Heart of Management

Tag: General

  • “Your Best Candidate? Might Not Even Make It Past the Filters.”

    It always starts the same way.

    You sit down with HR.

    Open the spreadsheet.

    Go through the checklist:

    Degree. Experience. Background.

    Olympic-level Excel skills.

    You tick boxes.

    Cross off names.

    Tighten the filters.

    And you’re left with five.

    Five candidates who all look…

    basically the same.

    Same language.

    Same path.

    Same boundaries.

    And then comes the frustration:

    “There’s no excellence here. No spark.”

    But really—what did you expect?

    You wrote a spec for a robot.

    And you’re surprised Einstein didn’t show up?

    I’ve seen this play out time and time again:

    A massive pool of fresh grads—hungry, talented, lacking only experience.

    Another of older professionals—even retirees—with a lifetime of knowledge.

    And they all have one thing in common:

    The system filters them out.

    Not because they’re not good.

    But because they don’t fit the fine print.

    My turning point?

    I once pushed for a candidate who didn’t meet a single formal requirement.

    But something about him stood out.

    When they asked:

    “Why are you insisting on him?”

    I said:

    “Because I’m not hiring a checklist.

    I’m hiring a human being.”

    Since then, I’ve been drawn to people who don’t fit neatly into boxes:

    • The ones who haven’t done it—yet—but clearly can.

    • The ones who don’t look like everyone else, but see further.

    • The ones who’ll challenge me, not just blend in.

    So here’s the agenda:

    If you truly want excellence—

    don’t be afraid to go off-spec.

    Because the best people weren’t born ISO-compliant.

    They were born with a spark.

    And with a bit of courage,

    you can be the one who gives it space to catch fire.

  • The Dishwasher Was Empty.

    But She Was Still Standing There.

    I was proud of myself.

    The dishwasher was empty.

    Dishes were clean. Counters wiped down.

    Just like in the commercials.

    Then my wife walked in.

    She looked around.

    Said nothing.

    Just stood there, hands on hips, eyebrows raised.

    You know the look.

    I smiled like a hero and said,

    “All done!”

    She didn’t smile back.

    She just tilted her chin toward the counter:

    “What about that?”

    And yeah…

    The counter did look like someone made a tuna sandwich in the dark.

    But in my head?

    Not my problem.

    I had a task: dishwasher.

    Mission accomplished.

    Then she hit me with this:

    “You’re not taking a math test.

    It’s not about what was assigned.

    It’s about seeing the whole picture.”

    Boom.

    Right there, holding a dish towel in one hand and a coffee cup in the other,

    I saw it all.

    My team.

    My coworkers.

    The familiar phrases:

    “That’s not my responsibility.”

    “I did my part.”

    “No one told me…”

    And it hit me

    That’s the difference between an employee and a leader.

    Employees wait for assignments.

    Leaders notice what’s needed.

    Sure, the dishwasher was empty.

    But my brain?

    It was full.

    Because I finally understood:

    It doesn’t matter how well you executed your task

    if you missed the bigger picture.

    Since that day at home and at work

    I stopped asking “What was I told to do?”

    And started asking:

    “What’s really needed right now?”

    Ever had one of those moments where you were so focused on the task,

    you forgot to look up and see the full picture?

  • After You Settle Into the New Role

    The phone calls slow down.

    Meetings fall into place.

    You even manage to get home before dark some days.

    And then it hits you:

    The silence.

    But not the peaceful kind.

    Not the “Nice, everything’s under control” kind.

    It’s the kind of quiet where you can hear the assistant closing a drawer at the end of the hallway.

    That silence reminds you of one thing:

    No one’s coming to say,

    “Wow, you make this look effortless—ready for your next big challenge?”

    That’s the moment you realize:

    The climb is over…

    But you’re not sure what the next mountain is.

    And that’s where people split into two groups:

    Those who map out their next move.

    And those who keep walking in circles at the top.

    Been there?

    Everything’s working. No drama. No noise.

    You feel like you’re in motion but is it forward? Or just around in circles?

    This is the most important moment:

    Don’t be fooled by the quiet.

    Don’t fall in love with the comfort.

    Because if you’re not asking “What’s next?”

    Someone else might decide it for you.

    So tell me

    Have you already set your sights on the next peak?

    Or are you just circling the one you’ve already conquered?

