“Jim, we’re in this mess because of you!” “I told you we’d lose the client, Jane. This is all your fault. You never get it right!” “The kids wouldn’t behave this way if you weren’t such a bad father, Bill.” We’ve all heard words like this from bosses, parents, spouses, teachers and colleagues. I’m sure […]
Read MoreDear weekly blog readers… It’s hard to believe it has been over three years since the launch of my book on creativity and innovation, Disciplined Dreaming. Today, I am thrilled to announce the debut of my new book, The Road to Reinvention: How to Drive Disruption and Accelerate Transformation. I’m proud of the work and truly believe […]
Read MoreWhen we think of leadership, we often gravitate toward lessons learned from our bosses (past and present). Generally this practice makes a tremendous amount of sense — longstanding success and a pattern of winning matter. However, by narrowing our focus to only learn from the tenured few, we miss out on many other lessons to […]
Read MoreAs the Mother’s Day brunches and barbeques come to a close, many of us spend a few minutes reflecting on the impact our moms have made. They sacrificed and worked around the clock in a thankless job to prepare us to lead productive adult lives. This hilarious video illustrates just how outrageous the demands of the world’s […]
Read MoreA marble rolls down a ramp until it triggers a spring that lights a match, which, in turn, ignites a candle. The heat from the candle inflates a balloon, which expands until it pops. The burst of the balloon moves a lever that lifts a barrier holding back a live mouse. The now-freed mouse heads […]
Read MoreEmbarking on something new is the most exciting, energizing feeling in the world. We get fired up and can’t stop talking about it, at least for a while. Then, inevitably, we hit a plateau. Stagnation sets in and we lose our mojo. For the purposes here, I’m assuming mojo refers to desire, passion or motivation. […]
Read MoreIn the late 1980s, millions of us tuned in to witness Angus MacGyver’s ability to always find a creative way to get out of a jam. Regularly finding himself in an impossible life-or-death situation, he managed to come out on top through grit and resourcefulness. Instead of panicking, he’d simply figure out a way to […]
Read MoreIn the early days of the Internet, less than 2% of companies had a corporate website. To put your brochure on the web at that time was cutting-edge and bold. Launching a website was a newsworthy event; an opportunity to shine over your competition. I know this intimately, because the company I founded back in […]
Read MoreWhen the crooks at Enron, Tyco and Worldcom committed fraud and marred their shareholders with huge losses, the Securities and Exchange Commission rightfully swooped in to prevent future cons. The problem is that the corrective measure came in the form of legislation known as Sarbanes-Oxley, which became a stranglehold on business. It was a broad-based, […]
Read MoreThere’s a powerful American Indian fable that has never been more relevant: One evening, an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, […]
Read MoreWe all share a mutual enemy — the 24-hour clock. Considering we each have exactly the same amount of time per day, why do some people generate unimaginable productivity and results while others fall so woefully short? Embrace these best practices, and you’ll get more done in record time: Plan ahead. Rather than racing through […]
Read MoreDr. Zenko Hrynkiw is serious about his work. As the only neurosurgeon at Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama, he is on call 330 days per year. He’s deeply committed to helping people and saving lives, regularly embracing a “whatever it takes approach.” This resolve was put to the test a few weeks ago, in […]
Read MoreEarlier this month, the 56th annual Grammy ceremony awarded Thomas Newman a Grammy for the score he composed for the James Bond movie Skyfall. It was a brilliant work, enhancing the emotions throughout the intense journey of Agent 007. Newman’s masterpiece was the connective tissue that stitched together scenes and characters, allowing us to savor […]
Read MoreIn the 1967 Beatles classic, McCartney and Lennon sang a persistent mantra: “It’s getting better all the time.” They contrasted life’s problems, including bad teachers in school, general dissatisfaction and anger, and bumpy relationships, with the idea of continuous improvement as their prescriptive cure. As we look into the future, most of us are hungry […]
Read MoreHere in Detroit, the arctic weather has delivered one giant mess on the roads. Colleagues of mine have reported downtown commutes as long as 2.5 hours for a ride that would normally take 35 minutes. The seemingly endless traffic causes mere frustration for the patient person and outright rage for the flustered. While waiting at […]
