The Transaction (a short story): I recall an encounter a few years back at a local auto parts national chain store where I stood in line behind a gentleman shopping for auto supplies. When the gentleman, whose name I later learned was Rick, approached the counter, he was greeted with a welcoming “how may I
Johnny once came to me to volunteer for a project assignment. I knew Johnny quite well and knew that he would fail miserably at the task, as both his skills and personality were not suited for that specific assignment. One part of me, the coach and mentor side, screamed to give Johnny a chance –
Insights on the role of a Chief Innovation Officer and optimal ways to establish a productive dialog and enduring relationship. If you think you’ve got your Chief Innovation Officer contact understood, take a step back and think again. Chances are you are misreading his or her (hereinafter “his” for brevity) intentions, misunderstanding his vocabulary and
It has become an established dogma within enterprises, especially ones structured with traditional hierarchies, that #leadership is a function one must grow into through on-the-job experience, dedication, long work hours and training. “Starting at the bottom” to work yourself to a leadership position is touted as the architected, tried and proven way to cultivate upper management. The
One of the most common and yet so infrequently used powerful tools in the development of a strategy. Whether developing a sales or marketing approach, launching a new product, running a public works project, or virtually in any development arena, by assessing your starting environment through SWOT and then crafting a resulting strategy which offers
Creative Dissonance
I recently had the opportunity to attend a beautiful orchestral performance by a contemporary composer. The music was serene, with a soothing melody aimed to evoke a sensation of calm and order. One could clearly hear the musicians all aligned in the single purpose of carrying the balanced message forward, each instrument contributing its tone
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