Lenguaje, clave para ser un verdadero líder

El mundo de la administración ha sido influenciado por el desarrollo de lo que los filósofos analíticos denominan giro lingüístico, el cual ha permitido que el lenguaje tome un lugar de privilegio en los diversos escenarios organizacionales.

Diferentes investigaciones hechas por filósofos, psicólogos y lingüistas han generado nuevos dominios que permitieron el surgimiento de modelos tales como el coaching ontológico (donde el aprendizaje se logra trabajando integralmente lenguaje, cuerpo y emoción), aplicados con mayor o menor intensidad en las organizaciones de todo el mundo.

La ontología del lenguaje, que aborda el ser humano a través de su quehacer lingüístico, pretende reunir en una unidad y una síntesis coherente los diferentes desarrollos que se han dado a partir del giro lingüístico y centra su interés en los seres humanos y no en el lenguaje.

Como punto de partida es del caso considerar la diferenciación, a que acude la ontología del lenguaje, entre comprensión descriptiva y comprensión generativa. La primera corresponde a casos en los cuales el lenguaje sigue a la realidad, como sería la descripción del color de una silla, el inventario de una bodega o los datos relativos al volumen de las ventas para un determinado periodo.

En la segunda se espera que los hechos que se sucedan en la realidad sigan al lenguaje, como ocurre cuando el notario declara la disolución de una sociedad conyugal, un juez decreta el embargo de un bien, un grupo de individuos celebra un contrato societario para el surgimiento de una nueva persona jurídica o un directivo define un objetivo estratégico para la empresa. Sin embargo, no siempre los individuos, por diversas circunstancias, logran que la realidad se transforme de acuerdo con lo declarado.

Según David Barbosa Ramírez, profesor de la Facultad de Administración de la Universidad del Rosario, lo anterior permitiría concluir que, en general, los seres humanos acuden al lenguaje para constituirse en quienes son dentro de las empresas. De hecho, agrega, los individuos acuden al lenguaje no sólo para describir la realidad, sino también para construirla. Estos desarrollos han llevado a nuevas formas de abordar los temas de las ciencias sociales, así como al estudio y desarrollo de metodologías de análisis e intervención en las organizaciones.

Componentes de la dirección empresarial

La dirección de empresas integra el pensamiento estratégico, la realidad empresarial y el liderazgo. A través del pensamiento estratégico el administrador identifica el dónde y el cómo deberá estar su organización en un determinado momento futuro (la ruta a seguir, los procesos correspondientes, los responsables, etc.).

Las definiciones estratégicas las construye el director a partir del contexto particular que implica la realidad empresarial, pero la entiende no sólo como un insumo del diseño, sino como una apuesta y un compromiso. Es decir, el director, al definir la estrategia, también establece la realidad que se generará a partir de las diversas relaciones que se producen en las comunidades, las cuales se ven influenciadas directa o indirectamente por el quehacer de las organizaciones.

El liderazgo, entonces, se entiende como el proceso a través del cual quien dirige garantiza a todos los grupos de interés la materialización de la estrategia con la consecuente realidad percibida. Es decir que el administrador, además de sus funciones gerenciales, es un constructor de contextos estratégicamente pertinentes para las comunidades, en donde los diversos grupos de interés esperan encontrar respuestas a sus inquietudes.

Liderar una organización

Uno de los conceptos más estudiados en las ciencias sociales y particularmente en la administración, es el de liderazgo; por ello, se encuentran diversas propuestas teóricas en torno a su definición y contenido. En los primeros estudios se encuentra una clara tendencia a identificar los términos liderazgo y líder, de tal modo que para algunos expertos las dos palabras hacen alusión a lo mismo.

En estas propuestas, el estudio del liderazgo se circunscribe a los rasgos del individuo a quien se le considera un líder, de tal modo que la presencia de dichos rasgos es un indicador confiable del desempeño que como líder tendría el individuo en el cual los mismos estuviesen presentes. Investigaciones posteriores incorporaron al estudio del liderazgo diversos elementos tales como los aspectos emocionales, la relación del líder y sus seguidores, así como la situación y sus efectos en los procesos de liderazgo. Hoy en día no existe uniformidad en torno a si el liderazgo en sí mismo constituye un concepto integrador de un conjunto de habilidades, o si el mismo es una habilidad o capacidad presente en ciertos individuos que permite lograr el respaldo de los demás en la consecución de un determinado objetivo.

A partir de lo anterior, los investigadores de la Facultad de Administración de la Universidad del Rosario han estructurado un concepto de liderazgo coherente con las propuestas teóricas expresadas en torno a la dirección de empresas, que advierte que el liderazgo es el proceso a través del cual el directivo, apoyado en una serie de habilidades directivas y gerenciales, logra que sus colaboradores lo acompañen activa y voluntariamente en la materialización de los objetivos estratégicos de la organización; estos últimos, además de garantizar la perdurabilidad empresarial, responden a las inquietudes de los diferentes grupos de interés bajo estrictos estándares éticos y actuaciones socialmente responsables.

Actos lingüísticos en la dirección de empresas

Según la visión de Rafael Echeverría (autoridad mundial en el tema de la ontología del lenguaje), los actos lingüísticos básicos se constituyen en estructuras que están presentes en todos los idiomas, como las afirmaciones, las declaraciones y las promesas que se estructurandesde las peticiones y las ofertas.

Afirmaciones
En el mundo de las organizaciones, los individuos acuden permanentemente a dichos actos en diferentes momentos. En los casos del lenguaje descriptivo, hablan básicamente a través de las afirmaciones que corresponden a proposiciones hechas acerca de sus observaciones.

Es decir, las afirmaciones corresponden a lo que suele denominarse hechos, frente a los cuales cualquier individuo que tenga la información correspondiente podría manifestarse en torno a la veracidad o falsedad de la afirmación. Por ejemplo, si un gerente presenta en su informe a la junta directiva las cifras de ventas de un determinado periodo, en ese momento adquiere el compromiso de poder citar un testigo (el contador probablemente) que, con los debidos soportes, estará en condiciones de ratificar o contradecir las cifras.

Declaraciones
Cuando las personas están frente al lenguaje generativo, las declaraciones y las promesas son los actos lingüísticos centrales. Como en el lenguaje generativo lo que se espera que ocurra es que la realidad siga al lenguaje, cuando las personas hacen declaraciones generan un mundo nuevo para ellas y su entorno.

Las declaraciones son la expresión más clara del poder de la palabra, pues la realidad se transforma siguiendo la voluntad de quien habla. Por lo tanto, no están relacionadas con las capacidades compartidas de observación como ocurre con las afirmaciones, sino que se relacionan con el poder.

Sin embargo, las declaraciones generan un mundo nuevo sólo cuando se puede garantizar que se sucedan los acontecimientos correspondientes a la nueva realidad que se ha planteado. Por ejemplo, cuando el presidente de una compañía declara la contratación de una persona específica en el cargo de asistente de presidencia o el director de recursos humanos, redacta y suscribe la carta de terminación del contrato de trabajo de uno de sus colaboradores.

• Declaración del 'no'
  Existen declaraciones que tienen relación con el ámbito de la autoridad y que tienen influencia en el trabajo del directivo y el mundo organizacional. La declaración del ‘no’ es central, a través de ella el individuo construye su autonomía y legitimidad como persona. En un equipo de trabajo es importante que sus miembros conozcan los fundamentos y alcances de esta declaración, dado que aspectos como querer agradar al jefe, el temor a perder el trabajo o ser sancionado, puede generar que un empleado llegue a permitir espacios en los cuales se vulnere su dignidad.
  
  De hecho, uno de los retos del directivo no es sólo hacer uso de esta declaración y construir la realidad que se genere a partir del momento en que la expresa, sino que también se hace necesario que aprenda a escucharla proactivamente.
  
  
• Declaración de ignorancia
  Es interesante encontrar en el imaginario de las personas en las empresas, especialmente de la denominada alta gerencia, cómo el ‘no sé’ es una declaración poco utilizada, muchas veces por el temor de ver afectada la propia imagen.
  
  Cuando un individuo declara su ignorancia crea una serie de posibilidades que no se darían desde la ceguera que genera la arrogancia construida sobre la supuesta certeza de saberlo todo. Según el profesor Barbosa, aquel que declara su ignorancia empieza a aprender y lo primero que aprende es que hay algo que no sabe y desde allí puede configurar el aprendizaje para sí mismo, para sus colaboradores y para la organización.
  
