Thoughts on people, teams, organizations, communities, effectiveness and success
Distraction is the enemy of focus and accomplishment. The important task you set out to nail gets buried under the five to ten minor issues that snaked up during the day and grabbed your time and attention.
As Rodan of Alexandria noted, “It’s not the mountain ahead of you that wears you out; it’s the grain of sand in your shoe.… Read the rest
It’s an interesting world we live in. “Show No Fear” and “Take No Prisoners” form the budget bargaining approach we get from the present Speaker of the House – John Boehner – who also cries at the drop of his hat.
Is the ability to evidence toughness and vulnerability in style? Are emotions the new black?
Boehner and emotions were top of mind on the way to re-listening to Brene Brown’s terrific TED talk The Power of Vulnerability until I sidetracked onto David Brooks TED piece titled The Social Animal.… Read the rest
The San Francisco Business Times announced its Best Places to Work in the Bay Area for 2011. This year’s ranking brought nominations from 301 companies representing employees in 12 counties around the greater Bay Area. The eighth annual Best Places to Work awards recognized the top employers in five categories based on company size.
Are the “Best Place to Work” the best places to work?… Read the rest
My colleague John Rehm – fresh from a tour of duty in Asia with IDEO leading innovation projects – flagged a post at HBR.com by Campbell Soup Company CEO and President Doug Conant titled Five Steps to Building Your Network.
If you’ve read Conant’s book with Nette Norgaard, Touchpoints: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments, you know that his candor and personal openness is unusual (unfortunately) for most senior executives.… Read the rest
It may have missed your radar, but two North American business icons waved the financial white flag in the last three weeks.
Harry & David filed for bankruptcy, and the storied Los Angeles Dodgers baseball franchise was taken over by Major League baseball. The organizations are deeply in debt, and the path forward is tricky for both.
What happened?
In the case of Harry & David, that Medford, Oregon-based purveyor of fine fruits and friendly customer service, a large portion of the blame is being cast toward H & D’s owner, private equity firm Wasserstein & Co.… Read the rest
“The young man knows the rules but the old man knows the exceptions” suggested Oliver Wendell Holmes.
Holmes, one of the 20th century’s most influential public figures, was on to something.
While youth (and fresh eyes) serve well with certain types of situations – think Emperor’s New Clothes, quant analysis, or the brilliance behind the Apple’s designs – wisdom from elders is something that you can’t find anyplace else.… Read the rest