In today’s global workforce, people in leadership positions are faced with many challenges from staffing shortages, advances in technology, and being an effective mentor to their team all while meeting post-pandemic demands of a flexible work environment. Dr. Rich Ham and Dr. Adam Morris discuss these challenges as well as the challenges of leading and managing across multiple generations.

In this month's episode, MSOM Instructors, Jim Burgin and Travis McNeal discuss why it's important to hire employees based on their traits instead of experience or expertise. Also available on YouTube.  About: Too many times hiring mangers find themselves saddled with people that have outstanding expertise and experience but have traits/characteristics (work ethic or dedication, for instance) that make all the functional knowledge seem less helpful. Travis and Jim contend that hiring traits (integrity, empathy) and then training the skills they need makes for a better team member and workplace.  Changing traits, or even slightly modifying a person’s character is very difficult. Dr. Morris Massey, who was a sage on this subject, believed that most people have a high percentage of their “gut level value system” from a very young age and it takes a significant emotional event to change their values. Travis and Jim are not only some of our most experienced Organizing for Change instructors, but also have years successfully building and leading teams.

Have you ever considered starting your own business? In this episode, Garrett Ham, owner of Weekender Management and MSOM instructor along with Rich Ham, Associate Director, MSOM, goes beyond the high-level and idealistic thinking that often precedes the launch of a new entrepreneurial endeavor and addresses the day-to-day minutiae of running a startup. Going beyond the abstract principals that undergird most business school curriculum, both will discuss how the 10 Critical Decisions of Operations Management play an essential role in his daily decision-making and drives the successful implementation of a company’s strategic vision.

In this episode, Rich Ham, Associate Director, MSOM and MSEM programs and instructor and Rashone Tate, cybersecurity expert and MSOM instructor discuss how keeping our data safe is everyone's responsibility. Cybersecurity is an all-encompassing term that includes the intersection of the physical and digital worlds. Just a few years ago, operations managers and leaders throughout government and industry could secure networks by simply hiring a few good IT specialists and a Chief Information Officer. Those days are over. Phishing, sophisticated social engineering and even nation-state agents are attacking thousands of times a day.  Securing information at all levels requires a culture throughout an organization. #learnituseit #operationsmanagement #cybersecurity #socialengineering #infosecurity #datasecurity