Weve all seen the signs. We know when an employee isnt performing, or is behaving in a way that is toxic to the work environment. When you see the potential of it going down the path to termination, there are some steps you can take to make it less hazardous to all involved: Keep short lists and have frequent discussions. Too many employers save up all the stuff thats bugging them for one massive dump. Since things havent been discussed, the employee ends up surprised, and feels that the real reason must be something else perhaps... Read More

Most employers know that they should address employee performance and behavior problems. Few do. Many save up discussions about problems until some annual review and then dump it on employees who thought everything was fine. Many save up frustrations with performance until they just cant tolerate it anymore, and then find some convenient way of getting rid of the problem employee such as a reorganization. Either of those are passive-aggressive behaviors on the part of the boss. Some bosses dont know how to do this well. Getting a form... Read More

New Year’s Resolutions for Leaders This is also a great time of year to look ahead. The human thing to do around the turn of the year is to come up with those New Year’s Resolutions. Here are some resolutions related to leadership, that you could consider making yours: 1. Part ways with that bad apple. You know - the one who has been an under performer, who undermines your values, who creates strife or is basicly toxic to your work environment. 2. Create a two-way open door. Don’t expect team members to walk into your... Read More

Working for Quality Guru and best-selling author Philip Crosby early in my career, I learned that there was a difference between Quality Control and Quality Management. Quality Control is often after-the-fact measurement to determine if a product was within “Acceptable Quality Levels.” That was what Phil called “Conventional Wisdom.” There’s nothing wrong with Quality Control in its place; it just can’t make quality certain. Quality Management, on the other hand, involves a common language, employee... Read More

Welcome to December! About this time of year, many employers wonder what they can and cannot do related to their holiday of choice. Advice varies; sometimes based on the personal preferences of the advisor rather than on the law or common sense. Read more... The Second Absolute of Quality "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Sounds like something your Grandma used to say. She wasn't the only one. Philip Crosby, Best-Selling Author and Quality Guru said something similar in defining the Second Absolute of Quality: the... Read More

Ever wonder why we call the people we work with “employees” and where the term came from? Here’s a quick history: Implicare (Latin): To enfold,involve,beconnectedwith. Empleier (French / Anglo – 1500s): To hire, engage, involve in a particular purpose. Employee (today): A person who works for another in return for money. Over time, the word has lost meaning. People we work with have been reduced from those who were involved, connected, and engaged, to a transaction. To make it worse, we use... Read More

I remember the mission of Philip Crosby Associates even though it has been a few years since I worked there. I suspect the other 299 or so people who were part of the team back then could too. “The mission of Philip Crosby Associates is to provide lives for our associates and to improve the quality of goods and services all over the world.” We heard that mission, saw that mission, lived that mission, and believed that mission. Every day. Today I joke that more people can quote the mission of the Starship Enterprise than they can... Read More