  
• Declaración de la gratitud
  Supera el simple formalismo que surge de pronunciar una palabra como señal de buena educación, y cada vez cobra mayor relevancia. La gratitud, como declaración, encierra una actitud corporal y emocional que hace que quienes la escuchan logren percibirla como sincera. No se trata de gesticulaciones exageradas, abrazos y demás caricias que acompañen la palabra gracias, se trata de un movimiento que surge del interior con plena coherencia entre lo que se piensa, se dice y se siente.

Promesas
Son aquellos actos lingüísticos en virtud de los cuales los individuos pueden coordinar acciones con otros. Las promesas transforman, en determinada medida, el futuro del directivo y sus colaboradores. Cuando el jefe le promete a su empleado que le dará una bonificación, dicho trabajador genera una serie de expectativas y movimientos que serán posibles o se verán afectados por el cumplimiento de la promesa.

En todas las organizaciones (empresa, familia, club, iglesia, etc.) las personas no suelen ser conscientes del impacto de las promesas e incluso no se dan cuenta cuando lo hacen. El típico “yo te llamo” en muchos contextos reemplaza el “no tengo ganas de seguir hablando”, pero no siempre es así, ya que cuando se le dice a un amigo “yo te llamo” se trata de una oferta que al ser aceptada por el interlocutor lleva al perfeccionamiento de la promesa y a la generación de una serie de expectativas en el otro.

Igual ocurre cuando un director solicita un informe urgente para el día siguiente y el colaborador se esmera para cumplir, pero detecta que no fue revisado y que no recibe retroalimentación. Es interesante ver cómo la confianza (uno de los pilares centrales del trabajo en equipo) se construye a través del cumplimiento de las promesas, con lo cual es indudable que el directivo debe prestar mucha atención a los movimientos conversacionales en los cuales genera promesas.

Tareas para los directores de las organizaciones

Según algunos expertos, son muchos los aspectos de la ontología del lenguaje que tienen relación con la dirección de las organizaciones. Tal vez el de mayor relevancia es aquel que muestra cómo el lenguaje no es inocente y, por lo tanto, además de describir la realidad, permite la creación de nuevos mundos.

El directivo, entonces, dentro de su función de influir y estructurar la realidad, acude permanentemente a los actos lingüísticos, dado que es con ellos que se constituye a sí mismo e influye de diversos modos en la forma en que se desarrollan sus colaboradores y, por ende, la organización y los sistemas sociales a los cuales impacta.

Tomado de: http://www.urosario.edu.co/investigacion/index.htm

Les presentamos este articulo de Cristina Frutos.. Es verdaderamente interesante y recomendable

Los directivos también necesitan motivación
para guillermo ruiz pita, socio de egon zehnder international, los retos y el crecimiento profesional son decisivos

Se da por supuesto que, a partir de ciertos niveles de la jerarquía de una empresa, los profesionales se encuentran satisfechos con su trabajo. Un buen sueldo, condiciones favorables, retos interesantes y equipos a su cargo —características que se suelen asociar con estos puestos— no parecen precisamente un plato de mal gusto para un ejecutivo con aspiraciones. Sin embargo, los factores que realmente motivan a un directivo van mucho más allá de su posición dentro de la empresa. Guillermo Ruiz Pita, socio de la firma de búsqueda de directivos Egon Zehnder International, sentencia que “las motivaciones que funcionan a largo plazo —y que son las que realmente tienen un efecto sobre el rendimiento— no son sólo las económicas o materiales sino las que te hacen crecer por retos y que exigen del profesional el mayor desarrollo”.

Por tanto señala que asumir nuevos retos, aprender en el día a día o adoptar responsabilidades repercuten en que el ejecutivo mejore en su trabajo y se comprometa e involucre más con su equipo. Todas ellas, señala Ruiz Pita, son motivaciones de carácter intrínseco.

El socio de Egon Zehnder explica que existen dos tipos de motivaciones: extrínsecas e intrínsecas. “Las primeras se refieren a los temas de estatus y económicos —aclara—, y son las que tradicionalmente relacionamos con las condiciones laborales”. Sin embargo, y en sus propias palabras, “llegados a unos niveles de remuneración muy elevados, aunque el salario se incremente de forma notable más, tu motivación no crece”.

Es entonces cuando entran en juego los factores intrínsecos. “Son los relacionados con el trabajo que se desarrolla, es decir, los que generan orgullo y satisfacción al superar un reto o cumplir con objetivos difíciles”. Además de definir en qué consisten, Ruiz Pita identifica cuáles suelen ser los más frecuentes: “Realización, reconocimiento, responsabilidad, posibilidades de mejora y crecimiento”. También hace referencia a que rodearse de equipos competentes, eficaces y resolutivos supone numerosas satisfacciones al mismo tiempo que exigencia para el ejecutivo. “Implica que aprenderá de todos los que le rodean, tanto de sus compañeros como de sus superiores y de los colaboradores que tenga a su cargo”, sostiene el socio de Egon Zehnder.

Por último, no hay que olvidar que la motivación afecta a los directivos en un doble sentido. Si por un lado es necesario que realicen su trabajo con agrado y con ansias de superación, por otro, tienen que responsabilizarse de la motivación de sus equipos de trabajo. Para Guillermo Ruiz Pita esta situación, muy característica de los altos mandos, se alza para el directivo como un reto. “Se trata de una motivación que camina en dos direcciones: el ejecutivo tiene que motivar liderar y hacer que sus equipos se integren en el trabajo y al mismo tiempo tendrá la satisfacción e comprobar que sus colaboradores maduran y han crecido y desarrollado con él”.

Sin embargo, no deja de señalar una dificultad: “A veces es un punto flaco ya que no siempre los directivos tienden a rodearse de equipos competentes y competitivos... Requiere generosidad, liderazgo, autoestima y seguridad en sí mismos que no es fácil encontrar”, concluye

Éxito sin estrés, el paradigma para directivos ocupados

Navegando por internet, encontré este artículo bastante corto y ameno que quisiera compartir con ustedes. Aqui tenemos más para seguir hablando de la principal causa de enfermedades de este siglo XXI ... El ESTRES

Todos sabemos que un poco de tensión es indispensable para rendir más. Pero demasiada es desastrosa para el rendimiento, el ambiente laboral y la salud.

Cualquier directivo corre el riesgo de ser víctima del estrés. Y si, además, se le une un entorno complejo, como el que estamos viviendo, las posibilidades se incrementan aún más.

Todos sabemos que un poco de tensión es indispensable para rendir más. Pero demasiada es desastrosa para el rendimiento, el ambiente laboral y la salud.

Para hacer frente a este problema existen multitud de técnicas, manuales y métodos. Uno de los últimos es la Guía práctica para directivos ocupados, editada por la empresa de Recursos Humanos Unique, que se puede descargar gratuitamente desde su web (http://www.unique.es/).

Entre las recomendaciones que pueden encontrarse en esta guía se encuentran estas:
Evitar el estrés comienza pensando en él de forma resistente, porque la manera de valorar tu situación determina, en gran medida, cuánto estrés experimentas.
De vez en cuando deberías mantener una conversación contigo mismo y comprometerte a no presionarte más. Quizá la primera vez ese compromiso no sea un éxito, pero con el paso del tiempo notarás que experimentas menos estrés cuando, por ejemplo, vuelvas a estar metido en los inevitables atascos de tráfico.
Un factor importante para el éxito en el pensamiento resistente al estrés es pensar de forma positiva.
Paradójicamente, tener control sobre tu vida significa soltar muchas cosas, entre otras, la responsabilidad ilimitada que sientes como director.
Tu tarea como directivo no es mantener todo bajo control, sino definir los riesgos importantes y mantener control sobre las cosas que tienen probabilidades relativamente grandes de ir mal.
Y, como norma general, averigua cuáles son los hechos causantes de los conflictos, resuélvelos lo antes posible y no dejes que jueguen contigo.

Foro Europeo TAMPOCO BAJA!

Los alumnos de Foro Europeo quicimos hacer estos dos videos como gesto de apoyo y admiracion a un equipo con tanta tradicion en Navarra (nuestro hogar provisional) como es OSASUNA , quienes trabajan arduamente dia a dia por ser excelentes en el campo y en lo que se proponen como personas; es por esto que YO NO BAJO! Y NOSOTROS NO BAJAMOS!!!

