I’m a big believer in the Ritz Carlton’s program of providing a $2,000 allowance to empower their employees to enhance the “Guest Experience” … and I think it’s noteworthy that the Cadillac division of General Motors is applying this concept to strengthen their relationship with potential Cadillac customers. It’s not the money. It’s not the…
» See Full Post...Yesterday, I referenced a shorthand version of a business plan outline. Most of you saw the words “business plan” and immediately started looking for the key to the gun cabinet, conveniently placed right next to the liquor cabinet … because that phrase usually incites a painful, grinding noise between your ears. If you still don’t…
» See Full Post...I’ve written numerous posts about business plans … the importance of preparing them, what should be in them, etc. Seth Godin has another, very simplified concept about what’s really needed: * Truth * Assertions * Alternatives * People * Money Cuts to the quick, doesn’t it? What do think is the most important question to…
» See Full Post...Making one mistake, an umpire shows rare integrity “Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses.” –George Washington Carver This week I chose to digress from our series on strategic finance to offer a few observations about some powerful leadership lessons threading their way through recent headlines. It’s…
» See Full Post...Many of us accept that the only thing that doesn’t change is change itself. Our world is buffeted on all sides by change … kids grow up, technology abounds, friends move away, the list is endless. Dan Heath at Fast Company describes a recent experience with subjects who were offered either chocolate chip cookies ……
» See Full Post...Fast Company recently carried a brief piece which described how what appears to be a personal shortcoming may obfuscate a problem situation. In psychology, they call it the Fundamental Attribution Error but the example they used is particularly poignant for many situations we’ve all seen. Have you experienced situations that seemed like “people problems” ……
» See Full Post...I’m sure this will be a popular post … but set aside your emotions for a moment about the BP disaster… and consider the insistence by the federal government that an independent agency take over the claims resulting from the oil spill, purportedly overriding BP’s authority, and that of the other 12 entities on board…
» See Full Post...The simplest things in life are free … and sometimes, it’s the simple things that make so much sense. Here is the simple creed that John Wooden, famed UCLA basketball coach whose winning record is unlikely to ever be surpassed, received from his father and carried in his wallet throughout his life: “Be true to…
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I am a leadership coach and a professional author and speaker, facilitating leadership groups among CEOs and senior business leaders in the SF Bay area.
I am the author or more than 125+ newspaper columns published by the SF Bay affiliate of the NY Times among the 500+ articles here. I have also written 3 ebooks about Leadership & Business Finance.
I have been married forever to a beautiful woman and have one spectacular daughter who has dedicated her life to helping children with life-threatening illnesses. Read more ….
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