Managing business uncertainty can be overwhelming. Even if you embrace and even welcome change, dealing with uncertainty from local markets and global developments is a whole different ballgame. What’s happening with the economy? What is the impact of global warming on the weather, or agriculture and water supplies, or property values and retirement destinations? How…
Do you know a peaceable leader? What is a peaceable leader? Think back to all the leaders you have known, in business and in other fields. Now think about those you would consider the best. What do they have in common? I have had the privilege of knowing, working with, and working for several exemplary…
Implementing a breakthrough idea can be the pinnacle of achievement, or the train wreck of the century. You’ve explored and analyzed, checked the marketplace and competition, pulled ideas from other industries and thought way out of the box. Or perhaps a bolt of lightning struck you with a transcendent “Wow!” moment during your morning shower.…
What is your batting average for breakthrough ideas? When is the last time you, metaphorically speaking, went outside the lines of the coloring book, out of the book altogether, and created a masterpiece on the living room wall? There’s nothing wrong with following standard procedures or well-established practices. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,”…
Have you ever considered how to create more joy at work? Huh? Joy at work? Is this a joke? If work wasn’t work, we wouldn’t call it work, right? Well, work might not always be sunshine and lollipops, indeed, it might sometimes seem like the deepest, darkest, most inescapable imaginable bog. Yet even in the…
What is the trick? How adept are you at creating new products and finding new ideas? Nothing is more dead than yesterday’s hot item. Customers are attracted to novelty. The blockbuster movie premiere, the newest restaurant on the block or the latest viral dance craze capture the media and lock in our attention. Technology, interests…
Team facilitation can make or break the best intended planning session. You gather your team together, set aside one or more major chunks of time, and launch your agenda. And you come away with a dynamic, focused plan and enthusiastic support… or not. There are no guarantees that your brainstorming or strategic planning sessions will…
What is Your Career Strategy? Have you ever wondered about the keys to career success? There are an infinite number of formulas and ideas, and thousands of books on the subject. Some formulas are simple, some are complex. There is no one right answer, but let me share one simple concept that I’ve found effective.…
We all need something to make us smile; something different, once in awhile. So invest the time now, if you please, to review the management ABCs. Give your brain a gentle jog, and enjoy this eccentric management blog. A is for Attention. Pay attention to details. The business ignored by leadership is the business that derails.…
In business, manipulation tactics can be subtle or blatant. They can be a part of cultural norms, or press uncomfortably into the realm of the unacceptable. We can argue that almost all of business, indeed almost all of life has elements of manipulation. A good report card might net an ice cream sundae for an…