Short video: Learn about MBA / EMBA Coaching

An MBA's Defense of His MBA

To continue with the debate whether the Mba's are the problem, here is another point of view defending the issue by David Champion. We hope you enjoy it!

Management education has been taking some heat this week. No less an authority than McGill's resident business guru, Henry Mintzberg, has been pointing the finger at Harvard Business School, many of whose alumni have figured prominently and to disadvantage in the current economic crisis.

It's an easy shot to make, especially as HBS alumni include such luminaries as George W. Bush. It also happens to bolster an approach to management education that Mintzberg has been advocating for years.

HBS alumni are among the fiercest critics of the MBA. Former Daily Telegraph Journalist Philip Delves Broughton wrote a lively and opinionated piece. Delves Broughton is more direct than Mintzberg in fingering prominent alumni tainted with the crisis: Stan O'Neal, Fred Goodwin, John Thain, Christopher Cox...the list goes on. But as it happens, little of what Delves Broughton says is new. He's essentially reprising his conclusions from a popular "exposé" that he wrote shortly after graduating with a Harvard MBA in 2005.

OK, so these commentators may not be the most objective as they have their own axes to grind, or messages to sell. That said, they do seem to be hitting a nerve.
As it happens I am nearly 50, I have been an editor of management articles for ten years, I used to work as an investment banker, and yes, I hold an MBA ('92), from INSEAD, a business school founded by an HBS professor that has produced many corporate titans on the European side of the pond. After graduating, I worked at INSEAD as a research associate.

I have to say that the media portrait of MBA students as soulless fiends bears very little resemblance to my classmates. Few of my contemporaries were obsessed with numbers, though many of the more numerically gifted enjoyed grappling with valuation spreadsheets. Finance courses were taken with a pinch of salt. Yes, my Applied Corporate Finance professor, Pekka from Finland (he looked almost bionic), liked to tell us: "Cash is King." But it was obvious to all of us that he was making a point about accounting, not expressing his values.

Nearly all of us wanted to achieve a reasonable work-life balance. I guess that was partly why many of us were there in the first place. I shared an old riverside house with six other students. Each Thursday we each invited two guests and sat 21 down to dinner. My party piece was TS Eliot. I used to think of him as the banker's poet (he worked in one): "Time Present and Time Past are both perhaps contained in Time Future."

I think we were a compassionate crew. I remember the howls of protest that greeted Stefan, an economics professor, when he tried to argue that unions actually did their members a disservice. He was probably right, but we were reacting with our hearts, not our minds. The year after I graduated a bunch of students some of whom I shared another house with banded together to form INDEVOR, a non-profit volunteer group that tried to raise awareness of the developing world among the student body. It has brought many speakers from NGOs to the campus and has helped many MBAs find jobs in that sector.

What about what we were actually taught? A common criticism of the MBA course is that it fools people into believing that the world can be reduced to frameworks and models. None of us believed that. I think it is Carl Weick of Michigan who likes to tell the story of a bunch of soldiers who got lost in the Alps. When they finally found their way to a town they credited their success in finding their way to the fact that one of the soldiers had a map. It was a map of the Pyrenees. Weick's point is that a framework is no more than a starting point. You don't necessarily believe it, but you need to put structure on what you're doing.

So I defend the MBA, but that defense begs two questions. If HBS isn't to blame, then who is? And does that mean that HBS need not take a cold, hard look at what it's teaching?

On the question of blame, psychologists will tell you that people are far more shaped by their early experiences than by their adult ones. What we learn from our parents says a lot more about what we become than what we're going to pick up in a year or two in our mid-twenties. I would also say that, intense as it can be, an MBA does not affect you as much as your workplace.
You paid for the MBA and you can within reasonable limits be your own master. But at work, you're paid to serve other masters and you'll feel more pressure to fit in and do what other people want you to do. So if there are culprits in this crisis, we could as easily point to the culture of parenting in the 1960s (though if the people I knew are any guide, it can't have been that bad) and the people dynamics of large organizations like banks as we can point to the MBA.

That doesn't let HBS of the hook, of course. But it does give us all a better sense about where it should go.

Buscar trabajo cuando se es recién graduado

Responden Jack y Suzy Welch, autores del libro 'Winning'. Jack Welch, fue presidente de General Electric durante 20 años.

Hace cerca de un mes me graduaré como experto en administración de empresas y no tengo trabajo. He estudiado en una institución académica respetable, he tenido dos años de experiencia como asesor de comercios al por menor, y buenas referencias. He pasado meses enteros haciendo todas las cosas correctas para ser contratado. Por favor, ayúdenme.
Nombre retenido, Chicago

Usted se halla en una terrible situación, como miles y miles de personas. Se dice que en algunas escuelas de administración de empresas, inclusive las más famosas, más de un 30 por ciento de los graduados no han obtenido trabajo. Los reclutadores no suelen ir a las universidades como lo hacían antes. Y si lo hacen, es solo con propósitos de obtener información.

Muchas compañías, afectadas por el empeoramiento de sus resultados y alarmadas por pronósticos sombríos, han pospuesto las fechas para que graduados en las escuelas de administración de empresas comiencen a trabajar. En otras ocasiones, han rescindido sus ofertas. Eso es peor que una jungla: es un funeral.

Pero usted no nos pide que simpaticemos con su situación, nos solicita consejos.

Por lo tanto, veamos las tres recomendaciones que le ofrecimos a un graduado en administración de empresas, un veinteañero que nos visitó esta semana. Nuestro amigo, como usted, está todavía con las manos vacías y empieza a sentirse desesperado.

1. Puede asentarse y terminar amando lo que haga.
2. Puede volverse un poco loco.
3. Puede hacer su propia empresa.

Partamos de lo primero: asentarse. Es la opción más rápida y más fácil.

Mire, tal vez ya esté enterado que posiblemente no conseguirá el tipo de trabajo con que soñó cuando comenzó a estudiar administración de empresas hace algunos años. Aludimos a la empresa en que pensaba que iba a trabajar, al título y al salario. Cuando recién comenzó, creía que el cielo era el límite. Pero existe probablemente un trabajo, en alguna parte de este país o en el extranjero. Y ese trabajo le ofrecerá una razonable cantidad de experiencia relevante y un salario razonable.

Puede aceptarlo. Y, lo que es aún más importante, puede dedicarse a ese trabajo con gusto. A pesar de su decepción, podría comenzar a laborar de manera ardiente para innovar procesos, mejorar su equipo y hacerse indispensable ofreciendo más de aquello que le exigen.

Por ejemplo, en su caso, puede trabajar en algún negocio al por menor. Y su objetivo podría ser conseguir un desempeño tan estelar al punto de obtener un puesto de ejecutivo.

Quizás eso atraiga la atención de la sede nacional de la empresa. Por cierto, la labor cotidiana de hacer ventas y escribir cifras en la caja registradora podría parecer un lastimoso reintegro en relación a todo lo que gastó en sus años como estudiante en la escuela de administración de empresas. Al menos al principio.

Pero debe pensar en la estrategia que quiere seguir en su carrera. Si es un astro en una empresa sólida, eso es eventualmente un pasaporte a una mejor oportunidad allí o en otra firma. Con el transcurso del tiempo, su humildad y sus resultados, posiblemente serán recompensados.

Ahora vamos a tocar el segundo punto: volverse un poco loco. Ese es el enfoque que preferimos recomendar a egresados de escuelas de administración de empresas en las actuales circunstancias.

Pero un enfoque que solo recomendamos con cierta inquietud, pues no todos pueden llevar a cabo una campaña orientada hacia el ruego y la súplica, y seguir siendo al mismo tiempo una persona altamente simpática.

La idea es elegir uno o dos lugares donde siempre quiso trabajar, o los dos ejecutivos por los cuales usted daría uno de sus riñones a fin de poder laborar para ellos, y presentar su caso una y otra vez, y de la manera más creadora, atractiva y persuasiva que pueda.

Envíe cartas, mensajes por correo electrónico, haga llamadas telefónicas, cualquier cosa que sea necesario, para conseguir una entrevista de cinco minutos. Y si la logra, tendrá que concretar su objetivo mostrando una brillante pericia y gran energía positiva.

Sí, es una apuesta arriesgada. Pero si funciona -y esto es lo que nos agrada de ella- usted iniciará su carrera en el sitio adecuado. Y habrá tenido experiencia de qué es lo que necesita para ir adelante.

