some effort, it’s that they are not making enough. According to the Wall Street Journal, for example, “only 11 chief executives of Fortune 500 companies are

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-28866325119208794362011-04-05T16:34:00.000-07:002011-04-05T17:26:51.747-07:00

How do you balance trusting your people with stepping in and asking more detailed questions? Ask legendary billionaire, Warren Buffett. Buffett has recently come under scrutiny when his former lieutenant, David Sokol at Berkshire Hathaway Inc., resigned. As the Wall Street Journal reported, it turns out that Sokol was buying shares of a chemical company one week before he suggested that

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-31125923467220971422011-03-23T12:16:00.000-07:002011-03-23T12:17:14.235-07:00

AT&T recently announced it would buy T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom for $39 billion. If the deal goes through, AT&T would become the number one wireless company in the United States. The Wall Street Journal estimated that the combined entity would be about a third larger than the country’s current leader, Verizon Wireless, and would have more than twice the subscribers as Sprint Nextel.This

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-46207680062827414742011-02-11T16:37:00.000-08:002011-02-11T16:39:25.914-08:00

This week Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop sent a sobering email to his employees about the state of Nokia’s business. The memo (http://blogs.wsj.com/tech-europe/2011/02/09/full-text-nokia-ceo-stephen-elops-burning-platform-memo/) has been widely published and quoted and is now renowned as the “Burning Platform” memo. In his opening, he shares the story of a man working on an oil platform in the North

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-50891145793824350192011-02-09T12:01:00.000-08:002011-02-09T13:43:47.646-08:00

Risk and bold choices are what distinguishes a stellar leader from just a person in the crowd. The retailer Gap recently decided to shift management with the objective of reviving a renowned brand with lackluster sales. Perhaps an indication that Gap was in sore need of new management was the attempt to revitalize the logo with a "fresh" new look and appeal and then yanked the logo off of the

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-59541221017541475502011-02-02T15:06:00.000-08:002011-02-02T15:07:25.988-08:00

Cheryl Richardson, a renowned life coach, inspired the topic for this post. Recently, on her website, Cheryl wrote, "I quickly made a list of ten things to say yes to, ten things to say no to, and then things that contribute to a great life, overall" (http://www.cherylrichardson.com/newsletters/week-41-spontaneous-wisdom-101010-lists-that-make-life-better/). Her top ten list of tips to help you

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-84853332812441482742011-01-20T18:39:00.001-08:002011-01-20T18:39:28.689-08:00

One of the key qualities of leadership is the ability to influence others with your words as well as your actions. It’s true that “actions speak louder than words,” however words are what triggers movement and momentum. Words are vital to mobilizing people and instilling confidence in them. How can you ensure your words have more meaning and power?Below is a three-step formula you can use to

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-11535699803287852452010-11-11T19:02:00.001-08:002010-11-11T19:32:25.510-08:00

I love INC Magazine. The articles they feature are right on target and thought provoking. Most of all, you actually want to read the articles and not just scan briefly through them. John Warrillow, an angel investor in a number of start-up companies wrote an article recently about getting inspiration from great innovators of our time.If you are stuck and seeking to find answers just ask

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-9474878262484832712010-10-19T13:24:00.000-07:002010-10-19T13:28:10.301-07:00

While at a charity dinner last week, I heard several executives discussing how one of the greatest opportunities they face today is managing getting things done. As work piles up, expectations grow despite the decline in available resources. It’s a tough situation with no clear solution. One executive illustrated the dilemma well, telling how when he went to his boss to get help, his boss

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-44924909309433906872010-10-01T16:08:00.000-07:002010-10-01T16:09:46.636-07:00

Recently diversity was celebrated as part of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association's events and conferences for 2010, including the annual meetings for such cable diversity groups as Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT), the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) and the Walter Kaitz Foundation . What’s most interesting about all of these gathering

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-16080441715935096872010-09-17T16:09:00.000-07:002010-09-17T17:38:48.503-07:00

Managing up is critical to thriving inside of organizations. Although not spoken about regularly, if you don’t manage up well you simply will not rise through the ranks. Managing up is an art, a science and a skill. It’s important for all managers and leaders to be managed. One of the hidden agreements an organization provides you is this…you’ll be managed and led AND you have the

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-45213558678777172002010-07-09T17:27:00.001-07:002010-07-09T17:54:34.590-07:00

