The Next Organization

Leadership in Crisis: Ben Bernanke's CBS Interview

Controversial may his decisions be, I still think Bernanke sets a great example of leadership. Having probably the toughest job in the world, in the face of great uncertainty and unfavorable public opinion, he led a series of bold actions, without an eye blink.

Part 1:

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Part 2:

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How to manage (and lead) mavericks

One of my mentors, Dr. Viet Nguyen, once said: "People are born different. One may be like a hammer, another like a scissors. Don't use a hammer to cut paper then blame it's bad. Similarly, don't use a scissors to hit a nail then blame it's bad, too." Managers, however often have problem with mavericks, by definition "nonconformists". Very often, managers blame that mavericks don't fit with any "normal" plan. I somehow attribute this frustration to the managers' lack of diversity management skills. Like in my quote before, they try to use the hammer to cut paper.

Managing mavericks is quite an experience. Leading them without power is much more challenging. In my early management career, I once had a maverick in my team, so decided to check Mary K. Pratt's tips in her "Managing Mavericks" article immediately.