Finalmente, si asentarse o volverse un poco loco no funciona para usted, tal vez le convenga iniciar su propio negocio. Trate de determinar qué cosas sabe, y en qué puede descollar, encuentre un amigo que pueda aportar algo, como cerebro, contactos, capital inicial o escasa necesidad de descanso. Luego, como cualquier otro empresario, tendrá que salir y ponerse a vender.

Por ejemplo, si descuella como consultor, entonces acepte trabajos por cinco mil o diez mil dólares. O negocie con clientes por un porcentaje en el incremento de ganancias que usted podrá conseguir, o en los ahorros que creará. Conoce la rutina y posiblemente también conozca los riesgos.

El actual medio ambiente en materia económica hace que la opción de convertirse en un empresario sea un extraordinario acto de coraje. Solo usted sabe si cuenta con ese tipo de temple.

No queremos parecer duros: solo intentamos ser realistas. Estas son épocas sin precedentes para los egresados de las escuelas de administración de empresas (y para todos los buscadores de trabajo).

Eso requiere un nivel desusado de estar al tanto de uno mismo. La crisis económica global seguramente durará uno o dos años más, y carece de sentido estar esperando a que ocurra un milagro.

Tiene realmente solo tres opciones. Elija una y siga avanzando.

Pueden enviarles preguntas al correo electrónico a Winning@nytimes.com.

Jack y Suzy Welch /

Are MBAs the Problem?

We were seeking for a good article to share with you all and suddenly we found this interesting topic:

''Debating the MBA''Are business schools to blame for the current global recession? And if so, what can be done to fix them?

By Julia Kirby

It took only a few months, and now the search for culprits behind the current economic mess has arrived on campus. What caused the recession? America's business schools. As the New York Times points out, some of the most prominent poster children for the crisis and bailout are financial sector leaders who learned their management chops at top-ranked MBA programs. Naturally the question arises: just what are these people teaching?

As someone who's seen quite a lot of what business school professors focus on, I'm convinced that the curriculum is part of the solution, not the problem.
It still might be true that an MBA holder is more likely to focus too narrowly on investment returns--to the detriment of the greater good--than a non-MBA would. But it's not what they're learning that causes this, rather it's who they are. I say this in light of a concept that is familiar to educated managers: self-selection bias.

Why is it, after all, that aspiring managers choose to earn an MBA? Sure, they may deplore their current knowledge deficit, having gained skills in only one business function and industry.
But whether that's true or not, they've certainly figured out that the MBA offers an attractive return on investment. That payback can happen in different ways. The low-risk option is to enroll in a relatively inexpensive program on a part-time basis (especially when tuition reimbursement is available from one's employer). A higher risk, higher return option is to enroll in a top-ranked school, quit your job, move your family and pay maximum tuition for a chance to earn an elite degree.

You see where I'm headed. The type of person who has the appetite for this second kind of risk-reward equation--plus the brains to excel in a rigorous academic setting--is the same type that Wall Street firms have been so eager to hire. The financial sector hasn't valued people for what they learned in their top-tier business schools, but for the kind of intestinal fortitude that got them there, their willingness to make huge sacrifices, and the drive they have to attain that MBA, at nearly any cost.

That's suggests a correlation between the MBA and the financial sector meltdown, but not causation. So does that let top MBA programs off the hook? Not at all. As B-schools consider what to teach and how to teach it, they need to keep this self-selection bias in mind.
When building an MBA program, a great B-school used to ask: What does the average manager need to become a great manager? Now the B-school has to ask: What does the average manager who's motivated to enroll in a top-ranked MBA program need to become a great manager?

We would be pleased to know about your opinion about the issue in our blog...

Usa protector solar !!!

Esta frase no dice mucho. Es un consejo simplemente; pero los consejos tienen la virtud de poder ser aceptados o rechazados sin ningun problema. Porque para eso son. Eso lo aprendimos en Foro Europeo.

Este video nos aconseja eso: Usar portector solar!!!

Pero ademas de darnos este consejo tan evidente, nos da unas simples, pero grandes lecciones sobre la vida; y lo hace simplemente a traves de otros consejos, incluso mas obvios que este. No crean que por ser obvios van a ser faciles de aplicar; muchos de los que en el video se mencionan, son tan pasados por alto a diario, que cuesta mucho trabajo comenzar a aplicarlos.

Disfrutenlo cuando lo vean, pero les aseguramos que si lo ven completo una vez, lo veran dos y hasta tres.

Consejo Esencial Para Cualquier Equipo Directivo

Esta vez queremos compartirles unos videos del senor Jose Maria Cardona Labarga quien nos expone un seminario llamado ''Consejo Esencial Para Cualquier Equipo Directivo'' con el fin de obtener consejos de un experto para el desarrollo directivo.

Este es el link de una de las siete partes en que se divide su seminario.

Liderazgo y Magnament Practico 1- Consejo Directivo

Breve biografia del expositor:

Doctor Ingeniero del ICAI (Universidad Pontificia de Comillas), Graduado en Ciencias Empresariales ICADE (U.P.C.), ex-Profesor de Estructura Económica, de Contabilidad Financiera y de Estrategia Empresarial. Ha sido Jefe de Proyectos, Director de Fábrica, Director Financiero y Director General en distintas empresas.Hace 25 años creó su propia empresa consultora, en la que viene trabajando en Formación y Desarrollo de Comités de Dirección. Autor de 10 libros sobre distintos temas empresariales; en el último “Los 8 hábitos del Líder” resume su modelo sobre cómo gestionar la empresa para lograr resultados.

Tiene su propio plan de estudio sobre antropología de la función directiva y análisis de las actuales tendencias que gravitan sobre la empresa.

7 Tips for Difficult Conversations

I have to tell one of my long-standing suppliers that we're cutting back orders 50%. We're their biggest client -- and I know it will be devastating.

The new hire worked all night on the presentation, but there were big mistakes in it, and I've got to tell her before she makes them again.

There's no way we're going to meet the deadline for producing the report our boss promised the Board -- we just don't have the data yet. Someone has to talk to him before this whole situation blows up.

There are certain conversations all leaders dread: the ones in which we have to deliver bad news, discuss a sensitive or "political" subject, or talk about a project or meeting that's gone wrong.

The mere thought of having these difficult conversations fills you with anxiety, and distracts you from other work. You don't want to play the bad guy, and or have the situation to blow up in your face. As much as it's tempting, you don't want to just avoid the whole mess, either. You want to take charge and talk about it - effectively. But how?One of the best business books I've ever read is Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen. It's a short, practical guide on how to talk about "what matters most" -- even when the subject is really, really uncomfortable. In this crazy business environment, when you're having more difficult conversations than ever before, the tools the book offers are indispensible.

Here are some of my favorite, action-oriented tips:

1. 
   
   Keep your goals realistic. You can't ever eliminate the stress you'll feel around telling your supplier you're cutting back, but you can reduce it. Spend your energy on preparation - focus on developing your specific script.
   


2. 
   
   Give bad news upfront. Tough messages should be simply and clearly stated in the first sentence.


3. 
   
   Adopt the "And Stance". Take control of the conversation by pre-empting distractions, objections and blame by using "and". "I know you worked all night, and I know you want to do well, and I know you just joined the company, and I know the graphics people sometimes get the data wrong, and I know I could have been clearer in my directions to you...." And, and, and.


4. 
   
   Get out of the "blame frame." Each person involved in the situation has a different objective story about what happened. Your goal is not to judge who's right and wrong, it's to manage to better outcomes in the future.


5. 
   
   Paraphrase. To create clarity and to let people know you're genuinely listening, summarize what they're telling you -- and ask them to do the same.


6. 
   
   Be prepared for bad reactions. Finger-pointing, denial, arguments and tears are all possible outcomes of tough conversations. You cannot control the other person's reactions, but you can anticipate them, and be emotionally ready.


7. 
   
   Pretend it's 3 months or 10 years from now. Put the difficult conversation in perspective by thinking about the future. The conversations that are hardest right now will seem less daunting. What kind of difficult conversations are you grappling with - and how are you dealing with them successfully?

Videos de Interes

Saliéndonos un poco de lo académico, hemos decidido comenzar una búsqueda de material audiovisual adicional. Es simplemente una sugerencia sobre algunos videos que nos parecen interesantes para compartir con todos ustedes.