It's easy to lose your cool as a leader with so much going on, so much to juggle, so many people to be responsible for, so much information to keep present...it can be challenging to keep your composure, to know what to do next and to operate with the team in mind. Don't you just want to give yourself permission sometimes to go screaming out of the building?Do we talk that much about losing your

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-41259077276945212862010-06-29T10:05:00.000-07:002010-06-29T10:07:30.445-07:00

One of the most common issues leaders are tackling with today is motivation - how do you maintain it or increase it. As a boss, it’s not easy to know when to push someone vs. when the employee is supposed to take the lead. Robert Sutton, author of the New York Times bestseller The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't sites in his latest blog a research

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-89850138853336623452010-06-24T17:28:00.000-07:002010-06-24T17:43:14.014-07:00

Does coaching, managing and leading contribute to the bottom line? Yes! I'm in the midst of writing a leadership book on this subject with the commitment to prove that when coaching, managing and leading is done well, this leads to increased productivity and profitability. Of course as coincidence would have it, in the midst of writing, a wonderful resource came knocking at my door. Tim

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-61819407983261296622010-06-10T15:35:00.000-07:002010-06-10T15:38:19.888-07:00

One of the chief responsibilities and core skill of any leader is delegation. Simple, yes? Oh no. Many executives today don’t know where to begin. However if you can learn to use delegation correctly, it can reduce stress, empower your direct reports and develop your high potentials. Conversely, the lack of delegation skills can lead to the downfall of any leader, regardless of how powerful.

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-9762030408584797602010-06-01T10:53:00.000-07:002010-06-01T11:11:16.859-07:00

Industry organizations are a great way to learn something new and receive terrific mentoring. Being a leadership advocate and a woman, I love organizations that foster leadership skills and do so for women. As someone who specializes in the media and entertainment industry, I have a deep personal admiration and respect for Women and Cable & Telecommunications (WICT). WICT is a national

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-21896644073828942752010-05-14T17:34:00.000-07:002010-05-14T17:46:21.155-07:00

Talk is cheap. It costs nothing to speak, but the impact of words is often lasting and far reaching. If your words don’t match your actions, then they could have even greater ripple effects. When we search for answers to organizational issues, explanations as to why things happen and what our fate will be, we hang onto words as if they are the last slice of bread we will ever eat. You must have

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-54852978883678914312010-05-06T10:44:00.000-07:002010-05-06T11:09:26.560-07:00

According to The Conference Board CEO Challenge Survey, one of the chief challenges of CEO's is "stimulating innovation/creativity/enabling entrepreneurship." It’s a funny thing about inspiring such attributes…unless you currently measure your people by innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, your organization is going to need to undergo a major shift of thinking, processes and procedures

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-6311685460222470432010-04-30T08:34:00.000-07:002010-04-30T08:48:46.607-07:00

No two people are alike. Even if you compare one person’s fingerprint with another they will be different, one person’s personality to another, it would be different, one person’s specific likes and dislikes, it would be different. Organizations are similar. They are comprised of people who have different traits, characteristics and strengths. The success of the organization is contingent

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-56605020053900229962010-04-22T09:33:00.000-07:002010-04-22T10:09:28.603-07:00

Being a strong leader is not easy and when done right, you can revolutionize a company. Let's take a page from a high level executive who was anointed to a superstar title in the movie industry. With this enormous opportunity so has come the challenges. Rich Ross is the Chairman of the Walt Disney Company and since he was promoted to this position in late 2009, he has shown a strong theme of

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-81271531703018859782010-04-15T11:29:00.000-07:002010-04-15T13:08:48.658-07:00

Organizations and leaders are big on the rah rah to get employees excited and motivated to take action. It doesn't last. In fact it does the opposite. Employees get completely excited for two minutes - "yes, I'm on board!", and then their excitement drops to skepticism - "wonder what this means...layoffs, turnover, merging groups or is this just a lot of talk". Rah rah for the crowd seems

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-86474720508457056262010-04-09T16:18:00.000-07:002010-04-09T16:28:16.631-07:00

Want to give yourself an extra boost of visibility and build your value? Here's a daily three-step checklist to ensure you are elevating your brand: 1) Check in with your boss - find out what is on your boss' agenda, what is most vital to them for the day and see to it you become a resource for helping your boss get it done. Or, take something off of their plate to ease up their workload so

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-79390450208661880742010-03-18T17:04:00.000-07:002010-03-18T17:06:13.443-07:00

