Business and finance
7 reasons why Michael Scott is the ‘World’s Best Boss’
25 March 2015 by Catherine Holdsworth in Authentic leadership, Business and finance, Entertainment
We love The Office (US edition) in our very own office and, as publishers of business books, it’s got us thinking about reasons that Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell) is an excellent leader. Hold on, we know what you’re thinking, was he really any good at his job? He bought himself the mug that read, ‘World’s Best Boss’ and were those silly and painfully awkward seminars actually useful? Well, we’ve rewatched the series (don’t let anyone tell you that publishing’s an easy business!) and come up with seven reasons why Michael Scott is an excellent boss. Why seven? we hear you ask. Well, Bas Blekkingh’s new book, Authentic leadership is based on a seven-layer model to help readers be the best leaders they can be. Perhaps you’ll be inspired by Scott after all …
- Michael says early on in the series that,‘it’s about keeping the troops happy’, encouraging your workforce to get along, making the workplace an enjoyable place to be. It’s surprising that there is any work done in the office at all as Michael is keen to encourage as much team building as possible. The beach trip, in season 3 after the two branches have merged, is an excellent opportunity to encourage friendly competition between the employees. This comes into use in season 5 when the Scranton branch goes head-to-head with the rest of the Dunder Mifflin company in a volleyball tournament. Michael’s insistence that the office has parties on a regular basis allows the formation of the party-planning committee and ensures that morale is kept on a high and that the employees have something to look forward to after a long week of sales.
- Michael considers himself as not just a boss but a friend to all those who work in the office. After Jim leaves Scranton to move to a different branch, he meets Michael and Dwight at a paper convention. Though nobody shows up to Michael’s party in his hotel room, Michael states that after Jim left his Scranton employment, he had ‘gained a friend’. Michael also invented the Dundies, an annual awards ceremony, celebrating the achievements of the office throughout the year. Though everybody dreads going to them, Michael makes a huge effort to make sure that everyone gets an award and that the show is a success.
- He’s there for his employees. In season 3, Pam gets the chance to show off her art in a local gallery. No one from the office shows up apart from her boyfriend, Roy, and he is incredibly scathing about her efforts. At the eleventh hour, however, Michael makes an appearance and is genuinely impressed by her work. He offers to buy the painting she did of their office building, which hangs on the wall next to her desk until the final episode. By making an effort to support his employees, Michael becomes a great boss and made Pam feel amazing.
- Michael is determined to make the office a place of enlightenment so that his employees get more from their work days than just a paycheque. Though his seminars are unconventional to say the least, Michael does at least attempt to bring a wider understanding to those in the office. Some of the most memorable seminars in the conference room are the ones on equality, where Michael kisses a reluctant Oscar, race and disability. We are not in any doubt that the seminars could have benefited from better planning, but they were an attempt to bring the office together.
- Michael Scott might not be the greatest leader in television history but he clearly did something right to get the job as regional manager. Michael was obviously an excellent sales person and had a good feel for business. This is demonstrated when he leaves Dunder Mifflin and starts his own company, Michael Scott’s Paper Company. Though ultimately unsuccessful (perhaps due to having employed Ryan) it showed Michael’s determination to succeed in a tough business environment. Ultimately, his new company was sold to Dunder Mifflin and he got his old job back. Not bad for a renegade employee.
- A day in Michael’s office is never boring. Whether it be a funeral for a bird that Toby allegedly killed or Michael threatening to jump off a building to educate the workers about the dangers of depression, Michael ensured that his employees never got bored doing what they did. Remember when he took them down to the warehouse for a foam fight? Yes, most of these things were unproductive, but definitely got the employees talking and communicating together.
- Determined not to lay anybody off. Despite his apparent incompetence, Michael’s company actually manages to make a profit during the first few series when the merger between branches is discussed. Not only that, but Michael really cares about his employees and makes sure that he doesn’t have to fire anyone, even Creed who seems to do no work whatsoever.
We think Michael Scott is an authentic leader and we hope this blog has inspired you to be one too.
