AMA Edgewise
In the coming weeks we will be bringing you the insights and voices of recognized thought leaders across a wide range of topics.Our aim is to provide those essential "nuggets" of perspective that will help you and your organization improve performance, adapt to changing business realities, and prosper in a complex and competitive world.
Morton Mandel on Hiring “A Employees”
Hiring the best employees for your customers.
September 20, 2013 / Podcast # 13-19
CEO of Parkwood Corp, chairman and CEO of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Foundation, Morton Mandel has reached great success in both his financial and personal life. In his book It’s All About Who… Morton talks about his humble beginnings from working a summer job for his uncle in the wholesale auto parts business, to owning that same business with his brothers in July 1940. Though Morton joined the Army in World War II and left the business world behind him, it wasn’t until after the war Morton and his brothers took a hard look at why their business was struggling to turn a major profit. Morton and his brothers realized that in an over-saturated market you have to come up with a different solution to attract customers; that sometimes business owners need to take a step back to see what their customers really need. What they learned propelled them into the future to live richer lives both monetarily and in the quality of life. Now Morton shares what he has learned about what a CEO is worth and how to hire and maintain “A employees”.
Dennis Perkins on Sailing Directly Into the Storm
How you can apply lessons learned from the AFR Midnight Rambler yacht crew.
September 6, 2013 / Podcast # 13-18
In his new book Into the Storm, published by AMACOM, Dennis Perkins recalls the story of the AFR Midnight Rambler in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Ocean Race. This race was the most perilous to date as a sudden storm stuck and took the lives of 6 sailors on The Rambler. However the other 55 sailors were rescued resulting in the largest search and rescue mission in Australian history. The AFR Midnight Rambler was not the biggest or the most well equipped ship but due to its unified crew, it found a way to not only overcome the horrible storm but to also win the overall race. These skills translate to the business world as well. Even in the worst of situations whether your business is facing a massive change or you’re in a race staring down a major storm, a unified team can just pull of the seemingly impossible.
Brad Karsh & Courtney Templin on What Millennials Want (and You Do Too)
Working with millennials for a harmonious workplace.
August 23, 2013 / Podcast # 13-17
Millennials, people who where born from 1981-2000s, are starting to fill more and more management positions but older generations still find them hard to understand and even harder to work with. Most millennials have a very different approach to management: they are used to leaderless groups where everyone collaborates in an open environment. They believe that the answer is out there but it doesn’t necessary have to come from a leader or from management. To them, sometimes the best solutions come from the very people they are leading. Brad Karsh and Courtney Templin, authors of the book Manager 3.0, talk about what makes a millennial tick: how they think and which environments are conducive to success, not just for millennials but for the whole organization.
Ben Waber on New Ways to Track Productivity
How technology can reveal what really makes us innovative.
August 9, 2013 / Podcast # 13-16
To increase productivity, how many seats should be at the cafeteria table? Before the best answer was a guess or simply “who cares?” However, in an increasingly knowledge-work and collaboration focused world, factors like who you sit with at lunch and who you chat with in the hallway start to matter. Ben Waber has devised a new and possibly controversial system that will keep track of these unofficial meetings that actually lead to greater productivity and innovation.
Shoya Zichy on the Power of Personality
Using Type to manage more effectively.
July 26, 2013 / Podcast # 13-15
Shoya Zichy, author of Personality Power, discusses the Color Q system, a personality identification system that can be used in your personal and professional life. The Color Q system is used to determine the needs, values, and special talent of each of the four temperament groups, and what strategies to use when dealing with each group. Are you a Gold? Goal oriented, grounded, and realistic. A Red? Action orientated, and focused on the now. A Blue? Theoretical, and knowledge driven. Or maybe you are a Green? Empathetic, and expressive. Enjoy work, life, and boost your career by knowing which group you fit into and what environment caters to your strengths. Learn more on building a diverse team to maximize creativeness, or find complementary group to speed up workflow and unify project vision.