The following article originally appeared in the February 2009 issue of Inside Business Magazine. Crew Cuts By Erica Jacobson There’s no easy way to break the news when employees must be let go. Just make sure you’re not alienating everyone who’s still on board. Back in the late ’90s, when it was clear BP America was leaving Cleveland but had yet to actually go, Paul Meshanko would stop in for an occasional beer at a bar in Independence. He didn’t work for BP, but many of the other patrons had [...]

I have long considered myself a student of brain sciences. I am fascinated by how we store information and learn, how emotion plays a role in imprinting and decision making, why behavior change is so difficult …anything that might eventually permit me a greater degree of mastery over that big, grey walnut-shaped mass between my ears. For those with similar curiosity, it’s a great time to be participating in the business of business. There have been more discoveries about how the brain works over the past 5 years than perhaps [...]

Maybe yes and maybe no. Lately, there have been a number of blog posts either focusing on proposed legislation that would prevent workplace bullying or the Employee Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would expand Title VII to include sexual orientation as a protected class. While this type of legislation is intended to eradicate inequality and promote inclusiveness in the workplace, we shouldn’t wait for its passage to act. Wouldn’t it be more effective for organizations to take a proactive stance before such legislation is passed to begin the dialogue among employees about the [...]

There’s an old saying that people support what they help create. The caveat is that we also oftentimes resist what is thrust upon us by someone else (especially if their intentions are unclear). After five straight days of work with two different clients this past week, I’m as committed as ever to the belief that employees and managers must together both define and own their work culture. Using a relatively simple exercise called “Creating Our Code of Cooperation”, managers (including senior leaders) and associates took part in a discussion of [...]

According to Mark Pinto, a Cleveland based consultant, treating all with respect is a characteristic of a humble leader. While that may not have always been perceived as a necessary quality of an exceptional leader, in today’s changing workplace it has become a necessity: “We are all called to leadership and as human beings all capable of fulfilling the role, whether we do it through self leadership, leadership within a small group or leadership in a much larger way. Humility does not seem to [be a] part of leadership as it is often misconstrued [...]

A company’s culture is one of its most important assets. Culture plays a role in helping to attract the best talent and it is absolutely vital to engaging, developing and retaining that talent. And while no single culture is best for all organizations (or even functions within an organization), there is one cultural variable that is universally beneficial. Respect An environment of respect provides an emotional safety net that frees people up to do their work without having to expend energy watching their backs and protecting themselves from the potentially [...]