What is my message (and why does it matter)?
April 28, 2023
What is my message? is a question that has an out-sized impact on our lives, even when we aren’t aware of it....
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How many north stars does one company need?
April 24, 2019
Some years ago, I had the opportunity to help Dow Chemical clarify its global brand: What was the company all about? Why was it here? How did the company make a meaningful difference to its customers, employees, suppliers, communicates, even investors? When I arrived in...
Read MoreHow to avoid the brand follies
September 4, 2012
We must protect our image!
How often have you heard well-intended executives and other high-ranking leaders (priests, coaches) say these words — their goal: to ‘protect’ their institutions from embarrassing publicity, which might muck up their brands.
When is a business problem really an identity problem? (Just ask Yahoo)
July 29, 2012
One of my favorite quotes is from Albert Einstein, who said (something like) “problems can’t be solved at the same level of awareness that created them.” That means that you can’t churn the same data and gain insight into solutions. Cause those data are born of the problem!
What do you believe?
December 28, 2011
12. I can’t get the number out of my head. It must be the season…the 12 days of Christmas, the 12 months of the year, even being on the cusp of 2012.
We’re not just in the season of 12s; we’re also in the season of believing. In family, in friendship, in giving, in — yes, for some — even Santa Claus. So, I have chosen to offer up a little “belief” quiz.
Here you go:
Innovating from the inside-out
February 9, 2011
Why do we spend so much time studying customer needs as the basis for innovation, when its real source is right in front of our eyes? Innovate from the core and you’ll guarantee that your company enjoys a long and happy life.
Toyota’s “Acceleration” Problem and What It Means for You
April 22, 2010
Until the recent debacle over unintended acceleration, Toyota enjoyed the rewards of being a stellar global brand that could do (almost) no wrong.
Down with “God” – The Problem with Tiger Woods
December 17, 2009
The seeds of Tiger Woods’ undoing were sewn years ago – and they had nothing to do with him being the king of golf.
Tiger’s father, Earl, apparently told his son, over and over, that he would be
Who is GE without all its parts?
May 15, 2008
In the business section of The New York Times this morning,there’s an article about GE planning to sell its appliance division, the oldest business in the company’s 120 year history. The sharks are circling…investors are making more and more noise about selling off other parts as well.
An identity for Obama
May 7, 2008
“What identity could Barack Obama choose that will be both sincere and successful?” This is the opening line of a recent article from Chron.com entitled, The Search for an Identity that works for Barack Obama. My answer?
