“Education is power,” Frederick Douglass said more than a century ago. But by “education” he didn’t mean just getting a degree and then coasting on that experience. I know of a chief technology officer who was extraordinarily proud of this Ph.D.—and he wasn’t shy about letting people know it. He made the mistake of thinking that he was so educated he didn’t need any additional training. Nor, he thought, did his team, since he’d picked each member individually. When a training company approached him, he was dismissive. “I hand-selected every one of my engineers,” he said. “They’re smart.” One of the trainers reminded him that being smart isn’t enough if people didn’t have the knowledge and training to use their intelligence to its fullest.

    The education community often acts as its own worst enemy in this regard. Many countries refuse to accept degrees or certificates awarded in a different country. It’s not uncommon for one university to reject the coursework and degrees of another university. At a time when we’re being told how education should be more global in scope, how is it global to dismiss the schools of another country? A more forward-thinking approach, I believe, would be if universities embraced more people from other countries or schools. That would give students experience in cultural as well as educational differences.

Personally what counts more for you: knowledge or the title?

And in your company?

Tags: additional training certificates chief technology officer coursework cto education community educational differences frederick douglass intelligence mistake own worst enemy regard scope shy smart one students experience universities
 

Virtually every great manager I’ve dealt with during my career is a terrific listener. This is so basic an idea that it’s hard to believe there are people who don’t place a high value on good listening skills. Who can’t point to countless problems—in their own lives and in the lives of others—that developed because someone didn’t listen? (For that matter, think of how many problems listening would solve.)

    I’ll never forget my first experience with a “listening manager.” At first I thought he was just being lazy. His office door was always open and whenever I passed by I could see him sitting at his desk doing—well, doing nothing. This was my first real job, so you can imagine I was pretty surprised and a little disappointed. It wasn’t until later that I learned this manager’s secret to success: listening. He would go around and talk to everyone—really talk. (The first time he came into my office we talked for more than two hours.) By talking to everyone—and by listening—he got a good picture of how things were going, who needed help, who was doing all right, and so on. And he made his decisions based on what he had heard.

    Listening seems to be some long lost art, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re a parent (or if you know small children), you know that children are happiest with their parents when the parents are taking the time to listen and pay attention to them. Why should it be any different for a business leader?

Is the manager you admire most a great listener?

Do you listen?

Can you listen?

Does the team think the manager is listening? And that management does?

Tags: business leader countless problems decisions desk ernest hemingway first experience good listening skills job lead listen listener lost art parents succeed taking the time
 

“Education is power,” Frederick Douglass said more than a century ago. But by “education” he didn’t mean just getting a degree and then coasting on that experience.

How important is your title?

Remember: Leaders are leaders no matter what the title.

Tags: frederick douglass power education
 

The Associated Press issued an article that hospitals in the University of Michigan Health System have been encouraging doctors since 2002 to apologize for mistakes. The system’s annual attorney fees have since dropped from $3 million to $1 million, and malpractice lawsuits and notices of intent to sue have fallen from 262 filed in 2001 to about 130 per year, said Rick Boothman, a former trial attorney who launched the practice there.

    Unfortunately this seems to be an isolated incident. The news is full of stories highlighting alls sorts of mistakes made by companies and their employees. Yet what we rarely see is one of the first words children learn (and frequently get told to use):

    “Sorry.”

When was the last time you said sorry?

When was the last time you as a customer were told “sorry”?

Or one of your team members?

Is sorry part of dealing with disgruntled customers or suppliers?

Tags: 1 million associated press attorney fees doctors hospitals malpractice lawsuits michigan health system sorry sorts system team members trial attorney university of michigan university of michigan health when was the last time
 

My thanks go to Cecilia, Stacey Derbinshire, Jack, Chin, A F, Abe, Ada, Chris Moran, Rick, LeisaWatkins, Shelia, Josh, Shirley, Blue Licorice, Nicholasgp, Anonymous, HotMomma, Mimi for taking the time to add their valuable opinions to my blog.