Podcast Review - Manager Tools
Over the weekend I listened to Manager Tools weekly podcast on management issues. This week’s topic was on holding effective meetings (more information here). One of the authors estimates that the average manager spends at least 10 hours in meetings each week. I found this week’s podcast at iTunes, although there seems to be at least five or six addtional podcasts. There are some neat forms at the Manager Tools website. For this broadcast there is a sample meeting agenda form (hit the hyperlink and go to a Word download). The best resource is a 30 minute feedback form - I’d like to see that podcast at iTunes.
I found the podcast very good. Lot’s of information. I’m not sure I agree with all of it, but lot’s of good ideas on making meetings better and more effective. Next week’s podcast is a follow-up with more information on effective meetings. Given the fact that most Extension Professionals spend significant chuncks of their time in meetings, I would recommend this podcast. Total listening time is a little over 40 minutes.
[...] More good things on Manager Tools weekly podcast. This one is on delegating. Everytime I see the subject of their podcasts I think it will cover stuff I already know. Once again, more new or different ways to approach management. With a focus on doing - on things that you can implement right away. Take a look at the worksheet from their site that supplements the delegating podcast. I"ve posted about this site before (here and here). Implications: A weekly must hear for anyone that manages or works with people. Whether they are direct reports, peers or volunteers. I subscribe via iTunes. [...]
Pingback by Trends and Issues in Extension » Blog Archive » Manger Tools on Delegating — August 27, 2005 @ 6:31 pm
[...] After a very busy week I’ve been plowing through my aggregator and catching up on some reading. I was surprised to find this list of recommended business books at Manager Tools. I’ve posted earlier about the high quality of the Manager Tool podcasts (here, here and here). So I’m scanning the list and finding some titles I’ve read, and others that I’m adding to my list. If you are at all interested in improving your business and management skills, scan the blog and start on the podcasts. They have the most immediately useable stuff I’ve found so far. [...]
Pingback by Trends and Issues in Extension » Blog Archive » Great List of Business Books — February 27, 2006 @ 12:16 am
[...] here, here and here for some examples). Manager Tools has also evolved a really neat blog and comment feature into their site. Mark Horstman (50% of the Manager Tools partnership) has posted this neat feature on reading. Mark is reading about 200 books a year despite a busy life as a consultant. He explains his formula for reaching that number. I really like the post although I’m not quite on board with his reluctance to use audio books. Mark feels that commuting time should be better spent on the phone building relationships. I certainly cannot disagree with that concept, but I regularly listen to book and podcasts on my iPod while working out, cooking, etc. Plus some commuting time is often outside of normal business hours. I’m usually on the road between 5-6am, then again after 6pm. I do make several calls during these time periods (often very productive ones to people’s voicemails that saves email and other time), but I also find it a good time to get some listening done with audio books. I’ve reached the point where I read limited numbers of fiction books, but listen to a few every month just to relax and get away. Mark does make a valid point that we read faster than we can listen to books. iPod users can overcome some of this by selecting the faster reading option on their iPod. This increases the reading time to 125%. Conversely, people with listening difficulties can reduce the time to 75%. Unfortunately, this only seems to work with audio books and not podcasts. [...]
Pingback by Trends and Issues in Extension » Blog Archive » Mark Horstman on Reading — June 27, 2006 @ 7:54 am