Our thought leadership in blogs and podcasts

Telling isn't training

When you tell someone something, they might intellectually understand what you want, but there's no guarantee they can perform the skill involved. That takes real training.
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #301 Up, Down and Sideways Mark Sanborn

Hello everyone. Today we talk about maintaining your focus and your equilibrium no matter how crazy the world gets. Mark Sanborn joins us today to talk about his book, “Up, Down and Sideways- How to Succeed When Times are Good, Bad, or in Between”. We also talk cathedrals, starfish on the beach, ponies and dozens of other motivational cliches.
Mexican fútbol, international teams

Many of us work on teams that span countries and cultures. But this isn't an easy way to build good working relationships and it's also easy for those of us who are the "home team" to forget how difficult it can be for our teammates who work remotely to connect with us.
Leading a team is about them, not you

Influencing people and getting them onboard has very little to do with what you want and everything to do with them. If they don't see why they should cooperate, they won't. If they see why they should want to help you, you can hardly stop them.
How can teams demonstrate competence?

The three components to building trust on a team are common goals, proof of motives and proof of competence. So thinking of competence, even if your team is filled with very talented people, do they all know that?
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #300 It’s Not About You Bob Burg

Today we present our 300th episode and who better to share it with than Bob Burg. He’s the author of “It’s Not About You- a Little Story About What Matters Most in Business”. Leadership and influencing is not about you. Seriously. Oh, and we talk about Pandora (the unfortunate Greek woman, not the music channel) and Oscar Wilde. In the words of Maurice Sendak- let the wild rumpus begin!
Don't fear distractions during online meetings

If there's one thing that worries people leading webinars and online meetings more than anything else, it's that their audience are busy texting and sending email instead of paying close attention.
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #299 Liftoff Leadership with Betty Shotton

Do you have the courage to be a leader? If not, can you develop it? Today Wayne Turmel talks to Betty Shotton, author of “Liftoff Leadership, 10 Principles For Exceptional Leadership”.
How to annotate online presentations

Possibly the most useful - nut most under-utilized - tools in the online presenting toolkit are the annotation tools. They take a little practice to master, but the results are well worth the effort.
Learning is everywhere

If there's one thing that is certain about work, it is that what you know now is good for now, but might be completely outdated by tomorrow. This means there's a constant need to learn new things - both formally and - increasingly - informally.
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #298 WorkLife Balance is a Myth Jon Gordon

Today Wayne Turmel talks to Jon Gordon about why “Worklife Balance” is a myth and what should replace it. We also talk presidential vacation homes, smutty advice from DH Lawrence and why Dancing With the Stars is a sign of engagement despite my wishing for the sweet release of death while watching it. Intrigued yet?
Make your web meetings more like real meetings

A big complaint about web meetings and online presentations is that they aren't as effective as "real meetings". So here are some simple tips for re-creating a 'live' meeting experience online.