Speaking of Leadership^® Blog

Reading Time: < 1 minuteNetflix comes to mind when we think of disruption of established business models;  in this case the Hollywood Studios.  Netflix’ success seems to some as just being in the right place at the right time and as surfers say, “catching a wave.”   It’s always hard to untangle the relative influence

Reading Time: < 1 minuteIf you began your career in the 70’s or 80’s, the business book everyone read was Tom Peters’ “In Search of Excellence” which looked at how successful companies executed strategies in an enduring way. With several decades of additional study of successful companies under his belt, Mr. Peters is back with

Reading Time: < 1 minuteSadly, we live too much in a “winner take all world” and this applies as much to fame in business as in other fields.   To wit:  the passing of Paul Allen who co-founded Microsoft and thereby the computer revolution of the past forty years.   Bill Gates (the other Microsoft co-founder)

Reading Time: < 1 minuteWhen we are faced with a new problem, what is our first instinct? “How Do I Solve this Problem?”  Turn the question around – ask “Who Solves this Problem?” Here’s a valuable tool for your new venture from Peter Diamandis, successful entrepreneur, co-founder of over twenty companies, and founder of

Reading Time: < 1 minuteSears has been struggling for many years but the speculation of the past few days that it may bypass Chapter 11 reorganization entirely and proceed to Chapter 7 Liquidation indicates just how hopeless many of its lenders believe the company’s situation has become.  This article from Business Insider tells in a

Reading Time: < 1 minuteMany aging boomers are looking forward to retirement so they can, “ check out”.   Not Paul Tasner.  A few days before Christmas in 2007 at the age of 64, Mr. Tasner was called into a meeting and fired as director of operations for a company where he had worked for

Reading Time: < 1 minuteWe all make mistakes when undertaking a new activity and first-time leaders are no exception.  Two former Navy Seal Commanders believe that new leaders always make the same two mistakes.  This short article from Business Insider will tell you what they are.   See also the video link at the end of the article

Reading Time: < 1 minuteJohn Henry Newman once remarked that “history offers lessons, not rules.”  Imitating the path of one successful person is tempting because it’s easy, but is rarely the formula for success; we have to learn from many leaders with different stories in order to extract applicable principles as to what leadership really is. Presidential

Reading Time: < 1 minuteThe fundamental challenge every manager faces is coping with risk.  MBA programs and other management training offerings can help executives with this, but perhaps you should consider how a game you may already be playing for fun and relaxation can help you better grasp the nature of the uncertainties of commerce.

Reading Time: < 1 minuteSpeaking of disruption…..most family businesses vanish by the third generation; public companies typically disappear in even less time.  But a few, both for profit and not,  somehow persist for a century or more.   One key according to research on this phenomenon is finding a way to be “radically traditional.”   Find out what the