Estos dos videos consisten en un discurso que ofreció Steve Jobs (Steven Paul Jobs). Es cofundador, Chairman y CEO de Apple Inc., fue también CEO de Pixar Animation Studios, además de ser su principal accionista; fundo también Next. Esto es una pequeña reseña de quien es este señor, si quieren conocerlo mas, en Wikipedia encuentran una reseña mas detallada.

Steve Jobs 1º Parte Discurso con Subtítulos en Español

Steve Jobs 2º Parte Discurso con Subtítulos en Español

Yo sé, tu sabes, el sabe, nosotros sabemos ....

Navegando por internet, encontramos este artículo de Pablo Belly, que quisieramos compartir con ustedes...

... ¿ Y CON ESO QUE? El saber es un componente importante del conocimiento, pero quedarse con el saber y nada mas, no alcanza, hace falta un paso mas importante aún, y ese paso posterior es el que mas trasciende, el que mas se hace notar al hablar del conocimiento.

Saber como aplicar lo que uno sabe en la acción es lo mas difícil, quizás por este motivo muchas organizaciones no pueden capitalizar en el mercado los conocimientos que poseen los empleados. En la mayor parte de las organizaciones el "asunto" del aprendizaje se lo toma muy en serio, capacitación constante, aprendizaje continuo, aulas virtuales, e-learnning, etc y como si esto fuera poco cuando sale algún tema de management nuevo enseguida lo compran. BASTA DE GASTAR PLATA POR FAVOOOOOOOOOR !!!!!!!.Seguramente el lector no entiende mucho, lo mas probable es que su pensamiento sea a este idiota que le pasa?, por un lado escribe sobre la importancia de los conocimientos y ahora dice lo contrario. Puede ser cierto que sea un idiota, aun no le he demostrado lo contrario, no obstante permítame aclarar este punto.

Una cosa es el SABER QUE y otra cosa es el SABER COMO, con esto quiero decir que el capital intelectual no esta compuesto por el hecho que la empresa tenga bastos conocimientos teóricos sobre un tema especifico (saber que), sino que esta relacionado a la aplicación practica en el mercado de esos conocimientos (saber como).

Antes de tocar de lleno el ámbito de las empresas permítame dar un ejemplo con lo que sucede en los estudiantes universitarios, cuando se gradúan después de cuatro o cinco años de incorporar conocimientos teóricos, creen que son pocos, así que se meten a hacer un posgrado, luego de que pasan mas de dos años estudiando, al terminar se dan cuenta que aun no son suficientes y se embarcan en un master, donde invierten otros años mas, luego se deciden especializar y se embarcan en un doctorado, pero como no es suficiente la especialización, se recontraespecializan en un Phd, hasta que dicen: POR FIN TERMINE !!!! ahora me pongo a trabajar ..... ¿por donde empiezo?, ¿cómo lo hago?.

Coincido en que no puede haber un "saber como" si no hay un "saber que", es decir, no se puede poner en acción aquello que no sabemos o conocemos, pero seamos concretos y digamos que la mayor parte del "saber como" aplicar el conocimiento teorico es culpa en un 50% de la persona, por no ser proactiva y enfrentarse a los posibles fracasos frutos de la carencia de experiencia, y, el otro 50% es responsabilidad de la organización, tutor, institución o cualquier otro agente proveedor de conocimientos por no acompasar al sujeto del dicho al hecho.

Con que las organizaciones dejen de gastar tanta plata en la adquisición de conocimientos me refiero a que pongan el conocimiento en acción, o dicho en otras palabras, que no sea mucho ruido y pocas nueces, es decir que pasen del saber que al saber como.

Para dar este salto hace falta salir de la teoría y pasar al debate, algunas de los puntos detallados a continuación pueden resultar útiles para aquellas organizaciones dispuestas a poner acción, no solo a las palabras, sino a los hechos.

Dar libertad a los teóricos del conocimientos para que puedan demostrar en pequeños grupos la puesta en acción de los conocimientos teóricos. En Xerox, se invita a los clientes para observarlos como utilizan los productos permitiendo al equipo obtener importantes conocimientos relacionados al saber como mejorar la practicidad de la utilización. En Xerox saben que el cliente tiene la razón.

Crear lugares informales para bajar a tierra el "saber que". Considero que es cierto eso de que el hombre es un ser social por naturaleza, de manera que la sociabilizacion del conocimiento se potencia cuando hay lugares específicos dentro o fuera de la empresa donde las personas se juntan y deliran acerca de una idea, en apariencia, alocada. "Este es un espacio donde nos juntamos a charlar informalmente, hoy a la mañana nos juntamos a delirar sobre un proyecto que tenemos que presentar a un cliente" me decía una consultora de Microsoft mientras hacíamos un recorrido por la empresa. (AHHHH !!!, no se que paso con el proyecto éste, pero que se paso de la teoría a la practica estoy seguro).

Sea un apóstol del debate. Si el capital intelectual de la compañía aumenta en proporción directa a la aplicación practica del conocimiento, dé lugar a debatir nuevas ideas en lugar de censurarlas por miedo al fracaso o al rechazo. La historia nos muestra como numerosas personas han tenido que superar estos obstáculos, cuando Charles Darwin publico sus ideas sobre la evolución de las especies, se encontró con que sus colegas en las ciencias le mostraban mas oposición que las autoridades religiosas. Sus teorías desafiaban demasiadas mociones muy arraigadas. Jonas Salk tropezó con la misma piedra con sus radicales innovaciones en inmunologia, y algo similar le paso a Max Planck cuando revoluciono las ciencias físicas. Quizás en su empresa haya un Darwin, un Salk, o un Planck, no digo que le firme un cheque en blanco a los empleados, lo que le estoy diciendo con este párrafo es que brinde el espacio para que las personas pueden expresar el aspecto practico de su teoría, en síntesis, con esto de ser apóstol del debate se trata que los directivos de las empresas pasen de una actitud combativa a una actitud compasiva.

Centrarse en el concepto mas que en los detalles. La excesiva concentración en los detalles separa mucho mas la teoría de la practica, depende de la situación organizacional y el conocimiento teórico que se exponga, pero cuando empezamos a usar el reloj no sabíamos lo que había detrás del vidrio (la maquina), aun hoy muchos no sabemos como esta compuesta, pero sin embargo compramos un reloj porque compramos el concepto, saber la hora. Cuando las empresas se ponen a desarmar el reloj, y no es necesario hacerlo, lo que hacen es poner palos en la rueda a la puesta en practica de ese conocimiento teórico. Los mercados son hiper-veloces y el que no corre vuela, sea de los que vuelan y concéntrese en los conceptos al presentar o comprar un conocimiento teórico de manera que quede lugar para practica y error, practica y error, practica y error, practica y error, practica y error, practica y éxito.

Además de estos puntos, ideas, o como quiera llamarlos, para aumentar el capital intelectual las organizaciones o personas deben tener presentes que todo lo que se puede ver es lo que cuenta, así como el amor se demuestra en las acciones para con el ser amado, el conocimiento se evidencia y vale en la practica, no en la teoría.

Así que ponga el SABER QUE en acción y disfrute, porque el conocimiento es algo que no se gasta con el uso, por el contrario, aumenta el valor.

How to lead when you are not the Boss

by Christina Bielaszka-DuVernay


Real leadership is never a matter of mere formal authority. Leaders are effective when other people acknowledge them as such--by listening seriously to their ideas, valuing and following their suggestions for action, and turning to them for advice.

Opportunities to lead aren't limited to times when you have formal authority over a particular team or venture. When you step forward and demonstrate leadership, you will contribute value to the project or enterprise--and strengthen your leadership skills.

In their book Lateral Leadership: Getting Things Done When You're Not the Boss (2nd ed., Profile Books, 2004), Harvard negotiation specialist Roger Fisher and coauthor Alan Sharp lay out a useful five-step method for leading when you are not formally in charge. Its steps can be applied to virtually any project you're involved in or team or meeting you participate in.

1. Establish goalsPeople accomplish the most when they have a clear set of objectives. It follows that any group's first order of business is to write down exactly what it hopes to achieve. The person who asks the question "Can we start by clarifying our goals here?"--and who then assumes the lead in discussing and drafting those goals--is automatically taking a leadership role, whatever his or her position.



