RTO: A Call for More Thinking, Less Bloviating

Chase’s CEO Jamie Dimon has strong feelings about Return to Office vs Working Remotely. This post suggests leaders should do more thinking about the pro’s and con’s of flexible work arrangements, and less spouting off, based on emotions, but not data.

All Cows Will Please Report to the Barn

Recently, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy gave notice that all AMZN corporate staff were to be back in the barn working in January 2025. (Before anyone sends any inflammatory emails, we’ve used the Cows metaphor for better than 25 years and have gone to great lengths to be clear that we are NOT comparing people to […]

It’s STILL Your People, Stupid!

For all the technological advances we’ve employed in the workplace, there’s still one thing that rises to the top of what really makes or breaks us – what is that? It’s your people!

Coffee Badging Was Only a Matter of Time

Who among us is surprised by the latest salvo to be reported in the remote/hybrid work battle – coffee badging? This is the practice of swiping your badge at the office, coming in long enough to have a cup of coffee, and then retreating to your remote office to continue your work… or not. Just […]

Employee Engagement? Or Employee Entrapment?

Let’s think for a minute about so-called “stay-or-pay” arrangements for employees, where an employee agrees to stay with their employer for a certain period of time, or pay a penalty for early departure. Aside from the legal ramifications, (many courts have said these arrangements are illegal or unenforceable), do we really want people working with […]

Tightening the Connection with Remotely Based Teammates

Remotely based workers certainly CAN become detached from their teams and their organization’s culture. But they don’t HAVE to be. Leaders play in big part in tightening the connection.

Being a Harry Truman Boss

President Harry Truman was, according to his White House staff, a great boss. Let’s see what he did that we can emulate to get the same kind of Discretionary Effort and devotion from those we lead.

Can We Resume the Beatings Yet?

The war for talent is far from over. Employers who relax measures to attract and retain the best talent will fall behind their competitors for talent.

Success Lesson From Apple’s Leaders

by Bill Catlette 4/28/23 • memphis • (2 minutes) Jason Aten has a piece in the current issue of INC Magazine* profiling one attribute that is instrumental in Tim Cook’s considerable success for the last 12 years at Apple. Whether one is an Apple fanboy/girl, or not (I am), it’s hard not to appreciate the […]

See Ya! Saying Goodbye in the Workplace… It’s About How You Make Them Feel

by Bill Catlette 4/4/23 • Memphis (2-minute read) Firing people is hard, but let’s not try to make it easy. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Reasonable, mature people understand that from time to time, company managements get blindsided by pandemics, misjudge the economic windage, future prospects, and/or their ability to perform in a given set […]