"Ignorarrogance" in your organization?

An executive recruiter friend coined this expression, "ignorarrogance." Many organizations in the last 10 years have sponsored razor-sharp customer service initiatives. As time has passed, and some would say distracted by the stalled economy, customer service has again drifted into the background. Returned calls or e-mails? Forget it. Eye contact and genuine interest from a service provider? Kaput. We might ask whether leaders have colluded with this drift to "ignorarrogance" --ignoring customers with a dash of arrogance. We could easily make a case that this is what Mr. Mubarak has allowed to happen with his constituents in Egypt--a leader who became only too comfortable, far too removed from his base, and way too arrogant. What is the "ignorarrogance" level in your organization?

Leadership's Cultural Frame

As our leadership reaches are increasingly global, it pays to consider and appreciate the cultural frames of reference involved. We met with a friend recently who described a young manager in China who had hired him as an English coach. She works for a U.S. based international food company with manufacturing facilities in China. She is concerned about a State-side presentation she is giving to her American counterparts on human resource matters in her organization. Recently an employee died while at work. Her family, demanding some sort of compensation, has camped out at the work site and refuses to leave until their demands are met. She is feels caught between American human resource policies as practiced in the U.S., and those in China, which are often based on saving money and expediting production. She believes that as a Chinese manager if she pushes too hard she will quickly be replaced by another manager from a more rural area who will eagerly take her place for less money. How do leaders create workplaces, increasingly global, in which the values are clear and promote the discussion and effective resolution of dilemmas such as this?

Welcome to Greenshoe: Leadershift!

   Leadership takes many forms. We'll be blogging here about leadership ideas, resources and insights. We welcome hearing about your experiences, challenges and successes.

Leadership and truth. A simple issue at first glance. What consequences do leaders face as they "drift away" from the truth? Here's an interesting book on that subject.

 "Why Leaders Lie: The Truth About Lying..."

Leaders at Central Maine Power (CMP) at a strategic planning session facilitated by Greenshoe Group Staff in July.