From car park to cathedral, Richard III is finally at peace
23 March 2015 by Catherine Holdsworth in Authentic leadership, Business and finance, Current events
What were the odds that the first trench dug in a car park in Leicester would reveal the final resting place of a notorious king of England. Only a few years ago, it was revealed that King Richard III had been hastily buried in a church (now a car park) after he lost his life at the battle of Bosworth Fields.
Richard III is a notorious historical figure, most famously portrayed as the eponymous character of the Shakespeare play. History has written him off as an evil king, one who usurped his brother for the crown, a hunchback who was bitter and cruel. One thing was proven when his body was found and that was that he did in fact have a hunchback due to scoliosis. However, should we be quick to write him off as the bad king?
Richard III ascended the crown after his brother, Edward IV died suddenly and was said to be responsible for the death of the two princes in the tower. Nevertheless, we cannot know what really happened back then. There are many who believe that it was Henry Tudor’s mother who ordered the boys killed so that her son’s claim to the throne was legitimate. If you’ve seen the BBC’s recent adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s The White Queen, then you may be of this opinion as well.
During Richard III’s reign, the War of the Roses was still prevalent and, as a son of the House of York, the Lancasters were a threat to his rule. It is unlikely that Richard III experienced much peacetime during his reign and, as a disabled man, leading from the front on a battlefield would have been incredibly difficult.
Today, after many years of contention between the city of York and Leicester, the king will finally be laid to rest in Leicester cathedral, a proper burial for a proper king. Richard’s leadership skills will be contested, no doubt, for many years to come, today however, is a celebration of a king who was unfortunate enough to rule in one of the most bloody wars in British history.
Bas Blekking’s Authentic leadership helps you gain the tools to become an excellent leader, whether that be as a monarch or a CEO.
Which Game of Thrones character are you most like, Prime Minister?
18 March 2015 by Rebecca in Business and finance, Game of Thrones on Business
In a recent BuzzFeed interview David Cameron was asked which Game of Thrones character he identified most with. His answer was Ned Stark. Now we suspect one reason for this might be that Dave has very little knowledge of Game of Thrones but is vaguely aware of the events of season 1 and recognises Ned Stark as he’s played by Sean Bean, who was well known before the series. In a world where to get the popular vote you have to show interest in what the people are interested in, especially if you know you’re seen as a bit of an elitist, telling us that you don’t really watch Game of Thrones isn’t a viable answer (even though it’d be preferable for the Prime Minister to know less about Game of Thrones and more about the situation in Syria or Ukraine).
Had Cameron had a greater knowledge of Game of Thrones he might have seen that Ned Stark is possibly not the best answer for the leader of the country to give. Ned is of course honourable, noble and a man of action. But he is not a man of thought, tending to rush into the fray without properly weighing up a situation (Petyr Baelish wryly notes the Stark family characteristics of ‘quick tempers and slow minds’), nor is he politically adept. Having helped Robert Baratheon win his rebellion Ned retreats to Winterfell but this means that when, years later, he has to venture to King’s Landing as Robert’s new Hand he has no political alliances to call upon. Lacking anybody he can truly trust it’s little wonder he blunders so gravely that he finds his neck on Ilyn Payne’s block.
So if Ned Stark was the wrong answer for the Prime Minister to give, what might have been the right one?
Tywin Lannister – clever, masterly in strategy, great in a crisis
Well we can see why DC would have wanted to avoid this one really. Brutal and patrician, Tywin represents the side of the Tories that Cameron would like us to forget. The kind of ruler who gets his henchmen to burn farms and villages in order to root out wrongdoers and show the small folk what it means to cross him is not really the ruler a privileged member of the ruling class wants to identify with. Shame really since Tywin has many qualities to recommend him. He has a brilliant mind and can play most situations to his advantage. When others might worry about how their actions will be perceived Tywin looks only to what is best for the advancement of the Lannister family, which is great if you’re on his side and deadly if you’re not. His ability to make decisions quickly and stick to them means he is great in times of crisis. His major flaw, arguably the one that got him killed, is a lack of empathy. While he’s great at playing political games he’s unable to recognise when people don’t play the game, when they react emotionally rather than acting strategically. Because of this Tyrion surprised him twice, first by demanding a trial by combat and second by doing the unthinkable and letting his arrows fly.
