Advice From The Most Innovative Leaders

Advice From The Most Innovative Leaders

Ten Ways to Recession Proof Your Career

Ten Ways to Recession Proof Your Career: Beyond compensation and job security, there are lots of other reasons why mommas should encourage their babies to grow up to be...

How To Have A More Positive Relationship With Your Aging Parent

How To Have A More Positive Relationship With Your Aging Parent:
If you have ever dealt with a difficult aging parent this is for you.

Anticipate Your Company's Biggest Hurdles

Anticipate Your Company's Biggest Hurdles: By preparing for obstacles such as low cash reserves, high customer acquisition costs, and burnout, your business can improve it's chance of surviving

How To Effectively Investigate A Stock

How To Effectively Investigate A Stock

26 Lessons from a 26 Year Old CEO

26 Lessons from a 26 Year Old CEO:
On April 25th I turned 26, and a few weeks later my web marketing agency turned two. What started as a single person mini-business, has turned into a 27 person global web marketing firm in just two short years. I?ve been immensely grateful for the opportunities life has presented me with. And, as I look forward to the future, it would only be fair to look back as well.

Creativity Sells.

Creativity Sells.:
Things I hear:

Do You Have A Fear Of Selling?

Do You Have A Fear Of Selling?:
5 Important Questions To Ask Yourself

Fix your meetings. Now.

Fix your meetings. Now.: "Meetings don't have to be tedious. Try this format for better results."

Four Morals From MySpace's Fall

Four Morals From MySpace's Fall: "

What can we learn from the disintegration of MySpace ? just five years ago a media darling and now in the tech industry?s dustbin?  It would be easy to blame the fall on inept management, except that the company?s leaders clearly were not dumb.  Rather, the seeds of demise were"

Thank You Adobe. My Bank Account Will Soon Be Grateful.

Thank You Adobe. My Bank Account Will Soon Be Grateful.: "
Small business owners are certainly unique in many different ways.  But there is one thing that we all have in common.  We hate late-paying customers and despise those who stiff us.  Ask any retired business owner you meet.  He might not be able to remember the names of all his grandchildren.  But he will, with pinpoint accuracy, list every single one of those customers who stiffed him over the past forty years.    This is a fact."

A Launch With Content Will Rocket Startup Growth

A Launch With Content Will Rocket Startup Growth:
Your marketing launch is the most important element of startup success these days, to get customer attention in this world of information overload. Yet it is the one element that too many entrepreneurs focus on only as an afterthought. Everyone assumes their product or service is so great that ?word-of-mouth? will carry the day for them."

Learning To Love Change In The Workplace

Learning To Love Change In The Workplace: "I heard once that the Chinese character for the word “change” was a combination of two other characters: chaos and opportunity. Now, don’t quote me on this. I have no idea of if it’s correct. But in theory, it makes sense."

How to Give Back Most Effectively

How to Give Back Most Effectively: "A conversation with Tom Tierney, Chairman and co-founder of Bridgespan."

CloudFlare Makes The Web Faster, Safer

CloudFlare Makes The Web Faster, Safer: "If you have a web site two of your biggest problems are that it's too slow and it's too vulnerable to attacks from computer geeks with ill intent. Attacks against web sites including PBS, CIA, Sony and Nintendo, have made web site owners cringe at the thought of knowing they’re never safe. Wouldn't it be nice if there was an inexpensive way to solve those twin problems?"

The Ins and Outs of Workplace Burnout

The Ins and Outs of Workplace Burnout: "As almost everyone who’s had a career knows, burnout can be a real bear. And research shows it’s becoming more commonplace these days. But what many may not know is that there are actually three different types of burnout from which one can suffer. Fortunately, researchers have just discovered the risk factors for each. Knowing how burnout works can prevent it from happening, or help you “de-burn,” if it’s already set in. Organizational psychologist Richard Wexler helps us key in."

How Do You Change An Organizational Culture?

How Do You Change An Organizational Culture?: "
Changing an organization?s culture is one of the most difficult leadership challenges. That?s because an organization?s culture comprises an interlocking set of goals, roles, processes, values, communications practices, attitudes and assumptions."