2. Think systematically Observe your next meeting: people typically plunge right into the topic at hand and start arguing over what to do. Effective leaders, by contrast, learn to think systematically--that is, they gather and lay out the necessary data, analyze the causes of the situation, and propose actions based on this analysis. In a group, leaders help keep participants focused by asking appropriate questions. Do we have the information we need to analyze this situation? Can we focus on figuring out the causes of the problem we're trying to solve?


3. Learn from experience--while it's happeningTeams often plow ahead on a project, then conduct a review at the end to figure out what they learned. But it's more effective for teams (or individuals) to learn as they go along.
Anyone who prompts the group to engage in regular minireviews and learn from them is playing a de facto leadership role. Why is this ongoing process more effective than an after-action review? The events are fresh in everyone's mind. And the team can use what they learn from each minireview to make needed adjustments to their work processes or their goals.


4. Engage othersA high-performing team engages the efforts of every member, and effective team leaders seek out the best fit possible between members' interests and the tasks that need doing. Suggest writing down a list of chores and matching them up with individuals or subgroups. If no one wants a particular task, brainstorm ways to make that task more interesting or challenging. Help draw out the group's quieter members so that everyone feels a part of the overall project.


5. Provide feedbackIf you're not the boss, what kind of feedback can you provide? One thing that's always valued is simple appreciation--"I thought you did a great job in there." Sometimes, too, you'll be in a position to help people improve their performance through coaching. Effective coaches ask a lot of questions: "How did you feel you did on this part of the project?" They recognize that people may try hard and fail anyway: "What made it hard to accomplish your part of the task?" They offer thoughtful suggestions for improvement, being careful to explain the observation and reasoning that lie behind them.

Video: Paul Krugman on the Economy at HBS

Paul Krugman - economics professor at Princeton, New York Times columnist, and now the winner of the Nobel Prize in economics -- visited Harvard Business Review's offices on February 9th.

Krugman is also an HBR author. Of particular note is his 1996 article, A Country Is Not a Company (free until March 13), which carefully outlines the significant distinction between skill at running a business and skill at understanding the economy.

Krugman came to the HBR offices to talk about his new book, The Return of Depression Economics, and the economy in general.

In the video clips below, Krugman offers opinions on why the stimulus package is not big enough (and why it needs to be bigger); who bears the most blame for the economic crisis; what he thinks of Henry "Hank" Paulson's performance; and what a "Krugman Plan" might look like.

Why the stimulus package needs to be bigger if it's going to work.

Next videos at : http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/hbreditors/2009/02/video_paul_krugman_on_the_econ.html

Propuesta solucion a la crisis: aplicar la Teoria de la FRUGALIDAD

Se que si ingresaste al blog, fue porque eres una persona inquieta, que no se queda con leer algo que no este argumentado, cosa que me satisface. Ahora bien, aunque la palabra FRUGAL es sinonimo de mesura (por ejemplo, medirse en gastos), la teoria de la frugalidad es todo lo contrario, pues esta lo que dice es que en tiempos de crisis lo que se debe es aumentar el consumo, pero aun te debes seguir preguntando, por que??

Simple, veamoslo al reves:

si la gente no consume, significa que las empresas no venden
si las empresas no venden, no perciben ni ingresos y mucho menos ganacias
si las empresas no perciben ingresos, deben despedir o cargarse al personal
si despiden al personal, se traduce en PARO o desempleo.

Ahora veamoslo al derecho:

Si la gente consume, las empresas venden
si las empresas venden, perciben ingresos y ganancias
si las empresas perciben ingresos y ganancias, NO despiden ni se cargan a la gente
si las empresas no despiden a la gente, NO HAY PARO o desempleo.


Ahora... espero que con lo anterior haya resuelto tu curiosidad.



Hasta la proxima...

"Head in, hands on": Ram Charan on How to Lead Now

by Christina Bielaszka-DuVernay


Renowned business adviser Ram Charan's latest book is Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty: The New Rules for Getting the Right Things Done in Difficult Times (McGraw-Hill, 2008). He recently spoke with Christina Bielaszka-DuVernay, a HarvardBusiness.org editor, about the challenges — and opportunities — this downturn presents to companies and their leaders. In this edited record of their conversation, Charan gives leaders at all levels advice on guiding their organizations and people through this crisis and coming out stronger on the other side.

CBD: What's most important for leaders — not just CEOs and senior executives but leaders throughout the ranks — to focus on right now?

RC: In these times more than other times, first and foremost is demonstrating personal integrity and maintaining your personal credibility. They are so important in tough times, yet many leaders lose their integrity and destroy their credibility by giving into the temptation to cut corners when they have to do unpleasant tasks like downsizing. For example, a business-unit head, instead of being transparent about why he needs to cut 10 jobs, gives a partial truth or makes an excuse. That's a way of cutting corners, and it's destructive. In the Google era, people will find out the truth and that leader will lose credibility, making his job even more difficult.


Tell people the truth. Gather information — from customers, from your customer-facing employees, from sources outside the firm. Talk to employees throughout the company; listen to their viewpoints and engage them. When you have a firm picture of reality, share it. Tell people the reality — if the company doesn't take action now and cut some jobs, even more good people will lose jobs later. In this environment, the entire company could fail as a result of a leader failing to make hard decisions when they're needed.


If you have to make layoffs, make them in a fair, open way. Be frank; explain what's happening on the outside and why layoffs are necessary to protect good people and good jobs.


Authenticity is always important but now it's absolutely critical. Leaders, wherever they sit in the organization, have to demonstrate rock-solid integrity, honesty, and the ability to confront reality. The way to inspire courage and optimism in your employees is by mapping a credible path forward. If you soft-pedal bad news, they won't trust you. Worse, they'll miss the urgency of the situation and won't follow you.


In your book you advise leaders to practice "management intensity." What is this and why is it so important now?


I define management intensity as a deep immersion in the business's operational details and the day-to-day competitive climate the business is facing, along with hands-on involvement and follow-through.


It's so important now because of the accelerating speed at which things are changing. Surviving a volatile environment requires frequent operational adjustments. You hear every day about new layoffs and downward projections. Keeping up with news like that and tracking its effects is crucial, because a cut today will initiate cuts elsewhere tomorrow. It's not enough to sit in your office and read reports and issue directives. You've got to know what's happening daily, and adjust plans and processes accordingly.


Big-picture strategic thinking is still important, but it must take a back seat to this operational immersion — leaders need to be involved and visible, and communicating all the time. As I explain in the book, your guiding principle should be this: Head in, hands on. Only in this way will you be able to anticipate what's coming next and respond quickly and appropriately.
Does management intensity place a greater emphasis on execution than what's called for in more flush times?


Yes — management intensity calls for a sharper and more frequent focus on execution. The DuPont story I tell in my book is a good example of what I mean. When Chad Holliday [then DuPont's CEO; now its chairman] determined that the global banking crisis had spread beyond the financial sector and could seriously affect his company, he called a meeting of DuPont's crisis teams. Over four days, they put together a plan to deal with the growing economic downturn. Conserving cash was the top priority.


Within two weeks, every one of DuPont's 60,000 employees had had a face-to-face meeting with a manager who explained the plan for keeping DuPont viable. Each employee was asked to name three things he could do immediately to save money and conserve cash. Then a few days later, the company polled employees to assess their understanding of the crisis, their psychological response to it, and their follow-through on conserving cash.


After this first round of communication with DuPont employees, you report in your book, Holliday had the sense that people hadn't grasped the urgency of the situation. You quote him as saying that "maybe we were too good at giving [employees] the reassurance and confidence that we could come through this." What balance should leaders strike right now between realism and optimism?


Realism is not negotiable. It's absolutely essential to anyone who leads. You need to have a clear picture of how bad things are and how bad things could get, then put that reality in front of people.


Realism also includes determining under what conditions the business will improve, and communicating those scenarios. That's optimism grounded in solid realism.
People through the centuries have gone through some very difficult times. Those who succeeded despite challenging conditions did so because they were tough and tenacious. You have tough and tenacious people working for you; engage them by putting the hard issues right in front of them. They will be motivated to overcome the challenges.


Isn't there a danger that people will become demoralized by the enormity of the challenges? How does a leader prevent that from happening?


Give them the problems in bite sizes. Put a challenge in front of them that's specific and concrete enough to deal with. For instance, if your competitor has a 20% win ratio, challenge them to get 30%. Even though the total market is declining, even though your company's revenues will be smaller, you and your employees still have a chance to compete and to beat somebody.
These are anxious times. How should leaders manage their own emotions?