In the recent book Switch by Chip and Dan Heath, they describe the way humans think about any and all issues. There’s the right side, tied to analytical and problem solving and the left, which is tied to our emotions. During times of change you may rationally know the organization is to go in a new direction, however your emotional side likes the old way of doing systems and is comfortable with

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-39471227054834637562010-03-15T17:14:00.001-07:002010-03-15T17:14:55.356-07:00

There are so many reasons to bemoan the economy as creating havoc with our organizations, businesses, lives and well-being. After all, why not? The economy has left leaders and employees in organizations scrambling with a lot more to do with fewer resources and greater demands. Sure, you can see it that way and then there’s another way…Economic downturn creates the opportunity for leaders to

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-74397337413883834952010-03-11T14:01:00.000-08:002010-03-11T14:03:01.791-08:00

“One of our major initiative is investing in our people.” How many times have you heard this? A colleague and former client recently confided at an all-hands meeting the President stood up and proudly proclaimed this new organizational venture. I asked a logical question, “What does this mean?” She said, “I have no idea.” Hmmm….Organizations mean well and so do their top leaders. They want

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-26370934116780029412010-03-02T10:51:00.001-08:002010-03-02T10:51:58.858-08:00

Warren Buffet astounds me. He is one of the most successful investors in the world as well as a businessman and philanthropist. He is known for his personal frugality despite large amounts of wealth. It's not every day you witness someone giving away 85% of their fortune (to the Gates Foundation). He is the primary shareholder and CEO of a conglomerate holding company called, Berkshire

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-88533046438421449902010-02-25T13:51:00.000-08:002010-02-25T13:54:14.471-08:00

Recently I had a conversation with John, a key senior level business leader, who pointed out that one of the most common mistakes employees make today is not managing up properly. John emphasized the importance of managing up saying, “It’s everything. It’s not talked about often, however if you don’t do it well, you simply don’t rise through the ranks. That may sound a little harsh, but it’s

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-29861870893676011282010-02-12T15:19:00.000-08:002010-02-12T15:44:28.129-08:00

When recently reading an article in Business Week entitled, "The Ten Management Practices to Axe," I was struck by the soundness of most of author Liz Ryan's top ten management practices companies should be rid of:1) Forced employee ranking - when you evaluate your employees against one another, to see who's most critical on the team and who's most expendable2) Front-loaded recruiting systems -

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-18880765659746392392010-02-09T11:28:00.000-08:002010-02-09T11:29:14.265-08:00

I love electronics. Ever since I was a kid I had the latest and greatest gadget on the market. Remember when Sharp came out with one of the first electronic organizer? I had to have it! Drove my mom nuts until I had that rectangular electronic mega system in my hands. Of course I needed it to input all necessary information such as the next party, dates, outings with friends, etc. You know,

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-81844432214296950222010-02-03T11:36:00.000-08:002010-02-03T12:04:26.492-08:00

A recent Fortune Magazine featured six companies that avoided the pinch of layoffs during the economic downturn. As of mid-January 2010, they have never had a layoff. SAS, Wegmans Food Markets, Mercedes Benz, S.C Johnson & Sons, EOG Resources and Baptist Health South Florida were among the companies highlighted. All companies had a mix of attributes. According to Fortune Magazine, "S.C.

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-41593172320377826782010-01-26T18:35:00.000-08:002010-01-26T18:44:08.582-08:00

Would you agree that all great leaders make mistakes? When leaders do not take the people side of the business seriously, the leadership mistakes are more dramatic and have bigger impact. Perhaps if leaders had a list of the biggest mistakes made, more leaders would be apt to avoid them.We can search the great annals of history including our historic media industry to be specific. Here’s one

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-76965547068737409802010-01-18T11:26:00.001-08:002010-01-18T11:26:31.596-08:00

Do you think working 20 hours per day will make you more successful? Not according to Cristóbal Conde, president and C.E.O. of SunGard, one of the world’s leading software and IT services companies, serving more than 25,000 customers in more than 70 countries.In the article in The New York Times entitled, “The Flatter the Better”, Conde admits that working like a dog “doesn’t scale.”