Mance Rayder – man of the people who united disparate tribes in a common goal
Now this would have made a much better answer. Instead of identifying himself with a member of any ruling elite Cameron could have positioned himself as a plain-speaking ruler who’s truly democratic and loved by his followers (though perhaps that’s more in the realms of fantasy than Game of Thrones itself). The Free Folk laugh at folk on the southern side of the wall for bending the knee to those whose rule is inherited rather than earned. Instead they follow a king who has proved himself worthy of the title. He’s as clever as Tywin, managing to unite more than 100 warring clans simply by making them see that something bigger and more important than their petty squabbles is coming their way and if they don’t unite and head south of the wall they’ll all end up ‘dead or worse’. His ambitious plan to get round the Wall and take the Night’s Watch by surprise would most likely have succeeded were it not for Jon Snow’s infiltration of the Wildlings. If he’s able to enter into a coalition with Stannis Baratheon it could prove to be a winning alliance.
Daenerys Targaryen – compassionate, decisive and strategically adept
Plus, you know, she’s young and female so had Cameron given this answer he could have gained a few points with a section of the electorate which probably feels it has little in common with him. Although Daenerys comes from a ruling elite, the Targaryens having been kings of Westeros for the last 300 years, she’s in exile and, unlike her brother, does not take it for granted that she should rule. Her qualifications for leading her people come from her abilities rather than her name. As Jorah tells her when he first realises her potential, “You have a good claim, a title, a birthright, but you have something more than that … You have a gentle heart. You would be not only respected and feared, you would be loved. Someone who can rule and should rule. Centuries come and go without a person like that coming into the world.” Instead of crumbling when she loses her child and her husband she transforms herself into the Mother of Dragons we’ve grown to love, freeing slaves, punishing the wicked and gathering a vast throng of supporters. She’s not perfect, having shown an impatience with those who question her decisions that could tip into something more dictatorial. But at the moment we love her – just, charismatic and strong, she’s the kind of leader we could only dream of having.
If David Cameron, Ed Miliband or Nick Clegg would like any more tips on success the Game of Thrones way we have just the book for them, available in plenty of time for the election (it’s not for you, Nigel).
Nigel Farage’s leadership in doubt
16 March 2015 by Catherine Holdsworth in Authentic leadership, Business and finance
The general election is only a few weeks away and, quite frankly, we’re already bored with the cat fights over debates and empty promises that are being thrown at us. However, some good news has surfaced today from none other than Nigel Farage (yes, believe it!). Farage has announced that if he does not win a seat in his constituency, South Thanet, he will step down as the UKIP Party leader.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the opportunity you have been waiting for. Vote this man out of our newspapers, off our televisions, and into the ‘Bad People of History’ books forever. No more will we have to suffer his incessant misogyny, racism, bigotry (we could go on) while he sups on a pint of John Smith and drops fag ash all over the floor again. We will banish him.
How can we do this? We hear you ask. Quite simply, the best way would be to move to South Thanet, register to vote there, and not vote for Farage. Why vote for a pub frequenter when you can vote for a pub landlord instead?
There are many reasons that we believe Al Murray should win a seat in Parliament over Nigel Farage. Firstly, he actually went to Oxford University, unlike UKIP member Natasha Bolton, who claimed she studied PPE at Wadham College before the university refuted this. What’s more, he studied there alongside our very own company accountant so he definitely has our vote!
Al Murray’s Pub Landlord is much more in touch with the people of Britain than Nigel Farage. For one thing, rather than sitting in one pub continuously, he takes his message on the road, performing gigs to crowds of adoring fans. Yes, his message might be a little ‘too much’ for some people but it is popular none-the-less.
Finally, we all know that the Pub Landlord is just a character. We think Al Murray is a top bloke really and will make a much fairer and more honest MP than anybody in the UKIP party. We’re hoping that many people of South Thanet who like what UKIP is preaching, will vote for Murray out of stupidity and that the rest will vote out of a desperate act to prevent Farage from gaining any more power. Why should we give these bigots a soap box to stand on?
