May I suggest a new photo for the site???

I agree with Greg. There has got to be more inspiring photos than that one. I'm not sure how to convey the purpose of the site and the podcast with a static image. What about having some kind of slideshow of 5 - 10 photos that somehow portrait the Trinity (+1), so that every time that one visits the site a different image comes up?
Changing the image really will not make me think any differently of the high quality of your work, but it would be nicer to look at.
Regards,
David

Both Mark and Mike have said in other threads that the photo currently in use is not permanent, it will be replaced.  They have even asked members to submit photos of work based situations to be used.  I'm sure it's 'in the pipe line' along with all the other improvements they are working on.
Stephen

 Greg, David,
Why not submit some photos?  I'm sure Mike and Mark would appreciate your talents being brought to bear on the site.  
John

 +1 new photo

Thanks for the input folks. 
I've answered this elsewhere, but to make it easy, here's a recap addressing several issues.
1. It's not permanent
We always intended it to rotate.  Our rollout was delayed, and we cut out communication about our intent, which hampered response to the changes.  Essentially, our delays caused us to narrow scope.  "Why" communications got cut, as did the rotation of the images.
2. We LIKE it.
We know that we haven't communicated well about it (see above) and we regret it.  It was my fault.  But that doesn't change that it does exactly what we intend.  We wanted it to be very gritty, very REAL, not pretty, not model-like.  To Mike and I, "Manager Tools Guy" looks like a real manager, at real work. 
We are NOT interested, and are unlikely to ever use, model photos.  We don't want pretty.  We think most managers would look right past that.
We think most managers are worried, and busy, and behind, and fearful about what they don't know.  Models don't look like that.  They look like... models.  We're not talking to models.  We're talking to managers.
3. The rotating ones will have a similar "feel'.
See two above for the rationale.  The space we have to fit the pictures into makes choices hard, but almost all of them will have the "fear" factor in them, to some degree.
4. We plan on further visual/graphical tweaking of the site.
We're not designers, but we have good ones working for us.  That said, we think we can do better with some more changes.

I offered a photo of me in my workplace. You should be GLAD they chose not to use it :D
 

Bug_girl,

Ok, now how do I get THAT out of my head?? ;-)

I can only imagine the look on the cow's face!!!
*RNTT
PS - In case this slipped by you, cows ain't bugs ;)
 

And for the record, we WILL be using Bug Girl's photo at some point.   It means a lot to us that someone who does what Bug Girl does (!) is learning from us.
And further, I've done what she's pictured doing.  I'm glad she's doing it and not me, but even if it wasn't on my life's list of stuff to accomplish, I'm glad I did it.
Mark

Don't feel like you HAVE to use that photo.
:)
If only I had photos from the mute swan catching last month--all of us in neoprene waders with big nets, running around on a frozen lake with a foot of show on it, chasing giant very angry birds.  A bit more scenic, and equally hilarious.
(Mute swans are a pest species in the US, and are almost 5 feet tall.  This is possibly also true of me.)

This photo is just fine!

Bachelors Degree: $19,000
Masters Degree: $25,000
Doctorate: $30,000
Picture of sister with hand up a cow’s hoo-ha: Priceless
The photo is bad.  1. I am lost or 2. I'm pretending I'm thinking or 3. OOps that wasn't meant to happen. Either way not a positive image.
Cynically, Chris

Good grief.... I don't know about anyone else but I don't come to MT to gaze longingly at the photo on the front page.  I come here for the content.  Enough about the freaking picture already.

I'd love something like this, with M&M, to be in the rotation. 
I'm a little bummed that Bug Girl's photo is blocked at work.  I can only imagine the content with a name including the words "inseminating your cow"!

Love the picture you reference!  it's just campy enough for our tastes. ;-)
And I've emailed you the Bug Girl photo.  It's a classic.  I am working on getting it onto the home page.
Mark

Nice to see the avatars back so people's virtual personalities can shine through a little bit. Thanks, guys!
Kate

I missed you, Robot holding a piggy!
- BJ

I can only imagine that if I ever get to a MT conference, no one will shake my hand. They know where it's been!

After discussing these posts with friends, I learned that not everyone sees the photo as being a picture of a guy who needs Manager Tools.  Some think it's a photo of one of the hosts!  
 
 

 I don't know if you are aware of this site, but there is litteraly thousands of free pictures that you can use from http://www.sxc.hu .
 
It's free, legal, and there are some great pictures! You can look directly at Business Category: http://www.sxc.hu/category/109

I noticed that we now have rotating photos on the header!
Looks nice!  :)

Thanks!  I wondered if anyone would notice.  ;-)

Your hard work is appreciated, Mike. The updates are very nice!
Respectfully,
Allie

I've been checking out the forums more regularly know and I just wanted to say, "I love  you guys"   M&M and the posters.    Its gritty, Insightful and sometimes fun.   

Much better than always seeing same old, same old.

I like how the picture is always incomplete;  there is content outside the frame, and we can only see one piece of the puzzle.  
Kinda like management.  
And a picture of coffee....priceless!  
John Hack

But is it weird that I'm going to miss the original guy a little bit? ; )
Seriously, the site looks great. Great job, guys!
Kate

Well maybe not but it would be fun...
-- Peter
DISC: 2564

Oh, great ... now I have to go out and purchase additional servers so folks can cycle through all the pictures.  Thanks a lot, Peter!  ;-)

<needlessly antagonistic remark>
Now, when are you going to change the theme music?
</needlessly antagonistic remark>
--Rich
 

You're killing me, dude. ;-)

I'm loving the new content on the home page: it's "all in one Manager Tools" now, my start page for a quick catch up of what's been going on.

And so glad that Wendii's blog posts have pride of place too - she has some great insights and it's compelling seeing their titles on the home page. I hope this will make more people stop by and read them.

All in all it feels like this small change makes me more efficient on the site, and that's great!

Kudos, guys!

LIttlejus - thanks for the compliment.

I'm loving the new homepage too.. I couldn't imagine what difference it would make when Mark told me about it, but now I see it, it's brilliant!

Wendii

I have just seen the new homepage - very nice. I don't use it because the RSS feed does it all for me. I use the RSS feeds because I found it hard to identify new posts quickly.
Are others in the same boat?
Chris