Then Prime minister Margret Thatcher, after a cabinet meeting in Brighton

, was reviewing documents with two staffers.  She had just excused herself to visit the rest room when a bomb went off uner the chair she had been sitting in.  Her  staffers were critically injured but she escaped unharmed.  The next day  terrorists sent her a message, “...

Like an expert jazz group, successful small companies can create beautiful

music because a limited number of players are motivated by the founder’s vision. They know the team’s strengths and limitations, cover for each other, are experts at; shooting from the hip, changing direction on the fly, and multi-tasking.  In short, they will do whatever...

The following is an excerpt from The Baton Management System more visit

CEOs who set a good example  by adopting a “do as I do—not as I say” attitude with direct reports (particularly in terms of how to supervise) are a primary  leading- indicator of corporate  success in the “shift-age”.  Compliance by senior executives  to company-wide supervisory protocols is an essential factor in the  maintainance...

Most executives use metrics related to the output of group(s) reporting

directly or indirectly to their direct reports to assess the performance of each subordinate (what a poor choice of words).  For example the VP of sales is typically measured on sales numbers.  At first glance, this common practice makes sense, but using bottom line numbers exclusively...

In ancient times, actors played multiple roles by covering their face

with a variety of masks called facades.  Modern language adapted the word facade to mean, “putting on a front or false appearance.”  Facades are useful at times, for example, forcing yourself to smile at a well intentioned friend when you are really disappointed or masking...

History suggests that even the most powerful fail once they stop innovating

. Without continuous improvement, companies will eventually start behaving like grumpy old people—too set in their ways to change. Complying with the natural order of things, as people and companies decline, others with less experience and fewer assets will pass them by...

Nature hates empty spaces, and works hard to keep them filled. The phenomenal

Have you ever watched a tiger at the zoo? All its needs were being met; food, safety, free health care, and for a lucky few…a dating service. But like all caged creatures, it was dull-furred, dim eyed, and lethargic. Activity was relegated to pacing back and forth within its unnatural confine. Compare that sorry looking animal to its wild cousins...

Although the workplace has been restructured, many people are still operating

from an industrial-age mindset that is no longer based on reality. When one looks at our changing world through outdated assumptions, everything looks insane. Alice experienced similar perceptual distortions during her visit to wonderland. Opportunities pass undetected for...