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-43801256478282901222010-01-12T16:10:00.000-08:002010-01-12T16:40:10.640-08:00

This morning I went out for my typical bout of exercise. As I was walking briskly I began reflecting on the last decade (analysis is a good thing and really, a chief attribute for any leader). I'm still baffled by writing 2010. It's as if someone put a sock in my hand as I attempt to write the numbers. I fumble as if I have too many things in my hand. When January 1, 2010 came along for some

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-28134529417045455782010-01-07T18:31:00.000-08:002010-01-07T18:58:09.165-08:00

Wonder what would happen if we tossed out our BlackBerry's… In this week's issue of Business Week, a scrapping entrepreneur demonstrates to all BlackBerry addicts that you can make money without the techno frills. “Miller Farm, a Pennsylvania food producer has grown the business to $1.8 million in annual sales from less than half that four years ago. The farm is so busy it's turning away orders

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-38368178782251310742010-01-05T11:45:00.000-08:002010-01-05T12:07:58.602-08:00

Must admit, I have fallen in love all over again today. Tis true and I didn't think it would be possible, especially with the former Chief Executive of Continental Airlines (1994-2004), Gordon M. Bethune. One of the main reasons is that he’s a true believer in people as a main focus and driver of the success of an organization. Mr. Bethune melds talk with action. When I developed my eight

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-29314514327191368772009-12-16T08:55:00.000-08:002009-12-16T09:30:45.854-08:00

I find it interesting to listen to speeches of leaders today. Great orators inspire us to great things. President Obama is certainly an example of this. General Electric chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt spoke at the United States Military Academy at West Point recently. The main aim of his speech was to stress the need for leadership today and to focus on ones who have the stamina and courage to

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-2891979506076408642009-12-01T17:01:00.000-08:002009-12-01T17:07:02.661-08:00

Employees of all ranks within organizations hold a vast range of beliefs. Everyone arrives at a new job with a litany of preconceived notions, based on: past work and life experiences; the organization’s reputation and image; and the word “on the street”. Once these beliefs are set, they are validated each day by the tough boss, immovable management, old policies and procedures and office

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-23589790684569263142009-10-28T17:56:00.000-07:002009-10-28T18:17:44.940-07:00

There's a great article in Forbes that features new data on leadership succession. The article unveils research conducted by the Kellogg School of Management that states that when leaders leave their jobs organizations rush to replace them with people inside the company who are familiar with the original issue and former leader. Makes sense especially when you are in bad economic times and your

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-23866542316975011792009-10-21T12:48:00.000-07:002009-10-21T12:50:27.989-07:00

Biggest Leadership Missteps In Times of ChangeAccording to the Wall Street Journal, Cisco Systems Inc. recently posted a 46% drop in quarterly profit. While that news would make most managers faint, Chief Executive John Chambers took action and promised to get Cisco back to double-digit growth. His strategy involved moving the company into more businesses. The report states, “To manage all of

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-14999793197837077562009-10-01T14:38:00.000-07:002009-10-01T14:53:39.037-07:00

As a leader, influencing is critical and developing those skills so you can more effectively get things done is key. So how do you do it? Here’s a simple formula, however the execution of it will take time, diligence, dedication and support. I call it the Influential Communicator Formula or the I.C. Formula…1. Know thyself2. Know your value 3. Know your audienceLet’s go through each one…Know

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-407079773811542672009-09-09T16:25:00.001-07:002009-09-09T16:26:54.229-07:00

How many of you believe you are good at communicating outside the company and going internal is tough?How many of you if looking at your relationships outside, they are stronger than inside the company?I have to admit…I was 100% like this. For my whole corporate career I was good at networking outside of the company and not inside. I was very insecure about building relationships internally. I

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-43667952617722976742009-08-27T16:02:00.000-07:002009-08-27T16:31:29.195-07:00

Quick tip for today...The success of any change relies upon your champions of change. Who can you rally to the cause, how can they become your biggest supporters? What tools do you need? Here are some quick tips: 1. Envision the end result2. Know your audience - who they are and what's important to them3. Tell it as they can hear it - what's important to them4. Have evidence to back your

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371464238604812118.post-73257008720133404442009-08-20T22:42:00.001-07:002009-08-20T22:42:59.555-07:00

While at a charity dinner last week, I heard several executives discussing how one of the greatest opportunities they face today is managing getting things done. As work piles up, expectations grow despite the decline in available resources. It’s a tough situation with no clear solution. One executive illustrated the dilemma well, telling how when he went to his boss to get help, his boss simply

Esther Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252792671584390noreply@blogger.com0