As the new superintendent of the Philadelphia School District, Tony Watlington faces many issues that need to be addressed. In addition to the adequacy of teacher pay and the difficulty in hiring teachers to fill classroom vacancies, I would hope that the transition teams he appointed will focus on four areas.
What Ukrainian non-commissioned officers can teach us about leadership
Effective leaders know to push down decision-making to the lowest possible level in their organization, as the Ukrainian military does. You want to hire people who will take the initiative. Having decision-makers throughout the organization owning their results is much more effective than top-down command and control.
How to differentiate your company from its competition
When going up against a competitor, you want them to think, “Oh no. Not those guys!” That’s how good you want to be. That’s how you win business in a competitive marketplace.
We need bipartisan leadership to address our country’s issues
The political will of both the Democrats and Republicans to do the right thing for the American people has been demonstrated in the past. Americans want to see more bipartisan leadership to address our country’s issues. It will position us for a better future.
Philadelphia’s increase in gun violence reflects an erosion of civil society
It’s been said that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” If nothing in Philadelphia changes, we can expect the same result—increasing gun violence.
Follow these guidelines for writing a business article
Write about your values and what you have learned to achieve success during your career. Comment on the actions of leaders when you think those actions teach a lesson on what to do or what not to do. Share your own experience in similar situations and what you learned.
These are the traits and practices of successful leaders
The test of any leader isn’t when things are going well. It’s when they face difficult challenges. The individuals who embrace these universal traits and practices in this article will more effectively overcome those challenges and be successful in their careers.
Your personal brand is just as important as your resume. Develop it wisely.
A personal brand helps differentiate you from your peers when competing for your next job. It is just as important as your resume. A hiring manager will ask, “Why should I hire you?” The elements of your personal brand will help answer this question.
Break your paradigms to achieve breakthrough results
How do you create a paradigm-breaking mindset? You need an organizational culture where the opinions of all employees on how to achieve breakthrough improvements are valued and the status quo can be questioned. The organization that accomplishes this will create competitive advantage.
Providing a great customer experience is a competitive differentiator
You can create competitive advantage by differentiating yourself and your business. It takes the right attitude and the ability to put yourself in the place of your customers and ask, “What would wow me about dealing with this individual or company?” Many of your competitors will not think in these terms.
Andy Jassy and Amazon need to focus on taking better care of employees
Amazon directors need to hold Amazon CEO Andy Jassey accountable for more than just financial performance. The company needs to focus on a great employee experience as they deliver a great customer experience. If they did, they wouldn’t face so many union certification elections at their warehouses.
7 leadership principles that apply to all businesses
Pursue mission-critical objectives with a laser-like focus. Spare no expense committing both talent and capital resources to ensure these objectives will be achieved. Commit these resources as early as possible. It is better to overcommit resources than under commit them, which may jeopardize the outcome.