We have lots of books on management and leadership. Bas Blekkingh’s Authentic leadership will be published in April. We think Farage should give it a read!
Managing Clarkson
11 March 2015 by Catherine Holdsworth in Business and finance, Current events
Once again, Jeremy Clarkson has made a bit of a boob at the BBC. After his racist gaffes and misjudged use of a number plate in Argentina last year alone, the BBC may finally have to take responsibility for putting a bigoted man on prime time television. In 2011, the BBC had to apologise to the whole of Mexico (yes, the entire country) when Clarkson characterised them as ‘lazy’ and ‘feckless’. It would seem that in using such tired stereotypes, Clarkson himself is lazy and feckless.
While the programme Top Gear promotes ‘lads on tour’ behaviour and encourages men to replace women with cars in their sexual fantasies, the ‘banter’ has gone too far. Having exhausted its premise as a show which reviews cars, it is now a programme that is at best a ridiculous documentary about three white, middle-class, middle-aged men driving around the world shouting obscenities at the local people.
Clarkson’s suspension, however, is not due to his racist gaffes or unfunny ‘lad banter’ but because of a violent altercation with a producer. The last two episodes of the current series of Top Gear have been cancelled and Clarkson has been temporarily banned from the BBC (most likely while they work out whether his reputation is worth the money he brings in). The show is fundamentally aimed at men and encourages alpha-male behaviour. Whether you would think that the three presenters were typical alpha-males if you met them out of the safe context of the show is debatable.
Now the BBC are left, once again, to clear up after one of their most temperamental stars. How are they going to manage Clarkson this time? When someone becomes bigger than the team, they are no longer a team player. Clarkson’s reputation was damaged long ago but the BBC are at risk of damaging their own purely because of the money that Clarkson brings in. At times like this, reputation and principal can be more important for a company than profit.
A strong company starts with strong leadership and the BBC needs to realise that Clarkson’s toxic personality will destroy Top Gear and tarnish its own reputation unless it takes strong action. If, on the other hand, Clarkson keeps on being given ‘one last chance’ then he’ll have proved that he really is bigger than the team and can get away with what he likes.
For more advice on how to manage difficult people, why not read 100+ Management Models by Fons Trompenaars and Piet Hein Coebergh.
Warren Buffett knows about the customers’ yachts
6 March 2015 by Catherine Holdsworth in Business and finance
Warren Buffett, the world’s most famour investor, has written to his shareholders dispensing his wisdom and advice on how to be successful. In his letter, he recommended that potential investors read Where are the customers’ yachts? by Fred Schwed. Written in the 1950s, Schwed’s book builds on the idea that customers of stock-brokers and bankers do not earn enough capital to buy their own yachts but merely make the stock-brokers and bankers wealthy.
Infinite Ideas’ Infinite Success series features investment writer Leo Gough’s modern interpretation of Schwed’s text. With Britain and Europe still struggling to emerge from the recession of 2008, Schwed’s book has never been more relevant. The recent HSBC scandal showed that the fat cats at the top of these international businesses are still living the high-life, creaming off their bonuses from the profits while the everyday customers are still feeling the pinch.
Surely with the success of the Martin Scorsese film, The Wolf of Wall Street, we’re all familiar with the above-the-law behaviour of those in the know, who wield the power over international trades and control the stock market. The everyday person is at the mercy of a few money-driven people determined to get as much as they can.
Yet Gough’s interpretation demonstrates that this doesn’t have to be the case. Rather than exploiting others, he draws on Schwed’s experiences and testimonies to show that you can be successful and not always at someone else’s expense. The stock market and investments are, like many things, a game that can be played for profit. The risk of playing too often and risking too much, as 2008 showed, can mean global crisis if not executed correctly. Gough provides an excellent reference tool for aspiring entrepreneurs drawing on the best of Schwed’s book and applying it to modern business scenarios. Give it a go, see if you can buy your own yacht!
