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There are so many management and leadership blogs out there that attempting to keep up with all of them would leave you with no time to manage and/or lead. In an effort to help you turn up the signal-to-noise ratio, I am instituting what I hope will be an annual tradition: my choices for The Top 10 Management & Leadership Blogs. All winners will receive… well, nothing. I haven’t had time to create a trophy. I’ve been too busy reading blogs. But I do hope that you will reward them by adding to their readership.
Each of my Top 10 blogs excels in at least one (but usually more than one) of three criteria. You might call them the Three Rs:
1. Research
Opinions can be enlightening, but they’re also cheap. Everyone has one. Solid research and data will always get my attention and help a blog rise above the crowd.
2. Relevance
The bottom line is this: can you use what they give you? In order to be relevant, a blog has to be both practical and frequently updated.
3. Readability
Is the blog a pleasure to read? Is it something you look forward to diving into with each new post because the author has a way with words, images, analogies?
I've given each of the Top 10 a rating on all 3 criteria. And now, counting down from 10...
#10: Curious Cat
Curious Cat began as a blog focused on lean thinking and Six Sigma. It has blossomed from there, but it retains its process management roots. I do not think this way, so I read it to stay in tune with the many people who do.
Representative post:
How to Get a New Management Strategy, Tool or Concept Adopted
#9: Wally Bock’s Three Star Leadership Blog
If you want a down-to-earth take on the challenges of leadership and management, this blog will deliver. I particularly like the “boss's bottom line” that concludes each post.
Representative post:
The 97 Percent Solution
#8: Jeff Stibel
Jeff's posts mix brain science with the real-world challenges of running his own company. I'm a sucker for the former and greatly respect the latter.
Representative post:
Why a Great Individual is Better than a Good Team
#7: Penelope Trunk
Penelope doesn’t always blog about management/leadership, but when she does it is always worth reading.
Representative post:
Why Problem Employees Don’t Get Fired
#6: Whitney Johnson
Practical advice from a real manager, managing real people. I read her to keep fresh in my mind what a great manager sounds like.
Representative post:
Thank You for Doing Your Job
#5: Dan Pink
I do not agree with all of Dan's conclusions, but he is always thoughtful, practical and above all human. Through video, audio, and text, he logically reminds us of the limits of logic.
Representative post:
3 Tricks for Solving Problems Faster and Better
#4: Dan McCarthy
This is the most up-to-date and comprehensive leadership blog I've found. I read it to stay in touch with what everyone else is saying in the world of leadership development.
Representative post:
I’m Your Boss, Not Your Friend
#3: Seth Godin
There's not much research here, but in Seth's case we'll let it slide. He has a fascinating mind and a gift for convincing us he wants to use it to help us all get better. When I read his blog, I do.
Representative post:
When Is It Due?
#2: Fred Wilson
Like it or not we all live in Tech World now. All managers need a guide to what is new, what is relevant, what is dangerous, what is about to happen. Fred is my guide.
Representative post:
Marketing
#1: Umair Haque
This blog's strength is its passionately yet carefully crafted arguments. Few posts will tell you what to do, but every post will challenge what you think.
Representative post:
Fail Bigger Cheaper: A Three Word Manifesto
Finally, here are the other wonderful blogs that round out my top 24. Make it a point to dip into one of these each week.
11. Tom Peters 12. Michael Hyatt 13. Chip and Dan Heath 14. Linked 2 Leadership 15. Tim Sanders 16. Dan Ariely 17. Ken Robinson 18. Dan Schawbel 19. Fierce 20. Economix 21. Freakonomics 22. Druckerphilosophy 23. Tony Schwartz 24. Tracy Hutton |
