Home - The Center for Management Terms & Practices

People love to work together on something bigger than themselves. But miscommunication wastes at least 10%* of time and payroll. It is the key reason projects fail and people quit. Silos build and collaboration falls apart.

Specializing in generalists and practical decisions

The Center is a professional development organization, helping generalist managers make practical decisions. Whatever their title, our members have P&L responsibilities and, therefore, need to work cross-functionally. We believe effective collaboration is only possible when everyone shares simple tools written in a standard language--which also eliminates many "soft skills" problems. We support these generalists throughout their careers:

• New general managers: Team training in core decisions and key tools and terms
• Experienced general managers: Individual coaching in more complex decisions
• Chief executives: Facilitation of peer discussions and strategic planning

"The Center’s Management Self-Assessment tool provided extraordinary results. After the short training, our management team spotted both our gaps and strengths and then agreed quickly on the priorities. And it was a morale boost: one manager said, ‘Now I see how what I do helps you guys!’" - CEO of the Dean Foundation

Benefits of a culture of collaboration

The immediate benefits of our work are a reduction in miscommunication errors and in meeting project and performance goals. The lasting benefits of a culture of collaboration are:

• Focus
• Information flow
• Knowledge transfer

These improve morale, spark innovation and attract and retain talented people. But collaboration is impossible until everyone shares practical tools and a common language.

Getting everyone on the same page

The General Manager’s Toolkit includes fourteen 1-page tools for planning, analysis and project management written in our standard language. It is constantly refined by hundreds of managers in all types of organizations.

Our members dislike complexity and constant reinvention.

The General Manager’s Index puts on one screen a common-sense hierarchy of definitions, rated resources and best practices. More than a library, it is the standard framework for practical decision-making.

The GM’s Index lets everyone appreciate each other.

Are you satisfied with the collaboration within your organization?
Contact us or attend a workshop to learn more.

* From Forbes: "Wasting Time At Work: The Epidemic Continues." Cheryl Conner. July 2015

We help people achieve great things together.