If you set out to climb Mt. Everest, one of the first things you do is hire a Sherpa. Originally an ethnic group in Nepal, today a “Sherpa” is the common term used for the leader of a mountain climbing expedition. In business terms, you are hiring a CEO to help you get to the … Read more
beckysue
Too often, leaders accept defeat when challenges seem insurmountable. They concede quickly, bowing to the pressures of the day. If others in similar situations can’t overcome certain obstacles, it is easy to rationalize that nothing can be done. While some shrug their shoulders and accept the unacceptable, others are busy getting creative and generating meaningful … Read more
In our frenetically busy lives, we all smack up against the same obstacle: time. The 24-hour clock is a brutal and unforgiving foe. It’s easy to fill the hours, feeling busy and anxious, only to look back at a stunningly puny amount of productivity. With unlimited access to information and frictionless global markets for goods, … Read more
Think how polished you were on the day you interviewed for your job. Or applied for a small business loan. Or went on the first date with your spouse. You took the time to look and act sharp. You were engaged, thoughtful, and energetic. You were a great listener. You were empathetic. You cared. Fast … Read more
At some point on the journey, every great contributor to the world was met with resistance. The ones who made the biggest impact in business, politics, invention, education, and even humanitarian and civil rights were attacked as much as they were celebrated. Innovation is routinely met by fear from those that the advances disrupt. Bold … Read more
In the context of seemingly endless challenges, many of us have paused to reassess what it really takes to win. What attributes will we need to overcome the strong headwinds of this hyper-competitive business storm? We certainly know that the models of the past won’t cut it. To seize our full potential – in both … Read more
When bugging my fiancée, Tia, about what she wanted to do next weekend, she jokingly jabbed back with a line that struck me: “I just want to be fabulous,” she beamed. Although her response was meant to be playful and not taken seriously, her simple words could not have rung more true. Dictionary definitions for ‘fabulous’ profess a … Read more
A website is considered user-friendly if it is simple and painless to explore. Ergonomics engineers study human-machine interactions to ensure that cars and other manufactured products provide an enjoyable experience in addition to their core function. Consumer Reports ranks dishwashers and flat screen TV’s alike based on their level of user-friendliness. Twenty years ago, this concept was … Read more
Imagine that a loved one is on the operating table in a life-or-death situation. You and your family gather in the waiting room waiting with baited breath for the doctor to communicate the results of this life-saving procedure. When the surgeon finally arrives, you don’t want to hear about how hard she and her team labored. You don’t want to hear that she “gave … Read more
Children overflow with plans for bold adventure, inspiring careers, and triumphant victories. I’ve never met a seven-year-old who aspires to middle management or wishes they grew up to become a paper-pushing bureaucrat. As we mature, we dilute the potency of our dreams, learning to settle instead of lead. We adults too often let fear impede … Read more