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Taking the Mystery Out of Innovation

Many people see innovation as a mystifying process that requires blinding flashes of creative insight to come up with new products that change the world. In reality, there’s nothing mysterious about it. As defined in the dictionary, innovation is simply “making changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products.” Those blinding…

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Strategy Ain’t What it Used to Be

Still doing strategic planning the same old way? Get with the new approach or get left behind!

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Are You Playing to Win?

Your #1 job as a leader is to create a compelling vision of winning, then keep yourself and everyone else in the organization focused on it with laser-like intensity. Are you focused on winning and moving towards it each day, celebrating milestones along the way? Or do you play to not lose? When an organization…

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Time for a Nice Cold One!

The dog days of summer are almost upon us, and everything is heating up. When the temperature soars and we want to cool down, few things hit the spot more than an ice-cold soda, lemonade, or beer. When things heat up, it’s also a good time to cool down your business. And no, I don’t…

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Did You Hear it Through the Grapevine?

Spring is here and life is bursting out at the seams! The bees are buzzing, the flowers are blooming, and people are hard at work getting their gardens ready for the growing season. Experienced gardeners know there’s more to just planting the seeds, laying down some mulch, and watering the soil. Creating the best environment…

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Pre-thinking Your Way to a More Flexible Organization

What would you do if your best customer closed the account and went to your biggest competitor? (And no, jumping off a cliff is not an option!) Seriously, what would happen if your key suppliers suddenly tripled their prices? How would you respond if a new technology made your current business model obsolete overnight? What…

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Are Your Employees Getting Happy Feet?

Here’s some interesting news. According to the Department of Labor, unemployment fell for a fourth month in a row. The current rate of 8.5% represents its lowest point at any time in the past three years. Leading indicators also show that the economy continues to grow. Granted, it isn’t creating jobs as quickly as we…

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Are You Focused on Winning in 2012?

A new year is all about possibilities, promise and potential, and sometimes a lot of other stuff gets in the way. Are you ready to win in 2012?

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Expose Yourself! Get Better Results by Making Your Thinking Visible

Expose yourself? No, I’m not talking about trench coats or the number two activity on the web (porn is BEHIND social media these days!). I’m referring to common communication challenges that can be easily overcome by pausing to bring others along in your thinking process. When we present ideas to other people, especially new ideas,…

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The Real Recipe for Innovation

When I talk to business leaders, I always ask about the most difficult challenges they face day in and day out. Increasingly, I’m hearing about how hard it is to innovate on a consistent basis. This anecdotal evidence is now being supported by a recent McKinsey Global Survey that polled more than 2,200 senior executives…

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Stop Jumping to Solutions!

Okay readers, it’s time to test your business IQ. Which word does not belong in this group? Radar Kayak Raven Repaper If you answered “kayak,” you’re right! It’s the only word that doesn’t start with the letter R. But wait. If you answered “raven,” you’re also correct because it’s the only word that isn’t a…

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