Funny how life has a way of changing a person. Looking back, I realize that we can be truly different people as we progress through life. The wisdom that comes with age or the experiences we face dramatically change our personalities, our beliefs, and the manner in which we engage with others. A combination of thoseRead more
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I spent this past weekend in Chicago, Illinois, delivering a keynote presentation to the innovative folks attending the 3M Frontline Sales Conference. At most of these events, I try to sit in on presentations offered by others whom I admire. Such was the case this weekend when I sat in on a presentation made byRead more
Last night, during my weekly #bizforum debate on Twitter, I introduced an issue that’s been brewing for a while: The role of public relations (PR) in the future enterprise. The debate was passionate to say the least. I challenged the “dinosaurs, newspapers, and public relations” argument offered by many but on this night, public sentimentRead more
The “business pivot” is not a new dance craze doomed to live forever at wedding receptions. Pivoting refers to a quick (and often unexpected) shift in a planned business model when the current model doesn’t successfully gain traction among shareholders or consumers. The term is derived from a basketball move where players keep one footRead more
The ability to innovate may not be required to run a profitable business but it’s certainly a requirement for anyone who wishes to create an empire. Building businesses in the same league as a Ford, Amazon or Apple requires the ability to innovate beyond that which is imagined today. And to be clear, striving toRead more
Women comprise more than half the population in the US (157 million compared to 151.8 million men) according to 2010 Census data. Based on numbers released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women represent 46.6% of the US labor force. It stands to reason then, that women’s representation in executive roles across corporate and politicalRead more
I don’t make resolutions. While committing yourself to some action or new behavior based on an event like the entry of a new calendar year seems logical, I find the concept flawed. Too much expectation and pressure, such as that placed on New Year’s resolutions, does not foster the right environment for change in one’sRead more
I wish to congratulate Yahoo on selling its stake of Alibaba, a Chinese Internet company, for a reported $4.3 billion dollars. After all, this transaction fulfills many financial analysts’ predictions and recommendations for Yahoo’s success when it appointed Ms. Marisa Mayer CEO back in July of this year. “In the short term, just how muchRead more
I posted a short rant last week on my growing frustration with marketers fixated on social media metrics such as size of community, depth of reach, frequency of connections and sentiment while failing or refusing to measure how they impact the profitability of the business. It generated a healthy debate within the comments, which, inRead more
Former Google executive Marissa Mayer started her new gig as Chief Executive Officer at Yahoo yesterday, a highly publicized move that Yahoo hopes will reverse its ailing fortunes. Yahoo has long been struggling with internal turmoil as it attempted – and failed – to compete with its rival: Google. Hiring Ms. Mayer, the 20th employeeRead more