ASME Dinner Last week I attended the annual awards dinner sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Section of the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers). It was a great event and hats off to everyone who made it happen. Dr. Robert J. Moffat Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University was the recipient of a special award and he said something during his acceptance speech that I thought was very interesting and … [Read more...] about ASME Annual Awards Dinner
Steven Cerri’s Blog
#95 The Air Traffic Controllers Were Not Managed!
Hello everyone, I think that the "air-traffic-controllers-asleep" issue has some interesting lessons for us in the area of management. Here is what I mean. One of the workshops I conduct includes a section devoted to the topic of “how to develop your team culture”. That is, what can a manager do to develop and propagate the culture that the manager wants to “install” into the organization? Now for many managers the culture they think … [Read more...] about #95 The Air Traffic Controllers Were Not Managed!
#94 Why Everyone Wants To Be A Leader
Hello everyone, I'm always amazed at how much people love the word "leader". Everywhere I read (only a slight exaggeration) I find references to this person is a leader, that person is a leader, everyone is a leader. Leadership doesn't even seem to be a function of experience. Someone right out of college can be a leader, but not many people seem to be willing to raise their hand and proclaim that they are a manager. They may be a manager by … [Read more...] about #94 Why Everyone Wants To Be A Leader
#93 Motorcycles Should Make You Nervous
"Just ride" Hello everyone! That's right! Motorcycles should make you nervous. I have always liked motorcycles although I've never owned one. I have ridden motorcycles belonging to my friends; mostly in college. For me, riding a motorcycle has always been accompanied by a feeling of excitement and apprehension. I remember that first ride. I was a freshman in college and one of my fraternity brothers had a fairly new Harley Davidson. I … [Read more...] about #93 Motorcycles Should Make You Nervous
#92 Jethro Tull and the Engineer’s Mind
Emotions of Music versus Work Hello everyone! Recently I rented a DVD of Jethro Tull in concert live at Montreux, Switzerland in 2003. For those of you who lived through the rock and roll era of the 1970s the name Jethro Tull probably brings back a flood of memories as it does for me. While watching the DVD of Jethro Tull and hearing the music produced and performed by the band a whole flood of emotions came racing back. Memories of … [Read more...] about #92 Jethro Tull and the Engineer’s Mind
#91 Descent Into Leadership
Hello everyone! I know, everyone wants to be a leader. No one wants to be a manager… right? Management has no glory but leaders are the heroes. I've heard it all before. Business magazines tout the virtues of leadership and praise the leaders and say little about the managers who toil at their craft. I even coach clients who do not want to be managers but rather want to be leaders when there is no one to lead and nothing to lead them … [Read more...] about #91 Descent Into Leadership