  • Quick change? That only works in a microwave.

    Consultants flew in from overseas.

    Slick slides.

    A big vision.

    A one-year plan and voilà! Operational excellence.

    Sounds impressive, right?

    But then I looked around.

    My people were barely keeping up with the day-to-day.

    Line breakdowns.

    Customers pushing hard on the phone.

    Marketing pushing discounts.

    Sales making promises we couldn’t deliver on.

    And in the middle of all that?

    Learn a whole new system?

    Change the entire workflow?

    Achieve excellence?

    I told myself:

    “They saw the plan.

    I see the people.”

    And I really saw them.

    Running from meeting to email,

    Exhausted. Confused. Stressed.

    Going through the motions of change just trying to survive the day.

    So I did something no management book teaches.

    I opened the contract.

    I scaled back the consulting.

    And I extended the timeline by a year and a half.

    Yes, a year and a half.

    Because real change doesn’t happen under pressure.

    There are no magic tricks.

    You can’t buy it in a deck of slides.

    Real change happens

    when the pace matches the heartbeat of your organization.

    Ever tried to push a change too fast

    and the system just spit it back out?

  • My best hire didn’t check a single box.

    It all started with a conversation at an event.

    I ran into someone I know who said:

    “There’s someone you have to interview.”

    I asked, “What’s his background?”

    He said, “Humanities.”

    (At that point, I had to stop myself from raising an eyebrow.)

    I gently said:

    “Listen, I manage an industrial company.

    We usually hire engineers or business graduates for roles like this,

    not liberal arts majors.”

    But he insisted.

    So I scheduled a meeting.

    Out of politeness.

    And maybe because something about the recommendation made me curious enough to say yes.

    At the very first meeting, I told him straight:

    “I honestly don’t see the fit.”

    (Maybe I wasn’t all that polite. I hope he doesn’t remember.)

    But… he didn’t flinch.

    He listened. He responded.

    He asked smart questions. He clarified. He illuminated.

    And slowly, instead of seeing a mismatch,

    I started to see… potential.

    We met again.

    I pushed him harder.

    Raised even more concerns.

    Laid out a salary that was clearly below what he could hope for.

    And still he wanted it.

    Not out of desperation.

    Not to prove something.

    He just believed it was the right place for him to grow and contribute.

    I sent him to my boss.

    The interview ended with:

    “I see why you’re excited, but this is really out there.”

    I asked, “Is it my decision, or are you vetoing it?”

    He said, “It’s your call. Just know, it’s highly unusual.”

    I hired him.

    And today?

    He’s a senior manager. One of the best we have.

    Leadership Tip:

    If you’re hiring and aiming for excellence,

    don’t settle for candidates who just fit the job description.

    Try writing a role profile that reflects what you actually need

    not just degrees or past titles,

    but real capabilities and potential.

    Look for people who align with where you’re going,

    not just where you are.

    Sometimes,

    those who have the seed of excellence

    won’t fit the mold your organization expects—

    they break it.

    And that’s exactly why they shine.

  • At first, I thought I had to choose:

    Either I’d be a manager.

    Or I’d be a human being.

    Somewhere early on, someone told me:

    “Listen, you seem great – but in a management role, you need muscle.

    Preferably one that’s not connected to emotion.”

    So I started playing the role:

    Blank face, businesslike tone, emails without smileys.

    And it worked… sort of.

    Until one day – something small happened.

    (I won’t go into it now, but let’s just say it involved an employee bursting into tears, and me – wearing my ‘strict manager’ vest – not knowing where to put myself…)

    In that moment, I realized something:

    Maybe I’m not cut out for management – if management means disconnecting from who I am.

    But then I discovered a secret no course teaches you:

    Not only can you manage with heart – sometimes, it’s your strongest tool.

    You can:

    • Set boundaries – without becoming robotic

    • Lead a team – without losing compassion

    • Handle conflicts – and still feel whole at the end of the day

    And it doesn’t make you less authoritative.

    It just makes you the kind of person people want to follow – not just have to obey.

    So if you ever feel torn between being a “good manager” and staying true to yourself –

    Just know this:

    Not only is it possible to combine both – it actually works better.

  • Five Questions Great Managers Ask — Even When They’re Uncomfortable

    Management isn’t about having all the answers.

    It’s about knowing how to ask the questions that are easiest to avoid.

