[Early Spring 2015] The Envelope, Please

It’s a time of year when even the most distant observer notes that winners are separated from something referred to as losers. Who you are can be confused with what you’ve won (lately).

College bowl games, Super Bowl, Golden Globe, Writers Guild of America, Grammys, Oscars – all proclaiming who is/was hot, and maybe by inference, who is not.

Barack Obama got into the act with his January State of Union address noting that his campaigning days were over – eliciting cheers from Republicans – followed by a telling tally – “I should know because I’ve won both of them.Read the rest

Raise Your Hand. Take Blame. Fast!

The difference?Blame

The difference was between an OK bonus that the senior manager would receive and the really nice bonus  they wouldn’t receive was one word: responsibility.

The recipient, my client explained, shirked from responsibility.

When something went wrong, it was usually someone else’s fault.

When it came time to put a stake in the ground, they were often last to do so.… Read the rest

Pick Up the Phone. Call.

"Kellogg" brand "candle stick&q...

It’s easy to do in our digital world; send the email or text, respond via text or email back and forth and before you know it the thread has 7 or 8 back and forths.

Do something different; pick up the phone and call.

Or do what I do – send a note to ask when the person’s available to take a call and call them then.… Read the rest

Did You Leave Fingerprints?

Glenn Murphy resigned his CEO role with Gap, Inc. effective February 1, 2015.

English: Fingerprint

While I don’t know Murphy, I do know one thing about his 8-year stint at the Gap: Murphy left “fingerprints.”

Murphy was brought at a time when Gap was generally described as “adrift” and “without focus.” While financial results were mixed during his tenure – retail is a tough place for anyone to perform well – the stock price doubled during his time holding the stick.… Read the rest

Words versus Deeds

“The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention.” – John Burroughs

Embed from Getty Images

 

 

 … Read the rest