Actually, in a crisis most leaders tend to be too optimistic rather than the contrary. They overestimate how well their company will fare because they want to believe everything will turn out well. This misplaced optimism allows them to think that they don't have to make painful decisions or take drastic action.


To guard against this, I advise all leaders to map out worst-case scenarios. If you deliberately plan for the worst, you'll probably encounter something less dire and come out ahead when it's all over.


In your book you say that surviving this downturn requires intense coordination across the company. What can the CEO do to pull down silos and foster companywide coordination? What can midlevel leaders do?


Any leader at any level can figure out what key decisions must be made and what coordination is required to implement them. Say your unit aims to launch a new product by July. You know what decisions you will have to make around that goal. So move swiftly to get the best information you can, then make the best decisions you can.You know there will be three or four silos involved. Check in with people from those areas frequently, asking questions and exploring issues with an open, informal tone. Remind them of your shared purpose: to win with customers. Human beings like to win, and in companies, no one wins alone.


It might help to think that the situation you and your colleagues face is akin to a basketball game. Players make judgments constantly about the game as it's in progress, instinctively passing the ball to a teammate to counter the defense, without worrying about who's going to get the credit. Basketball is a sport of speed, flexibility, and synchronization. The same qualities are demanded of cross-functional teams in this recession. What department or function teammates come from doesn't matter; what matters is that they're united against the competition.
You teach a class at Wharton for high potentials. What's your advice to high potentials in this downturn?


If you're a high potential, act like one and keep building your capabilities; this recession doesn't have to slow you down. In fact, it offers you opportunities that normal times don't. Wherever you work, it's likely that there is a shortage of really talented, motivated people with the flexibility and resilience to weather these tough times. So step forward and get noticed. Get on cross-functional teams. Learn and lead. Build social networks. Set benchmarks for yourself — use the next two years to double your capacity and triple your capabilities.
What will the best companies do during this recession?


They'll get ahead the curve and conserve their cash. They'll take out frills and focus on the core. And then they'll think of how the market will have changed in two or three years and what innovation they will need to have done to compete successfully, and they'll do that innovation now.

Four Ways to Improve Your Team's Performance

Wednesday February 11, 2009 by Daisy Wademan Dowling -Harvard Business Publishing-

Face it: 2009 is going to be your toughest year yet. Budgets are lower, expectations are higher, and you're under pressure to deliver the goods -- no mistakes or hiccups allowed. That's a tall order even if you've got a seasoned team of highly motivated A+ performers.

But what if you don't? What if, like most managers, you're dealing with a strong but not stellar group, players of varying drive and skill, and a severely limited ability to bring in fresh talent? A recent New York Times article demonstrates how the right approach to coaching your team can let you achieve spectacular performance -- no matter what the environment.

The article describes Tom Donnelly, the men's track and field coach for the past 34 years at Haverford College, a Quaker school with fewer than 1,200 students. Despite the school's tiny enrollment, noncompetitive philosophy, and lack of athletic scholarships, Donnelly has managed to produce 113 All-Americans and 24 individual N.C.A.A. champions -- a jaw-dropping record for a school of any size or budget. He's also sent runners to each of the past four Olympic trials, and won more "Coach of the Year" awards than anyone can seem to count. (His team boasts the highest average GPA of any Division III track team, too.) Donnelly's superb, sustained results are the kind every manager dreams of.

And according to the Coach himself, they're the kind of results any manager can shoot for -- and attain. The secrets to getting your team out front, he says, are as follows:

1. Spend as much time with the slowest runner as with the fastest. To improve a team's performance, focus on its weakest members. As long as a team member is working hard, he or she deserves your attentive, careful coaching.

2. Take away performance pressure by adding perspective -- and fun. Donnelly's pep talks are laced with trivia, history, and jokes. He readily acknowledges that running track is not the only important thing in his athletes' lives. "All you have to do" he says, "is try your very best. Then you cannot lose."

3. Accept inevitable setbacks -- and move past them quickly. The times when other teams win? Donnelly and his runners spend no time sulking or pointing fingers. "We acknowledge the other team's accomplishment and we recover."

4. Let the team's performance be its own reward. The team's trophies and award certificates go up in Donnelly's office. His own coaching awards go in the trash. They get in the way, Donnelly claims, of doing his job -- teaching other people how to succeed.

Imagine your workplace being managed by Coach Donnelly. Sound like one where you would be motivated, even in this awful year, to achieve? (Me too.)

Now imagine being Coach Donnelly -- and watching your runners lap the field.

What other ideas do you have for spurring your team's performance in this challenging economy?

Are You a Good Leader?

You will be if you draw on key ethical principles. Here's how to do it, whether you're a CEO, a banker, an entrepreneur, or anyone else in business

By Bruce Weinstein, PhD

"Never underestimate the other guy's greed." This isn't just a classic line from the 1983 Brian De Palma film, Scarface (written by Oliver Stone). It also reflects the attitude that has caused the economic disaster we're now clawing ourselves out of.

Isn't it time for a new way of thinking?

I propose the following leadership guidelines for C-level executives, investment bankers, entrepreneurs, and everyone else whose decisions can affect the financial well being of other people.

1. WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GANDER IS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE.

At a time when companies are slashing their labor forces and freezing salary increases, and when some employees are being asked to take lower-paying positions, it is deeply unethical for leaders to retain their sky-high compensation and to expect enormous bonuses. They should follow the example of Michael Kneeland, CEO of United Rentals, who recently asked for, and was given, a 20% pay cut. Let's hear more reports like this one.

2. KNOW YOUR PRODUCT.

According to a recent three-part story in The Wall Street Journal, the willingness of investors to buy and sell financial products whose complexity they didn't fully understand was one of the primary catalysts of the bust. From our current sober perspective, it seems unbelievable that self-identified experts could be involved in transactions with so much at stake and at the same time be ignorant about exactly what it is they were buying or selling, but this is what happened, and on a grand scale, no less.

Because money was being made in these deals, no one thought to question what was going on or had the strength of character to speak up about any suspicions. However, knowing your product isn't a nicety of doing business. It is an ethical obligation—to your company, your clients, and yourself.

3. WINNING (AT ALL COSTS) IS FOR LOSERS.

Most of us were taught that we should treat people the way we'd like to be treated ourselves. However, too many business leaders have failed to take this seriously. Instead, the guideline seems to be, "Get all you can by any means necessary." Look at credit-card companies that charge exorbitant interest rates, changing customers' fees without telling them why. These companies defend such practices on the grounds that they will lose their competitive edge if they don't play hardball.

This kind of leadership is shortsighted, unfair, and ultimately bad for business, since the consequences will be more federal regulation and oversight. Good leaders know that if they don't regulate their businesses themselves, someone else will.

4. TELL THE TRUTH.

A leader has an ethical obligation to be honest with stakeholders about issues that directly concern them. One of these issues is the leader's own health. Consider the recent 10% drop in Apple stock after CEO Steve Jobs announced that he was taking a five-month medical leave of absence. Because Jobs battled pancreatic cancer several years ago, there was speculation that his cancer had returned, even though Jobs had announced earlier that he was merely suffering from a "hormone imbalance." While stockholders may have punished Jobs for his announcement, he did the right thing in saying he was taking a leave for medical reasons. There is no shame in being ill, and true leadership involves being forthcoming about one's illness—and anything else that can affect the flourishing of the organization.

5. PREVENT HARM.

When you can reasonably foresee that a decision is likely to hurt people and you make that decision anyway, you're being both irresponsible and stupid. For example, subprime mortgage lenders and brokers who lend money to people likely to default are enriching themselves at the expense of the rest of us, since the federal government may be called upon for financial rescue.

What such predators don't realize is that in the long run, their practices will come back to haunt them in the form of bankruptcy filings, bad PR, and perhaps even prison time for the worst offenders. The good leader recognizes that preventing harm to clients and company alike is both an ethical responsibility and a wise business policy.

6. DON'T EXPLOIT.

It is easy to take advantage of a situation for financial gain, but doing so isn't consistent with good leadership. After Hurricane Ike hit last year, the wholesale price of gasoline shot up, which was nothing more than price gouging.

In the short run, companies that exploited a natural tragedy may have profited financially, but the long-term negative consequences are real and significant: In New York State, for example, more than a dozen companies were fined more than $60,000 for unfair business practices following Hurricane Katrina. Of course, the reason to do the right thing is simply because it is the right thing to do. But it is also true that taking the low road can be harmful professionally and personally.