    The ones that open real conversations.

    That don’t go down easy.

    That don’t start with “How’s that task going?”

    So here are five questions that changed the way I talk to my team.

    And sometimes… the way I talk to myself.

    What do you need from me that I’m probably not seeing? (It feels risky. It’s also incredibly valuable.)

    If I disappeared for a week what wouldn’t happen here? (A good answer can show you your real value or where you’re over-involved.)

    What’s hardest for you to say to me? (Not a question about weakness. A question about trust.)

    When did you give your 100% and get nothing in return? (It hurts. But it tells you what really matters to your people.)

    What am I not asking that I should be? (This is the question of managers who know that real leadership starts with what’s left unsaid.)

    This isn’t a checklist.

    It’s a key.

    Ask one this week.

    Just one.

    And see what happens when you ask not to check a box

    but to truly listen.

  • “Deafening Silence”

    It started like any regular meeting:

    I walk in.

    They’re already there.

    Everyone with open laptops and looks that say, “We’re totally with you (but also looking at someone else’s report).”

    I bring up the main topic

    a recurring issue, one that should get everyone fired up.

    And… nothing.

    Silence.

    Someone coughs.

    Someone else takes a sip of water.

    Then… someone asks what time it is, as if that matters right now.

    So I try a different angle.

    “What do you think about this solution?”

    Silence.

    More silence than when someone opens a can of tuna in the office.

    And then it hits me:

    The problem isn’t that they have nothing to say.

    The problem is they have too much to say and they’re afraid to say it.

    Maybe because it’ll offend someone.

    Maybe because it’s a sensitive dynamic.

    Or maybe because they’ve learned that telling the truth doesn’t end well.

    And that’s where the lesson came in:

    When it’s too quiet don’t assume everything’s calm.

    Sometimes silence is just a symptom of fear.

    Remember this:

    Next time there’s silence in a meeting

    Don’t move on to the next topic.

    Ask:

    “What hasn’t been said yet, that needs to be said?”

    And then…

    Wait.

    Wait a moment past the discomfort.

    Because sometimes, it’s after the silence that the truth begins.

  • Got a “good” question? Ask it.

    Even if you’re the manager.

    Especially if you’re the manager.

    You know that moment in a meeting when someone drops a term…

    And your whole body signals:

    “Of course. Of course I know what CAC is. I’m the manager, after all.”

    But your mind goes:

    “If someone shouts at me right now ‘What’s CAC?’ – I’ll just head out for a coffee break and never come back.”

    So you smile, jot something down in your notebook (even though you have no idea what you wrote),

    And later that evening, you ask Google.

    Or your kid.

    Or ChatGPT.

    And that’s exactly the moment you missed the chance to be a more human manager.

    Because the gap wasn’t in knowledge it was in the courage to ask.

    A simple question like:

    “Could you explain that for a second?”

    Can change the entire dynamic of a meeting.

    It shows you’re not projecting authority based on bravado – but trust.

    And it gives others permission to ask too.

    And in an age where even a dishwasher can define “digital marketing,”

    What sets you apart isn’t what you know.

    It’s your willingness to keep learning.

    And by the way? I have no idea what CAC is either.

    But I’m going to ask the chat.

    What’s worth remembering?

    The one who asks doesn’t look less smart.

    They just look like a sane manager.

  • A management tip (that I learned the hard way):

    If you start feedback with a “but” – you’ve already lost the conversation.

    I used to jump straight into feedback.

    Direct. Sharp.

    “Not accurate enough,”

    “I expected more,”

    “There’s a gap that needs to be closed.”

    From my side, it was just being straightforward.

    From their side?

    It felt like the end of the world.

    Then it hit me:

    Wait a second.

    I hate it when people start with that tone too.

    No one likes feeling like they have to defend themselves before they’ve even had their coffee.

    So I started differently.

    Something small.

    A sentence like:

    “I want to start with what worked well.”

    And that changed the whole tone.

    Not because I gave up on the feedback –

    But because I started with an open heart, not a pointing finger.

    It sounds simple,

    But it completely shifts the energy of the conversation.

    What’s worth remembering?

    The sharpest feedback is the kind that doesn’t feel like a knife.

    A good start leads to an ending someone can actually take with them.

    Good feedback is the kind the other person can truly absorb.