Read MoreThere’s a good chance you have at least one person in your life that does more harm than good. Perhaps it’s a boss that criticizes your every move. Maybe it’s a competitor, client, or colleague dead set on crushing your spirit. It could even be a parent or spouse that cuts you down rather than boosts you up. […]
Read MoreIn less than a month, the two best football teams in the nation will square off for the biggest sporting event of the year. With an expected audience of over 100 million people, this is the pinnacle career moment of these world-class athletes. Their chance to shine. To win. To make history. To reach the […]
Read MoreIn high school chemistry, we learned that adding several new chemicals to an existing one could create a dramatic effect. In fact, the surrounding substances can literally change the original into a completely new form of matter. The same holds true for you and those you surround yourself with. If you regularly hang out with […]
Read MoreIn business (and life), you are constantly faced with challenges that seem insurmountable. Your inner voice says “it can’t be done,” and you may give up before even trying. The thing is – obstacles can be shattered with a creative solution if you take the time and effort to approach them in an unconventional way. […]
Read MoreLittle did she know, Justine Sacco’s entire career was ruined while she flew from London to South Africa this past Friday. Unfortunately, these were self-inflicted wounds that were set in motion by a single tweet she made prior to boarding the flight. With horrible judgment, zero sensitivity, and a bigoted perspective, she tweeted: “Going to Africa. Hope […]
Read MoreConvicted felons who finish their sentences often struggle on the outside just like they did behind bars. Often lacking skills, support and education, many go back to a life of crime, with nearly 70% returning to prison (44% within one year of their release). But some — including many drug dealers — have exhibited strong […]
Read MoreThe French Laundry in Napa Valley, California is consistently ranked among the top five restaurants in the country. Celebrity chef Thomas Keller spares no expense in making the food and dining experience pure perfection. Even with a price tag of up to $500 per person, this premier bistro is sold out every single night. The […]
Read MoreHuman comfort has become a booming industry and a way of life in modern society. The push of a button or the pop of a pill can pacify nearly any discomfort. Our cars are ergonomically designed, often including a duplicate set of controls on the steering wheel to avoid the agony of leaning over 14 […]
Read MorePaul Glomski, the CEO and co-founder of mobile app developer Detroit Labs, is a scrappy leader. He is laser-focused on driving meaningful results in his business and realizing the company’s full potential. As a result, he’s unwilling to get tripped up when things don’t go according to plan. The entrepreneurial process is often mischaracterized as […]
Read MoreAquaman has the unique ability to communicate with sea creatures. Comic book heroine Invisible Woman can — you guessed it — become invisible at will. In fact, each of the superheroes we grew up with and admired have one or more superpowers. Turns out that most highly successful people — both mythical and real — […]
Read MoreBusiness people waste a lot of time worrying about spending money. By conserving cash, the thinking goes, they are protecting their most precious and scarce resource. As an investor in startup companies, I see this pattern play out again and again: leaders that invest too slowly in growth, believing this is a safe approach. In […]
Read MoreDavid Lee Roth, the legendary lead singer for the band Van Halen, was the poster child for 1980s excess. He was chastised in the news media for demanding only non-brown M&M’s in his dressing room, the obvious sign of a narcissistic diva. While his ego may have been the size of the stadiums he rocked, […]
Read MoreScientists have long been enamored with the concept of chain reactions. A chemical change, for example, triggers a change in a nearby chemical, which in turn triggers change in other surrounding forms. In the case of a drop of water radiating out to impact an entire still lake, a single action can create far-reaching impact. […]
Read MoreThe football coaches at Utah’s Union High School decided to make a bold decision. With reports of poor grades, cyber-bullying, and attitude problems, the coaches were unwilling to support the declining behavior of their team. So right before the big homecoming game, they decided to suspend the entire group. Every team member was instructed to […]
Read MoreClassical musicians possess a number of enviable qualities such as discipline, precision and attention to detail. In a symphonic setting, they play the notes from the musical score with incredible accuracy, commanding their instruments to play precisely what the composer has documented. Intricate details such as attack and release, volume, tempo and vibrato are carefully […]
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