7. DON'T MAKE PROMISES YOU CAN'T KEEP.…..

…and keep the promises you make. There are rare circumstances in which we not only have a right but an ethical obligation to break a promise, but generally speaking, we have a strong duty to be true to our word. This is, after all, one of the primary ways that we show our respect to people. Recall that last March, Dr Pepper said it would give out free cans of soda to "everyone in America" if Chinese Democracy, the long-overdue album from Guns 'n' Roses, came out by the end of the year. When Axl Rose surprised the music world by releasing the album in November, the beverage company was unable to deliver a soft drinksto everyone who wanted one (Whether it's ethical for a band that has only one of its original members to call itself "Guns 'n' Roses" is another matter.) Good leaders are careful to make only those promises they are likely to keep and keep the promises they do make. When they are unable to keep those promises, they own up to it, which brings us to the next rule of good leadership:

8. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR MISTAKES.

Transparency and accountability should be the new buzzwords. This means, in part, that business leaders who make mistakes should apologize to those they have let down and do whatever is necessary to make amends. In the wake of the toy industry's lead-paint scare in 2007, Mattel CEO Robert Eckert took the high road and told a Senate subcommittee that the company failed "by not closely overseeing subcontractors in China whose toys didn't meet U.S. safety standards," and that Mattel was working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to ensure that these products would be safer. It must have been extraordinarily difficult for Eckert to apologize publicly, but by finding the courage to do so, he demonstrated ethical leadership.

9. PEOPLE, NOT PROFITS.

We often recite—incorrectly—President Calvin Coolidge's statement, "The business of America is business." (What he actually said was, "The chief business of the American people is business.") But far more important is what followed that statement: "Of course the accumulation of wealth cannot be justified as the chief end of existence." Coolidge's policies are often blamed for bringing about the Great Depression, but if enough people had heeded the latter statement, perhaps our history would have been different. Money has no intrinsic value; it is good only for what it can get us. For the good leader, this means that the ultimate goal in business—and life—is not hoarding riches but making things better for all, especially the neediest.

10. BE KIND, NOT KING.

The relentless quest to be No.1 can blind us to what's really valuable in life: being a decent human being. Yes, good leaders are enthusiastically devoted to accomplishing their mission, but this pursuit cannot be at the expense of the well being of others. For example, leaders with the unenviable task of letting people go will avoid taking the easy way out . No one likes being the bearer of bad news, but the good leader does so with the dignity that leadership of the highest order demands.

BONUS RULE: YOU ARE NOT YOUR CAREER.

It's admirable to be passionate about your job, but passion can easily become obsession, and that's where the danger starts. When your life's work becomes your life, it is time to take a step back and reevaluate your priorities. I've already shown why you ought to take vacations and stay home when you're sick. More critical than either of these is recognizing what's really important in life—and it's not your career, no matter how satisfying that may be. Good leaders not only make room for family, friends, and spirituality; they know these are the things that truly make life worth living.

It should be obvious by now that the above rules apply not just to those in the financial sector but to everyone else, too. They are, after all, based on the five fundamental principles of ethics: Do No Harm, Make Things Better, Respect Others, Be Fair , and Be Loving. As Peter Drucker pointed out, it is not enough to do things right; we must also do the right things. The good leader today is concerned not only with getting from A to B, but with deciding whether B is worth getting to in the first place.

Bruce Weinstein, Ph.D. is the corporate consultant and public speaker known as The Ethics Guy. He has appeared on "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," "Anderson Cooper 360," "American Morning," and many other national television shows. His column, "The Ethics Guy," appears every other week on businessweek.com/managing/.

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The ROI on the MBA

This document could be interesting, to whom is looking abut the possible outcomes from doing a MBA, this is know as ROI on the MBA.

The Master of Business Administration: Is the MBA Worth the Time, Effort, and Cost?

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Are you a job-seeker who is looking for more responsibility and pay, seeking more leverage in obtaining a work/life balance, or contemplating a move into management -- and are considering returning to school to get your MBA? Or perhaps a job-seeker exploring changing careers by going back to school for your MBA? Or perhaps a consultant looking to add a credential to your dossier. Or perhaps a college junior or senior contemplating going straight through and obtaining your MBA right after your undergraduate degree?

Regardless of your reasons, if you are contemplating attending graduate school to obtain your MBA, you should read this article before you make your final decision. This article will take you through all the important issues you need to contemplate before making your decision of whether -- and when -- to obtain your MBA.

What is an MBA? It's a Master of Business Administration degree, granted after one to two years of graduate-level university study that provides training in the theory and practice of business management. The MBA is basically a document that certifies that you have a general competency in all the major functional management roles you'll find in the modern corporation. An MBA is a career accelerator across a number of industries and MBA graduates can usually command higher salaries.

Ideal Time to Get MBA

When is the best time to enroll in an MBA program? The obvious answer is to enroll at a point in your career when the MBA is necessary to take your career to the next level, but the choice is never that simple.

For the college undergrad, the biggest question you need to ask yourself is why -- why are you interested in going straight through and getting your MBA right after your bachelor's degree? The top-ranked programs will not even admit you if you don't have at least several years of experience, and a freshly minted MBA with little or no job experience is often in a much tougher job hunt than a recent college grad with little or no job experience.

For the job-seeker, the question about getting your MBA involves how as much as when. Will you keep working while earning your MBA in a part-time program or do you have the financial resources to quit your job and return to school full-time? Will your current employer help finance your MBA? Do you need the MBA as part of a career change -- and if so, how are you going to do it?

Finally, there is the question of the economy. Some people think it's a good hedge to get an MBA during an economic slowdown -- a safe haven -- rather than face the tough job market; however, when the economy is bad, even having an MBA is no guarantee of obtaining a lucrative job offer. The best advice? Talk to recruiters and MBA career placement counselors -- and read the current trends in magazines such as Business Week, Success, U.S. News and World Report.
MBA Enrollment Trends

The number of MBA degrees conferred annually has seen explosive growth over the last few decades, going from under 5,000 MBAs in 1960 to more than 100,000 MBAs in 2000. Enrollment is also influenced by the economy, and as the economy turns toward a downturn, both recent grads and displaced workers head back to earn their MBAs.
Because of the growing number of graduate business programs that confer more and more MBA degrees, the degree itself is not as special or highly-valued as in the past. An MBA alone will not be the magic key to the door of career and job-hunting success.

Types of MBA

One of the questions you'll need to answer is whether you are interested in a general MBA, which is often shorter in duration, or a specialized MBA, which may take longer but make you more marketable.

Regardless of the type of MBA, the core topics you'll encounter include:
· Accounting
· Quantitative analysis
· Economics
· Marketing
· Organizational behavior

Specialized MBAs offer more advanced study in a particular area of business (such as marketing) or a particular industry (such as higher education).

Finally, you'll need to determine the value of the "name" of the program you are considering. If you are searching for a big push that fast tracks your career, snagging an MBA from one of the top schools in the country may be the ticket. But, if you're looking to simply get ahead and move your careers along, don't discount the many MBA programs that are unranked but that offer you the degree and value you need. (See the link for Business Week, below, which is one of several organizations that rank MBA programs.)

MBA Costs -- and Returns

According to one salary guide, an MBA is worth about $10-30,000 a year over a bachelor's degree, but the salary increase you could see may be much less -- or much more. Factors that can affect your salary include:

whether you stay with your current employer or seek a job with a new employer.
the amount of relevant experience you have for the job you are seeking.
the reputation of the graduate school you attended.
the type of job you are seeking -- and the level of supply/demand for workers.
the industries where you are seeking a job.
the location of the jobs you are seeking.

But don't forget to factor in the costs as well, with the average cost of graduate study leading to an MBA at about $40,000. Tuition and expenses add up to about $54,000 per nine-month academic year (resulting in an investment of more than $100,000 for the full-time two-year MBA) at Wake Forest University, one of the premier MBA programs. You'll find tuition closer to $12,000 at lesser known programs with generic MBA degrees.

What an MBA Can Do for Your Career

If you're looking for the MBA to help you get into the executive suite, it may be just the ticket you need. According to a study by Accountemps, a global temporary staffing service for accounting and finance professionals, 80 percent of executives responding to the survey said that a graduate degree in business is still important to reach senior management ranks within most companies.

For additional information about our programs at Navarra Business School go to http://www.foroeuropeo.com/

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