What I’m about to say is abundantly self-serving and even somewhat arrogant on the surface, but hear me out: you should hire PhDs. Several articles have been written recently outlining some positives of hiring PhD consultants — access to institutional knowledge, increased ability to incorporate the latest researched perspectives, and bolstering an organization’s professional reputation. … Read More
Non-Toxic High-Performers — An Organization’s Biggest Assets
In the 90s I listened to The Ticket, a high-performing sports radio station, almost every day. When anyone called in, the first words out of their mouth was their affiliation. In keeping with that tradition, my affiliation is the Green Bay Packers. Since my youth, I have been a fan and remember Superbowl Packers starring … Read More
Your Mental Model Influences How You Handle Change, Uncertainty – and Your Job Performance
The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “Change is the only constant in life.” Due to innovation and disruptions caused by technology, some have gone so far as to say the pace of change is accelerating. Whether constant or accelerating, change leads to uncertainty, and uncertainty can feel, pardon the clinical jargon, “icky.” Uncertainty produces anxiety, … Read More
Five Mental Obstacles to Overcome in Your Audience to Drive Change (Applies to Vaccine Hesitancy Too)
On May 19, 2021, New York lifted its mask mandate, with more than 60% of adults receiving their vaccination. Considering the apparent success and abundant supply, why are 30 to 40% of adults still unvaccinated? At Psynet Group, we believe elected officials could borrow some of the techniques from influential leaders to convince the hesitant … Read More
Selecting the Right Organizational Consulting Partner
Years ago, as a senior consultant in a blue chip consultancy, I witnessed one of the most revealing conversations between my firm’s senior partner and our client, the SVP of HR for a high profile aerospace manufacturer. My firm was billing the client roughly $11M a year. The client was in complete disarray, with a … Read More
Transactional vs. Relational Leadership – Which is Best?
Fans of the multiple Emmy award-winning television series The West Wing enjoy a deep and accurate insight into the dynamics and impact of different leadership styles. At one moment the fictitious President Bartlett will be building common ground and consensus with foreign or domestic leaders — the next moment he and his staff will be … Read More
The Triple Threat
For over forty years the NFL single-season scoring record was held by a triple-threat player, Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Paul Hornung. Hornung set a record of 176 points in 1960 by scoring fifteen touchdowns, kicking forty-one extra points, and also kicking fifteen field goals. Green Bay’s opponents feared Hornung, and for good reason. … Read More
Will Your Response to the 2020 Crisis Fail?
While on a scrum call, one of our sales people posed this question: Does the 50-70% failure rate of change programs reported by McKinsey apply to change efforts in response to the pandemic? Although it may be too early to tell if the failure rate will be similar, we did a little deductive reasoning to … Read More
Leadership Development: Beyond the Pandemic – What are Your High Potential Talent Really Thinking?
Interviews over the past three months with senior HR managers and corporate leaders about their experience with the pandemic so far have revealed some surprising insights. Not just about the benefits (and challenges) of working from home, but also about how employees’ attitudes and motivation have changed. One high potential leader we recently interviewed remarked … Read More