agility

Are You Assuming Your Way Out of Business?

What do Sony, Radio Shack and Sears all have in common (besides instant brand recognition)? They’re all losing money, and lots of it. According to a recent Forbes article entitled “Wrong Assumptions Create Lousy Results,” Sony has lost money for 15 out of the last 16 quarters, and projects a loss of $2 billion this…

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The Danger of Deadlines

We all know the value of a good deadline. It helps us get focused, motivated, and sharpens our thinking, right? Not so fast. Current brain research suggests that, in most cases, deadlines do the exact opposite – creating stress and tension while limiting our thinking. Having a sense of urgency does stimulate the part of…

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The Ferguson Formula for Winning

You can always count on the Harvard Business Review for great insights on strategy, leadership and success.  I love this article – “Ferguson’s Formula” (http://hbr.org/2013/10/fergusons-formula/ar/1)  – from the October 2013 issue. One of the most respected names in global sports, Sir Alex Ferguson managed the highly successful English soccer club Manchester United for 26 years….

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Prompt Your Brain to Win

Do you recall learning to ride a bicycle as a young child? At first, you probably wobbled and fell and wanted to quit, especially if you banged a knee or an elbow in the fall. But with mom or dad at your side, or perhaps an older sibling, you had the courage to persevere. Or…

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Are You Pausing to Just Look?

Have you seen those Magic Eye 3D books? I came across one recently, and they are amazing!  Each book contains two-dimensional pictures that look like nothing more than random patterns repeated over and over again across the page. But – and here’s where the magic occurs – when you focus the eyes in a certain…

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Prove Yourself Wrong to Get Your Plan Right

  One of our greatest strengths as adult humans is to the ability to “prove” ourselves right.  We do it in many different ways. First, we constantly look for evidence that supports what we believe to be true. At the same time, we actively block out data that contradicts our prevailing point of view, making…

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Are You in Mental Fight or Flight?

Have you ever made a dumb management decision? One that seemed like a good idea at the time, but after it fell flat you looked back and wondered, “What was I thinking?” We all do this from time to time. But you may be surprised to learn that one cause of this particular human trait is…

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Are You Practicing to Win?

What do Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, LeBron James, and other elite athletes have in common?  They all practice.  A lot. Even after winning world championships, the first thing they do the following season is undertake rigorous training and practice sessions to develop their skills to even higher levels. Then they play a number of practice…

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Are You Ready to Win in 2014?

Did you blink and 2013 zipped right by? Don’t worry, it happened to me too. Which means it’s now time to start getting ready to win in 2014! Here are the top five things you can do to prepare your organization to win in the year ahead. 1. Get clear on winning (your destination). Specifically,…

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Innovate Your Business Model… or Die

Kids say the darnedest things! Recently, researchers asked a group of 12-year olds if they typically listen to music on YouTube, an iPod, or a CD? Not surprisingly, the majority answered “YouTube.” However, the second most common response was, “What’s a CD?” Researchers also asked a group of high school students how they most often…

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Do You Have a Bias for Action?

Do you have a bias for action? These days, most of us do. From the time we wake up in the morning until we go to sleep at night, must of us are pushed from all directions to run as fast as we can. Never mind about whether we’re running in the right direction or…

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Seven Internet Trends that May Surprise You

Are you wondering where the Internet is headed these days? Consider the following trends (stats courtesy of www.staff.com): • China has more than twice the number of Internet users as the U.S. – 564 million vs. 244 million. • The Chinese website alibaba.com does more sales than amazon.com and eBay combined. • Facebook has more…

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