We are pleased to share, for the first time ever, a full year’s conference schedule as soon as we possibly can (We met last week to agree on the date ranges, and told our travel planner today).

Please note that the three day date ranges are the Tues-Wed-Thurs of that week. For each week, then, that gives us two options: either a Tues-Wed conference or a Wed-Thurs conference. (We don’t like the idea of folks having to travel away from their families on the weekends.) We’ve listed two weeks for each city, so that gives us 4 possible 2-day sets for each city, which is usually sufficient.

London: January 20-22 or 27-29
Dallas: March 17-19 or 24-26
Washington DC: May 12-14 or 19-21
Los Angeles: July 21-23 or 28-30
Chicago: September 15-17 or 22-24
Newark: November 10-12 or 17-19

These dates are only 90% certain. It’s possible we’ve picked a certain city at a certain time (imagine if we had picked Denver for this week). We have to wait to hear back from our travel planner about hotels that can accommodate us on those dates. We try to keep room rates down for attendees, and our costs down too - sometimes that’s a factor.

We are trying to get to new places while balancing what we know of member densities and stated demand. Yes, stated demand matters to some degree.

If we are not coming to your area, please consider asking us to come directly to you. We don’t talk about our client work a lot, but we do a lot of it nonetheless. If you have around 15 folks, it’s almost cheaper for us to come to you, and on-site client conferences are tailored to your culture and the group we’re working with. Seriously - it only takes about 15 folks (and we do limit attendance to 25).

The Chicago and Newark conferences will be in the same hotels as this year. They did well. We will not return to the Dulles Airport Marriott for the Wash DC effort.

We really blew it last year promising to come to Sydney and not following through. We’re still working on a solution for Australia.

There’s risk in this process. We know some of you might could have been enticed to come to earlier conferences if we had delayed announcing later cities. But this is just the better way. We hope you’ll agree by signing up as soon as you can.

We hope to see you at a conference in ‘09!

This cast includes Part 2 of our discussion on how to implement the Manager Tools’ Management Trinity (One on Ones, Feedback, Coaching - and Delegation!).

This cast describes how to gradually implement Manager Tools’ Management Trinity (One on Ones, Feedback, Coaching - and Delegation!).

We’ve been asked a thousand questions about what to do and when to do it when it comes to the Management Trinity, and we’ve finally gotten frustrated enough to do something about it. We assumed that a lot of the ideas we’re going to share here just made sense, and managers were taking the parts of the Trinity step by step, mastering each one, and adding new parts as they were able.

And then we got an email complaining that putting ALL FOUR of the Trinity in place all at once was “JUST TOO HARD”.

And, that listener was right – it was too hard – and we weren’t helping by not sharing our guidance. We’ve shared these ideas with hundreds of corporate client managers…and now it’s time to share it with everyone.

Step by step, here’s how you do it. If you ask us, if there WERE a Manager Tools Hall of Fame (HOF), this cast would be in it.

We apologize that we will not be able to have our November conference in Sydney this year. We’re sorry for the change in plans, and our lack of foresight. We regret the inconvenience that this causes members in Sydney and elsewhere.

Moving away from the apology, we know that many will ask why. The simple answer is cost. Airline flight costs have risen enormously for long-haul flights. We’re still a small company, and we couldn’t justify the cost-benefit outcomes relative to opportunity costs.

We hope to be able to make it happen at some point in the future.

Sorry mates.

The video of Mark packing is now available for premium members here.

Our intent is to add more and more video this year, and this was one of our first “added value” efforts relative to a cast. We think it’s pretty helpful - we’ve already gotten plenty of questions about details of the packing, and we think this will make things even more clear.

There IS a small glitch in the video. Mark thinks that he inadvertently paused rather than recorded for about 30 seconds, when he intended to show the packing of socks and toiletries. (It goes right from undershirts and boxers to folding trousers). You should be able to tell, though, from the pictures in the premium content slides, how those steps go. (Yes, all the toiletries go in!).

Let us know what you think!

This cast describes how to use the Manager Tools Meeting Introduction Tool For Large Groups - up to 100 Attendees!

We get asked all the time, “how big a group have you ever used the Meeting Introduction Tool with?” The answer is 110.

It is Mark’s favorite Manager Tool because everyone can use it, it works so darn well, and it’s TOTALLY against his natural inclination to “take up SO much time on fluff”. And yet, when he has tried to NOT use it, trainings and meetings inevitably are less effective – sometimes enormously so. So, we don’t use it because it makes natural sense, we use it because it’s so incredibly effective. The definition of a professional executive is someone who does what is effective whether they like to or not.

So, if you want to use the Introduction Tool for a big group, we explain how in this cast.

While we are pretty focused on the nitty-gritty of management, we make no apology for our belief that management is a noble endeavor. And we think that Manager Tools is at our best when we both instruct the hands and inspire the heart.

A San Francisco conference attendee agrees:

I just wanted to send you guys a note and tell you how much the SF
conference has changed me. It may not have been necessarily the information covered in the conference, but it was the spirit. It was the experience.

And most importantly it was what you guys are trying (and succeeding in)
when it comes to management. It inspired me to see people do what their
passion is, and be able to make such a difference in a world that puts
little into the profession.

Since I have been back I have been re-energized in the business, and
implementing your techniques on calendar management have allowed me to get so much accomplished. And when you add the thought of the
Horstman Curve to what i am doing, it helps me keep pushing through
knowing that soon enough I will top over and then get to the ’sweet
spot’!

Really, thank you for everything you have given me. Keep it up, and
keep inspiring others (and me too).

Thanks

We’d love for you to join us at a conference…and we’d REALLY love for you to be a better manager.

For years pundits have been predicting that technology (videoconferencing, etc.) will lead to the decline and death of business travel. We here at Manager Tools don’t agree. We’re human, and humans do better with face to face connections to ensure a complex project does well. Technology has led to the globalization of business, but that has INCREASED the need for getting on an airplane.

And getting on an airplane means packing a bag. And based on what Mark sees in his travels, no one seems to have gotten the memo about the right way to do it.

How easy is it? How about a 23 day, 5 country trip without checking a bag? Yep, you read that right.

For premium subscribers, we have the normal shownotes (though the notes have a bonus in them) and slides, PLUS a special set of slides showing How Mark Packs for a Week Long Trip. Step by step pictures: what he packs, how he uses dry cleaning bags, how it all fits (easily). If you’re not premium, this is a cast that might make it worth it!

New! For Premium Members only, we’ve posted a video of Mark going through his packing routine. One of many more videos to come!

[Note: This is a repost of a previous corrupt podcast file.]

This cast describes how to increase your chances of re-hiring someone who has left your organization. They’re called Boomerangs!

There really IS a war for talent going on today. Demographics are in many ways working against us, reducing the labor pool, as well as changing the nature of work and the relationships “employees” have with their “employers”. Frankly, it’s harder than ever - and will KEEP GETTING HARDER - to find and hire high caliber associates.

One effective technique is hiring former employees, or “Boomerangs”. 20 or 30 years ago, it was unheard of. The reasons then seemed to make sense … but now?

This cast will tell you what to do with Boomerangs.

In today’s cast, we conclude our conversation on Myspace and social networks. As always, if you’re new to Manager Tools and haven’t listened to the first part, you may wish to go back and listen to that first.