Five Strategies For Outperforming In A Rough Economy

Five Strategies For Outperforming In A Rough Economy: "Written By Craig Doud"

Selling Your Business? Taxes Are Key

Selling Your Business? Taxes Are Key: "Business owners often talk of selling out to retire, move away, capitalize on a hot market or simply do something else.  Right now, sales of small businesses are up.  And sales mean taxes.  See Sales of Small Firms Are Up.  Big or small, if you have a business, taxes should influence---or even control---how you sell.  "

When Your Bank Won't Make a Business Loan

When Your Bank Won't Make a Business Loan: "Study alternative financing sources such as angel investing groups, crowdfunding sites, and microfinance organizations, then prepare to prove you're worth betting on"

Ten Business Tips From Kenyan Multi-Millionaire Chris Kirubi

Ten Business Tips From Kenyan Multi-Millionaire Chris Kirubi: "
Chris Kirubi is a complex man. One of Africa?s richest and most successful businessmen, he?s that rare blend of Donald Trump, Jeffrey Sachs, Richard Branson and American music star DJ Khaled, in African skin. In business, he?s got the cunning and clout of Trump, the economic intellect of Sachs, the rebellion of Branson, and the musical inclinations of hip-hop act DJ Khaled."

Five Communication Mistakes That Are Holding You Back

Five Communication Mistakes That Are Holding You Back: "There's just something about communications that's harder than it should be."

Six Traps That Wreck Established Businesses

Six Traps That Wreck Established Businesses: "Longevity in business can leave owners complacent, unprepared, and misaligned with their personal goals. Here's how to avoid the key dangers success can bring"

How You Can Outsmart Your Brain In Work, Love & Life

How You Can Outsmart Your Brain In Work, Love & Life: "by Margie Warrell"

Ten Things They Don't Tell You In Business School

Ten Things They Don't Tell You In Business School: "

Listen up, budding Masters Of The Universe, and all those who dream of walking their path to wealth, power and spacious summer homes. At many business schools, boot-camp week--where the unwashed get a taste of debits, credits and such--starts in less than a month. After that, and just beneath the throb"

Networking is a Business Best Practice

Networking is a Business Best Practice: "Having moved his law practice to Chicago in 1896, Paul J. Harris missed the friendly relationships he knew growing up in a small Vermont town."

10 Challenges in Sustainability: Lessons from Seventh Generation

10 Challenges in Sustainability: Lessons from Seventh Generation: "“Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a continuum rather than a definition. It is constantly evolving and changing in context, and that’s how responsibility should be viewed.”"

7 Tips for Making Happy Decisions about How to Spend Your Time, Energy, and Money

7 Tips for Making Happy Decisions about How to Spend Your Time, Energy, and Money: "We all have to make decisions about how to spend our time, energy, and money. Because of my happiness project, I now explicitly ask myself, “Will this decision make me happier?” I’m determined to get the most happiness bang for the buck."

How To Write E-mails Your Customers Will Actually Read

How To Write E-mails Your Customers Will Actually Read: "This post was written by James Slavet, a venture capitalist at Greylock Partners.  Greylock is an investor in companies mentioned in this post, including Constant Contact, Groupon, Facebook and One Kings Lane."

Leadership: Where Does Charisma Come From?

Leadership: Where Does Charisma Come From?: "We can learn much about the current leadership implications of charisma from the life of one of the most charismatic individuals of the twentieth century: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. (Mahatma, meaning “great soul,” was an honorific title he acquired.)"

Making the most of website redesign

Making the most of website redesign: "So you've got a new website. Is it as powerful as it can be?"

What Makes A True Innovator?

What Makes A True Innovator?: "
Strategy experts divulge the ranking decisions on this year's Most Innovative Companies list."

How Can I Find a Good Name for My Business?

How Can I Find a Good Name for My Business?: "Mike Michalowicz, author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, with three tips to help you decide on a business name."

Five Ways to Find Your Business Fit

Five Ways to Find Your Business Fit: "If you're looking at getting into a new business, first make sure it suits your needs. Here's how."

Cultivate Leaders Throughout An Organization, Not Just At The Top

Cultivate Leaders Throughout An Organization, Not Just At The Top: "The old saw goes, “People truly are your only real competitive advantage in business.”  So if that’s true, then why are so many of our children and our future leaders raised in the cages of constrained habit and "best practices?""

5 Things Small Businesses Must Know About Google Plus

5 Things Small Businesses Must Know About Google Plus: "Google+ (also known as G+, Google Plus or Plus) is the biggest trending topic online these days. So, what is it and why should you care about it? Simple – it’s a new social media site that is directly tied into the most widely-used search engine on the planet, with looming search engine optimization (SEO) implications. If you care about your company's online reputation – what consumers are saying and where they are saying it – you need to read this post.
1. Yes, It's a social media site."

How to Sell ... the Billionaire Way

How to Sell ... the Billionaire Way: "VideoJP DeJoria went from homeless to billionaire. He accomplished this through exceptional sales skills. In this 1-minute video he shares his secret to selling. To see full video, go to www.ceoshow.tv"

How an Entrepreneur Can 'Get Lucky' in a Startup

How an Entrepreneur Can 'Get Lucky' in a Startup: "If you have had some success in a business, I’m sure you bristle just like I do when someone says “You were just lucky…” I’m a strong believer that we all make our own luck, which means that the harder we work, the luckier we get. In reality, “hard work” is just a catch-all term for a list of principles that good entrepreneurs follow, allowing them to work smarter and improve their odds of success."

