Is community building best served by promoting a sense of trust or a sense

of fear? Trust commands little of our attention—even though matters of life and death are often involved. We put faith in the weight bearing capacity of ladders, we assume that our fellow drivers will stay in their lane, and we trust that pharmaceutical companies have adequately...

culture (collective habits) is the key to prosperityOpinion in Wall Steet

Journal of August 6th presented a contribution  by Richard Landres titled; Romney is right on Culture and the Wealth of Nations.  He makes a strong case regarding the impact that culture has on prosperity.  Richard’s perspective has much to offer beyond the current presidential...

The recent shootings in Aurora Colorado caused many to reflect on the

issues of trust and fear. Trust usually commands very little of our attention—even though it often involves matters of life and death. For example; we put faith in the weight bearing capacity of a ladder, we assume that fellow drivers will stay in their lane.  We trust that pharmaceutical...

The late Stephen Covey left us a significant legacy–namely his best

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Leadership is about what goes on within and between people whereas management

The “I” of life’s hurricanes are your core values.  When blown off course, leaders turn to what they believe to get centered.  They understand that vision represents values in the future tense —what people believe influences what they can and cannot see.  Leaders help followers clarify a set of cultural-values for the group—then meld them...

Organizations achieve dominance by introducing unique ways of doing business

that the market perceives as adding value. A timely innovation often changes the rules of the game.  But success can be a precursor to failure.  Many innovators find themselves wedded to ideology that blinds them to changing market conditions or competitors making inroads...

Many organizations have decades of planning and operation advances woven

into the fabric of everyday life.  Enhancements such as just-in-time inventory management, total quality processes, lean manufacturing, and a plethora of continuous improvement mutations, served us well—until for the first time in history, we were broadsided by a  “mega...

Effective companies manage by process-discipline--the equivelant of writing

In the music world, composers remain aloof from the inner workings of orchestras.  They remain process not execution oriented—they focus on what could be (if delivered properly). The job of the conductor and section leaders (management and supervision) is to select scores, attract and develop talent that can read music (rather than play by ear)...

Management science and technology have combined to produce a “mega change

” in stereo.  Adaptations of digital technology allow us to:  create, transmit, compute, store, and retrieve data in ways that have marginalized time and distance as barriers to entry.  This revolution has catapulted us into Marshall McLuhan’s global village.  We are...

“It’s the right thing to do.”  Most organizations have their values

posted prominently on boardroom walls, websites, and in annual reports.  Unfortunately, too many CEOs consider the “values thing” complete once PR professionals wordsmith an attractive centerpiece for the corporate table.  Unfortunately, just like a table centerpiece at...