A while ago, I was catching up with the CEO of a mid-sized business. His business was growing steadily but wrestling with some underlying challenges. As we talked through a few of the issues, I asked whether he had ever considered forming an advisory board. His response was familiar: “Absolutely, it’s something I know I need to do. Just not...
Read MoreFor as long as I’ve owned a house, I’ve had a ladder. They’re one of those things you don’t really think about - until you need one. Mine was the sort that could be used as a step-ladder or converted to a longer ladder, and in my little suburban house, it did everything I
Read More“There’s no I in team” is one of those phrases that gets trotted out whenever someone needs to be reminded that it’s not all about them. It’s catchy. It sounds wise. It gets printed on posters, stitched into corporate training slides, and dropped into motivational speeches. I cringe every time I hear it ..... it seems to gloss over the vital...
Read MoreFeedback is a crucial element in engineering and science, ensuring that systems function optimally within known boundaries. Thermostats regulate temperature by adjusting heating output. Vehicle cruise control maintains speed but adapts to other traffic. Biological feedback loops—such as homeostasis and insulin regulation—help the body stay in...
Read MoreIt's that time of year for the release of the latest version of one of the most insightful annual studies; a study that really helps make sense of what we see happening around the world, and which should be part of any company's PESTLE consideration. Each year, the Edelman Trust Barometer surveys thousands of people across the globe (this year,...
Read MoreThe most common model for managing risk is what's known as the Ostrich Approach. This appears to work reasonably well in many situations, and is based on 3 concepts fortuitously working together:
Read MoreBut here’s the thing. There’s something about seeing a city from the open cockpit of an ancient biplane that gives you a completely different perspective; seeing how extensive the urban forest is, noting the two dog-legs in the Ottawa River (I knew it curved – but dog-legs?) and seeing a number of suspicious large structures... These are only...
Read MoreMy Monthly Game Plan includes key types of activity that I need to address each month to keep the business moving forward. Some examples of Monthly Game Plan activities could be: At 10AM on the first Monday of each month I put an hour aside for 'Monthly Game Plan-ning'. During this time I review all the important types of activity, and quantity...
Read MoreIn today's rapidly evolving business landscape, complexity seems to be a persistent constant. As business owners and CEOs, the challenge is not just to navigate this complexity but to thrive within it. We humans have been running businesses for a long time (several thousand years), so you'd think we would have a good handle on how to do that....
Read MoreWay back in the swinging '60s, Jane Ball pioneered the first digital dating enterprise in London, England. Her secret sauce? Unconventionally successful. Instead of probing about desires, she asked what people decidedly ‘did not want’. It turns out that individuals had a foggy view of their wants, but a crystal-clear vision of what they did not...
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