.

William Frank Diedrich's Articles in General Business

  • The Right People
    Great leaders surround themselves with great and skillful people. As leaders, we should want for every person in our care to be excited about getting up in the morning and coming to work. If we can help them find this, we won't have to motivate them.
  • A Culture of Discipline
    A “culture of discipline” is a phrase used by Jim Collins (Good to Great) in his study of great companies. All of the great companies, those that far outperform others, have a culture of discipline. This does not mean that they spend their time disciplining people. When you have a culture of discipline you rarely need to discipline people.
  • Step Up and Lead
    Most people today believe there is a leadershgip crisis. They don't have much confidence in their leaders. The answer is not to complain about other leaders, but to become an effective leader yourself. here are some steps you can take.
  • Negative Feedback Is An Opportunity
    Most of us have difficulty with negative feedback. We tend to become angry, defensive, or hurt when people offer negative feedback. We blame the bearer of the information. Many leaders avoid it altogether, because it strikes at one of our most prized possessions--our image of self. Negative feedback is an opportunity that should be welcomed and valued as a great gift.
  • Transcending the Blaming Culture
    Many organizations have a blaming culture. A blaming culture is where blaming is a common occurrence. Blaming behaviors include pointing the finger, complaining, criticizing, and making excuses. This can change with leadership. True leaders are people who initiate new ways of being.
  • Clarity At The Core
    Does your organiztion have a clear purpose? Do the people you serve see you as important to their business or to their lives? Does every customer and every employee clearly understand your purpose? The purpose of an organization is clarified in the mission, vision, and operating principles. I call this grouping the core message of an organization.
  • Never Assume
    We have all heard the old adage, “Never Assume,” but we do it anyway. We assume the paycheck will come on the expected day. We assume others will do their job or do what they say. We are always assuming. What “Never assume” really means is that we need to be aware of our assumptions and often, test them. This is of great importance to any organization that considers itself a learning organization.
  • Conversation
    Conversation is when two or more people speak, listen effectively, and come to a shared understanding. We are often afraid to listen or refuse to listen because we already have an opinion. When there is no conversation people make things up, and it usually isn't positive. It is important to look at what we say to others and determine what effect we are having on them. As we increase our willingness and ability to converse our influence grows.
  • Working With Dominant People
    Dealing with dominant people can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be. It's not so much about managing them as it is about managing your own tendencies. The tendency of most people is to avoid dominant people and then complain to others. This does not work. Instead be clear, honest, and straight forward. An understanding of how dominant people function will help you gain influence.