I’m writing this at the start of the summer, which happens to be Maggie Bayless’s favorite time of the year. Maggie’s passion for training, commitment to community and collaboration, and love for learning, have led the way to creating what the world now knows as ZingTrain. By the time you read what I’ve written, Maggie […]
With time and capacity at a premium these days, the prospect of training staff or coaching designated trainers on your team amidst competing priorities can feel overwhelming. As daunting as it might feel, it’s our belief that it can be done! There are several meaningful changes you can make to your training that don’t require […]
In Part I of this post, I wrote a bunch about how I got going on the idea of Leaders as Weeders. This morning, just to get myself in the mood, I did ten minutes of weeding while I was on the phone with my friend Aisling from Fumbally Café in Dublin, just before I started my morning […]
World class business coach, writer, speaker, and all around good guy Verne Harnish regularly reminds anyone who will listen that, “Leaders are Readers.” I agree. My life, as you likely know, revolves around books. Today, though, I want to expand on Verne’s wise statement with a bit of wordplay and some real life lessons that have […]
Many organizations see training as something that happens at the beginning of employment. However, really great organizations recognize training is important at every stage of an employee’s tenure with their company. Perhaps the thought of continuously training your employees leaves you feeling overwhelmed and thinking, how do I find the time to train? This is […]
We’re big fans of incorporating game-play with learning, and long-time friend of Zingerman’s, Dr. Jennifer Yim, has created a one-of-a-kind, interactive game designed to spark conversation around using diversity to build a more inclusive workplace, aptly named The American Dream Game. We’re thrilled to now be offering the game, both as a public workshop as well as […]
Eugene Ionesco once said, “It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” So here’s a question: What if we didn’t think hierarchically? What if we stopped insisting on ranking almost everything from best to worst? What if we weren’t worried about “who was the greatest”? Buried near the back of Part 3 of the Guide to Good Leading […]
A quote from Beat poet Gary Snyder: “There are two things that are really educational. One is being with a bunch of really smart people. The other is being all by yourself.” The regimen that I wrote about in a recent newsletter about the power of picking up the phone—making a couple of random phone […]
If you’re familiar with Zingerman’s and our approach to business, you may know that we believe in sharing information lavishly. Whether that’s financial information, what we’re working on, how we’re pivoting in this “new normal”, all of it – we’re sharing. Check out this informal conversation with Zingerman’s Founding Partner and CEO, Ari Weinzweig & […]
Every day brings new challenges, which is always true. But sometimes – like right now, during a global pandemic – the challenges are coming faster and seem especially jarring. Trying to navigate a global pandemic, a nose-diving economy and a crisis of confidence in our government and social systems can drain anyone’s energy. Talking with trusted friends […]
What’s the difference between a leader and a manager? As you consider this question, a clear distinction between the two may come to mind. However, what if these roles aren’t mutually exclusive? After all, many managers are great leaders, and many leaders don’t hold (and have never held) an official title that would identify them […]
When I was 22, I was engaged to be married. My fiancé called the wedding off two months before ‘the big day’… invitations were printed and more. When lamenting to my therapist, I’ve never failed at anything in my life!, he astutely pointed out, If you get what you need out of this relationship, how […]
