Home - The Center for Management Terms & Practices

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

The Center is a professional development organization. We train general managers--those with P&L responsibilities--to make cross-functional decisions by using simple tools written in the standard language of management. Sharing the same language eliminates "soft skills" problems and builds a culture of collaboration. We often support general managers throughout a program of succession:

• 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 strategic planning and peer discussions

"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 errors and 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 built in our standard language. It is being refined by hundreds of managers in all types of organizations.

Our members dislike complexity and constant reinvention.

The General Manager’s Index of Terms 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.