One of my favorite books about managing employee performance is a little gem called, Why Employees Don’t Do What They’re Supposed to Do … and what to do about it, by Ferdinand Fournies.
Why Context Trumps Everything, Even Your Beliefs
One of automobile magnate Henry Ford’s core beliefs was that it is critical to control every aspect of production. He built power plants, owned coal mines and timberlands, ran a steel foundry, had a deep-water port and dozens of miles of railway
One Powerful Way to Instill a Sense of Purpose
It’s widely accepted that when employees have a sense of purpose they are more engaged and perform at a higher level. So how can a leader help to instill a sense of purpose?
The Difference Between Very, Very Good and The Best
The Olympic Games are a wonderful showcase of the possibilities of human performance. And of how thread-fine the margin can be between being the best, and not. When I think of the Olympics I often think of the greatest sprinter you’ve never heard of.
Selling Sand in the Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula. The name evokes a sense of endless sands and the oven-like heat of the desert. In the vastness of the desert there are quadrillions of grains of sand. And it would be easy to think that sand is sand is sand.
Why Details are Critical
As someone who enjoys outdoor activities I’m always interested in innovations to outdoors gear. I recently came across one that totally impressed me with its attention to detail: the GoBites Uno – a spork.
How to Win in the Shark Tank and Not Get Eaten Alive
If you’re a business person looking to entice investors, there is likely no higher profile venue than the popular TV show, Shark Tank.
Many entrepreneurs get the opportunity to deliver their pitch. So what separates those who get funded
Why You Don’t Want to Think “Out-of-the-Box”
It’s one of the most enduring sayings in business: thinking out-of-the-box. And for almost 20 years I’ve been advising leaders not to say it. Why? Because if you say “thinking out of the box,” you’re not. How could you be?
What ‘Wow” Service Looks Like
Standing out a little is little better than not standing out. Sure, it’s nice, but not particularly memorable. The only way to be memorable, and to inspire customers to speak passionately about you, is to blow them away.
Why Being “Different” Isn’t Enough
Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don’t be “me-too.” So goes the conventional wisdom. Being different is where to be. But is different enough? This past week marked the end of a long-running battle about being different.
The #2 Reason Why Family Businesses Don’t Endure
Why the number 2 reason? Because number 1 is obvious: businesses get handed down to inept offspring who ascend to the throne based on the merits of their last names. You can take it from there. So let’s get to the more interesting reason
A Test of Commitment
Decision time.
We started at 3:45 a.m. and had now been hiking and climbing for over 11 hours. Our objective was to traverse the northernmost 10 peaks of Colorado’s Tenmile Range in a single push. Ten summits, all over 12,000 feet, across 16 miles.
