The business wisdom of Will Rogers A friend sent me an e-mail the other day with some quotes from Will Rogers. My father-in-law used to say things like, “Let’s mount up!” when we were supposed to get in the car to go to dinner, so it struck a chord with me. After rereading it today […]
Is your technology worth the trouble? I was excited to receive an e-mail recently from an organization I belong to because it offered a “book” on business strategy that I hadn’t read — and it was FREE! Woo hoo! (OK, so you have to be a business nerd to get excited about this one.) I […]
I was recently in a hotel conference center and watched several firefighters rush to the aid of a woman who had blacked out. Firefighters deserve everyone’s adoration. Firefighting in business, however, can become an addiction that deserves little respect, as it is self-absorbed behavior that rewards a lack of planning. Remember the movie Backdraft where […]
Some time ago I was on the board of an organization that had a very affable, bright leader who was loved by his team. However, during a particularly challenging period, he was seen by the board as non-strategic and in over his head. As one board member remarked, “He doesn’t lead; he presides”. Since that […]
I love getting older! Okay, not all elements. My knees hurt from the five surgeries I have had and I sometimes forget my wife’s name—but age brings experience and perhaps a reduced level of concern about what others think. I don’t blush as often as I used to when I say, “I don’t know.” I […]
Where do you look for new ideas? Sometimes the misty edge of your industry is a good place to start. Some of the most successful companies that I have worked with have intentionally blurred the lines between work and personal life. Several clients have created a work environment that views people as “people” rather than […]
Through years of observation, I’ve concluded that most successful companies have these 6 components nailed down and those who are successful but don’t understand these components are just temporarily lucky! 1 Values Why and how do you do business? Not just you as CEO but your co-workers as well. If someone violates those values, do […]