Defining Leadership
https://vimeo.com/565823240 Click on the image to launch the video. Dr. Ryan Lahti is a strategic advisor to STEM organizations, the founder and managing principal of OrgLeader as well as author of The Finesse Factor.
Three Costly Mistakes Leaders Make in Stakeholder Relations
Mishandling circumstances with board members or bosses can have career-limiting consequences. Misunderstandings with clients and customers can result in lost revenue. Failing to decipher political dynamics occurring among peers can create silos. Regardless of who the stakeholders are, some relational miscues are costly. How well do you recognize stakeholder perspectives while communicating your own? As [...]
Don’t Shy Away From Political Behavior
When you hear the term "political behavior," what happens? Maybe you cringe as you think of the antics of candidates during an election campaign. Perhaps you get a bad taste in your mouth as you recall questionable actions of corporate colleagues. Most of us have witnessed one form of political behavior that leaves a negative [...]
Two Critical Takeaways for Organizational Effectiveness
How effective is your company, division or department? I’m not merely referring to the efficient use of resources such as money, technology and materials. Organizational effectiveness is broader than that. It involves setting and accomplishing the right objectives with the right resources in the right way. Since organizational effectiveness has more than one determinant, I want [...]
The Progression of the Chief Data Officer
If your company doesn’t already have a chief data officer (CDO), there is a good chance it could be a topic of discussion. Why? According to Gartner, the office of the CDO will be a crucial function similar to IT, finance, HR and business operations in 75% of large companies by 2021. Although the CDO [...]
Is It Really Executive Presence?
You have probably heard colleagues make comments about the executive presence of certain leaders. If so, take a minute to think about whether your colleagues are truly on target. The term executive presence is tossed around quite a bit regarding someone’s positive impact in meetings and other business situations. It is misleading. Why? From my [...]
The Evolution of the Credit Card
Most of us have a plastic “chip and pin” card from a traditional credit card company we use to complete transactions. Is this method of payment still going to be the most popular form? I wouldn’t bet on it. Competing forms will likely alter how we pay with or without cards. As a starting point, [...]
Construction Embraces More Technology
The construction industry is one of the world economy’s largest industries. The economy spends $10 trillion on its good and services every year according to the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI). Unfortunately, construction has lagged other industries in how quickly it evolves. For example, construction is among the least digitized sectors in the world, according to [...]
AI Growth Is More Than Hype
If you peruse business publications or pay attention to business commercials for a few minutes, you’re likely to find artificial intelligence (AI) come up in the discussion. It is one of the most used terms today. Although we may not yet have the robots and devices depicted in science-fiction, AI-driven solutions are not hype. According [...]
Increasing Leadership Finesse in STEM Organizations
How can you reduce employee churn in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) organizations that costs billions of dollars? Consider leadership finesse. In my last article, I alluded to leadership finesse and how it helps create motivating work environments where STEM-skilled employees thrive and want to stay. In this follow-up article, I expand on STEM organizations [...]