Reigniting Your Passion for Work

Reigniting Your Passion for Work: "How do you turn a job that you’re addicted to into a job that you actually enjoy? This was the question Denice Kronau found herself struggling with when, at the peak of her career, she took a sabbatical from her job as CEO of Siemens Shared Services. Burned out from work, Kronau, a self-described workaholic, off-ramped for the first time in her life. The break gave her the opportunity to reassess what was important in both her job and her life. She chronicles this experience in her new book, Falling in Love with Work: A Practical Guide to Igniting Your Passion for Your Career (Wheatmark, 2011)."

10 Signs You're Playing Full Out

10 Signs You're Playing Full Out: "From my interviews with financially successful women, I learned there are two games to play: The Underearning Game The High Earning Game. The Underearning Game is called Not To Lose. The goal is to stay safe, look good, and be comfortable. The way to play the Underearning Game is by avoiding anything"

Windowfarms R&D-I-Y: Lessons for Crowdsourcing Innovation & Incentivizing Engagement

Windowfarms R&D-I-Y: Lessons for Crowdsourcing Innovation & Incentivizing Engagement: "Crowdsourcing innovation is all the rage these days. Large corporations like IBM, Nokia, and GE have all created web-based platforms to gather the wisdom of the masses. When I first became interested in open innovation, I was both encouraged and fascinated by the growing interest in collaboration. My initial reaction was-"

So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur? Here Are Creative Ways To Fund Your New Venture

So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur? Here Are Creative Ways To Fund Your New Venture: "According to the latest survey conducted every five years by the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2007 women owned 7.8 million businesses in the United States and accounted for 28.7 percent of all businesses nationwide."

Seven Business Turnaround Tips from 'Bar Rescue'

Seven Business Turnaround Tips from 'Bar Rescue': "A recent episode of the new Spike-TV series offers a road map for saving a sinking business."

How Young Entrepreneurs Can Bridge the Generation Gap

How Young Entrepreneurs Can Bridge the Generation Gap: "Three strategies for overcoming age bias when starting a business."

4 Ways to Regain Control of Your Identity in the Workplace

4 Ways to Regain Control of Your Identity in the Workplace: "There is a severe identity crisis in the workplace that is reducing productivity, minimizing trust and setting people back in their careers.  Employees are confused, stuck and anxious to be recognized during a time when most are doing more for less. They don't know how to fit in a workplace that is fueled with false promises and unexpected outcomes without preparation."

So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur? Here Are Creative Ways To Fund Your New Venture

So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur? Here Are Creative Ways To Fund Your New Venture: "According to the latest survey conducted every five years by the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2007 women owned 7.8 million businesses in the United States and accounted for 28.7 percent of all businesses nationwide."

Your New Business Plan: Indulge Your Weaknesses

Your New Business Plan: Indulge Your Weaknesses: "The principle of “focusing on your strengths” is so prevalent in management literature and coaching programs that it has become second nature to business owners."

Three Steps to Handling the Unexpected

Three Steps to Handling the Unexpected: "When my friend Sam invited his new girlfriend Robyn to join him for a sailing trip, he was relatively new to the sport. He had pretty strong skills but not a lot of experience. She had neither."

Dig Deeper To Sell More

Dig Deeper To Sell More: "How CIO Tony Young is helping his sales force to get personal."

Great Ideas: How to plan your exit

Great Ideas: How to plan your exit: "At some point, nearly all entrepreneurs are faced with a tough decision: how to sell the company to which they’ve devoted immeasurable time, money and effort. With scores of boomers approaching retirement age, it’s a question thousands of business owners will have to address."

Why we “choke” under pressure

Why we “choke” under pressure: "We’ve all heard of, or experienced ourselves, the mental or physical freeze that’s often described as “choking” under pressure. While this is frequently described as a result of anxiety or nervousness, new research points to a type of “log-jam” in the brain."

The 7 Secrets of Inspiring Leaders

The 7 Secrets of Inspiring Leaders: "Very few people look forward to going to work.  And no, providing free coffee and fruit in the company kitchen isn’t going to change their minds.  It’s a sad observation about the state of American business today.  According to a Mercer consulting survey that I quoted in an earlier column, one-third of U.S employees are so unhappy they are thinking of leaving their jobs.  Let me ask you – how is it possible that unhappy, unmotivated and disengaged employees could possibly offer exceptional customer service or develop exciting, innovative products that move your brand forward?  They can’t.  That’s why it is up to you as leader to satisfy what Emerson called a person’s “chief want:” someone who will inspire us to be what we know we can be."

