focus

Are You Focused on Winning Like the NFL?

We’re halfway through the NFL season, and I have to say that from a fan standpoint, I’ve had better years. I root for the Cowboys, Broncos, Chargers and Falcons, although not necessarily in that order. So far only one of my teams (Falcons) enjoys a winning record, while the others have all dipped well below…

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What’s Your Favorite Bias (And is it Subverting Your Planning Process)?

As business leaders, we like to think of ourselves as thoughtful, rational creatures that carefully weigh all the evidence and then make logical, informed decisions. If only it were that simple. Far too often, our “rational” decision-making processes fall victim to our own preconceived notions about how the world should work, as well as a…

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Are You Ready for the Pendulum Swing?

Without question, the past recession has hit many companies hard. But as business leaders struggling to keep our companies afloat, we sometimes forget that it’s been hard on employees as well, including those who managed to keep their jobs. According to a survey conducted earlier this year by Kelton Research, today’s employees are feeling under-empowered,…

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More Medicine for Your Complexity Complex

It seems like I touched a nerve with my two recent blogs on complexity. The feedback I’ve received from clients and business associates reinforces my belief that managing complexity represents one of today’s most compelling leadership issues. With that in mind, here are some more strategies for keeping your organization ahead of the complexity curve:…

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Treating the Complexity Complex

In my last blog, I suggested that many business leaders are struggling to deal with the increasing complexity of today’s business world. Here are some strategies you can employ to cope with this emerging “complexity complex.” Let’s start by defining what we mean by saying the world is getting more complex. We all know the…

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Are You Inspiring or Dousing Innovation?

Seeing as how summer is supposed to include some rest and relaxation, I took advantage of a rare day off last week and went to Sea World (one of the many perks of living in San Diego). I especially enjoyed the Shamu “House of Douse” show, in which several large killer whales do their best…

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What the World Cup Is Telling Us

Have you been watching the World Cup? I am a huge soccer fan and really enjoy the World Cup because it’s such a fascinating international spectacle. Plus, it never fails to serve up some interesting lessons that have real application in the business world. For example: Life isn’t always fair. The U.S. team was victimized…

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Creativity: The New Leadership Imperative

Last week I wrote about how the IBM report, “Capitalizing on Complexity: Insights from the Global Chief Executive Study,” suggested that a majority of CEOs around the globe felt ill-prepared to deal with the increasing complexity in today’s business world. In response to this finding, IBM asked business leaders to prioritize the three most important…

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Are You A Great Leader or Are You Just Running with the Rest of Them?

If you were to compile a checklist of attributes for great leaders, it would certainly include the following: Visionary? Check. JFK’s powerful vision of “We will put a man on the moon by the end of a decade” is a classic example of great leadership through a compelling vision. Great communication skills? Check. Ronald Reagan’s…

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Are You Killing Innovation in Your Company (Without Even Knowing It)?

In today’s world, innovation is a business imperative. You either find new and better ways to add value to your customers, you play follow the leader with those who do, or you go out of business as others change the game and you lose. Most business leaders intuitively know this. Which is why more and…

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Thinking the Unthinkable: The New Leadership Imperative

People ask me all the time what I consider to be the biggest challenge facing today’s business leaders. I don’t even hesitate on this one. It’s the automatic assumption by most business leaders that we still live in a fairly predictable world. Think about it. Six months ago, who would have thought that Toyota would…

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The Most Dangerous Misconception About Innovation

Holly recently contributed to a series of blogs on innovation. She was asked to respond to the question, ‘What is the most dangerous current misconception in innovation?’ …that innovation can only be done by a few, naturally talented individuals. Each of us has the power to be innovative. There are some simple ways to use…

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