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Articles by Ronald B. Pickett

Political Science - Part 1

by Ronald B. Pickett
Organizational politics involves trades, exchanges of favors, relationships, reprisals, obstructionism and coalition-building. This sometimes goes beyond the normal process of getting the job done and the normal interchanges with peers and colleagues.

Beyond Customer Service

by Ronald B. Pickett
We are all experts in customer service; after all, we are customers every day of our lives. Furthermore, as department managers, we need to ensure that our phones are answered quickly and courteously, that our clients and potential customers have short wait times and are treated with care and respect, that our customers receive accurate and timely results, and that we conduct periodic surveys to ensure that our high standards are maintained.

Talk the Talk

by Ronald B. Pickett
Communication problems are all around us–two people talking about two completely different things and thinking they are communicating. People not paying attention to what the other person is saying–simply buying time to say what they want to say. Here are some tips on how to communicate effectively.

What Would Steve Jobs Do?

by Ronald B. Pickett
“Steve Jobs, technologist and tastemaker of modern digital culture, described himself as a captain of product design inspiring his teams of workers, as he once said, to go ‘beyond what anyone thought possible’ and to do ‘some great work, really great work that will go down in history.’”

The Psychobarbarian Manager

by Ronald B. Pickett
There are managers who have learned to use psychological techniques to confuse, contort, and control members of their staff. You may never encounter one of these characters, if you are lucky. However, if you do run into such an unpleasant character, here are some tips on how to survive.

The Five Keys to Systems Thinking

by Ronald B. Pickett
Structure drives behavior. The way your organization is structured—flat, crossfunctional, hierarchical or “siloed”—will drive the way your staff behaves. Think operationally, not correlationally.....