How To Talk To Strangers

How To Talk To Strangers: "Show me a person who claims to love talking to complete strangers and I’ll show you a liar, a narcissist or Oprah. Maybe all three."

Rick Harrison of 'Pawn Stars' spills success secrets

Rick Harrison of 'Pawn Stars' spills success secrets: "Rick Harrison of reality show 'Pawn Stars' knows a deal and a steal when he sees one."

Is Your Organization's Leadership Internally or Externally Motivated?

Is Your Organization's Leadership Internally or Externally Motivated?: "Is your company’s leadership motivated by external deadlines – what other people request from them? Or are they motivated by their own internal deadlines – expectations and demands they place on themselves?"

Great Ideas: The 5 E’s of excellent leadership

Great Ideas: The 5 E’s of excellent leadership: "Hiring A-players is crucial if your company is to accomplish great things. But it’s not enough."

Splitsville: How To Breakup With People in Business

Splitsville: How To Breakup With People in Business: "Books, songs, and articles have been devoted to the art, science, and heartache of breaking up. Many heart breakers turn to friends and family for advice on what to say and how to say it when the loving feelings fade and it’s time to walk away."

5 Steps To Career Freedom

5 Steps To Career Freedom: "On the heels of Independence Day, I’ve been thinking of career freedom. In general, people don’t like to feel constrained -- a roomy bed, a well-fitting piece of clothing, and a clear space on your desk are all desirable for the comfort these allow. Similarly, career freedom feels expansive, comfortable, a good fit. But while it’s easy to recognize, attaining career freedom is more difficult than picking up the right pieces at Nordstrom or Target. Career freedom requires a proactive strategy, introspection, good business sense, negotiating skill, and a strong personal foundation."

5 Financial Moves to Make at Fifty

5 Financial Moves to Make at Fifty: "After reading last week’s post about turning forty, a few people asked me, “What about turning fifty?  I don’t have 20 – 25 years to plan my retirement; I have a little over 10 and I am concerned about growing my money but also am much more concerned about what"

Get A Job Using The Hidden Job Market

Get A Job Using The Hidden Job Market: "The technology executive had been out of work for more than a year, but he didn’t tell any of his friends he was unemployed. Instead, he made up a story about how he was consulting on some confidential projects, the details of which he would reveal when it was time to go public. Meantime, he applied for dozens of posted job openings he saw online, with zero success. He also spent time golfing at the country club, where his locker was next to a CEO in his field. Still, he guarded his secret carefully, staying mum with his golf buddies about his job hunt. Finally, his distraught wife set up some sessions with Donald Asher, an executive career coach and author of 11 books, including Cracking the Hidden Job Market: How to Find Opportunity in any Economy. Asher, who splits his time between San Francisco and northern Nevada, convinced his new client to open up about his job hunt, and start talking to everyone he knew about how he was on the market. Sure enough, one of his golfing friends gave him a tip that led to a job at a startup. “He never ever would have gotten that job the way he was looking for work before,” writes Asher."

Persuading Small Employers to Advance Wages

Persuading Small Employers to Advance Wages: "By granting staffers early access to a percentage of their pay, small businesses improve productivity and retention, says the founder of a new payroll-card service"

The 7 Secrets of Inspiring Leaders

The 7 Secrets of Inspiring Leaders: "Very few people look forward to going to work.  And no, providing free coffee and fruit in the company kitchen isn’t going to change their minds.  It’s a sad observation about the state of American business today.  According to a Mercer consulting survey that I quoted in an earlier column, one-third of U.S employees are so unhappy they are thinking of leaving their jobs.  Let me ask you – how is it possible that unhappy, unmotivated and disengaged employees could possibly offer exceptional customer service or develop exciting, innovative products that move your brand forward?  They can’t.  That’s why it is up to you as leader to satisfy what Emerson called a person’s “chief want:” someone who will inspire us to be what we know we can be."

How To Check Out Your Stock Broker

How To Check Out Your Stock Broker: "There is  a new reality for investors in the post financial crisis era.  "Stocks for the long run" might not always be the best option, and almost all of the experts paid to help us invest wisely failed during 2007  and 2008.  Many have chosen to go it alone, but others still find it necessary to hire a pro.  Choosing the right financial advisor is critical, and luckily it has become much easier to check on your broker."

Time for a website redesign … already?

Time for a website redesign … already?: "Business moves quickly. Your website needs to keep up."

Entrepreneurial Lessons from the Lemonade Stand

Entrepreneurial Lessons from the Lemonade Stand: "It couldn't be the 4th of July without the neighborhood lemonade stand - that all-American symbol of entrepreneurship. So many American start-up tales involve lessons learned from this childhood exercise. The one Suzie runs in this Verizon commercial offers many."