The red-hot topic at a recent Facebook conference turned out not to be the scuttle about whom was “in” or “out” of the social media spotlight. The blistering topic of the day was that ages-old, granddaddy concept we call Trust. At the company’s Disneyesque headquarters in Menlo Park outside of San Francisco, sitting peacefully on […]
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Alex Ramsey Challenges You: A Non-IQ Quiz on Logic for Leaders
When asked to prove if something is true or false, people tend to focus on confirming “the rule” as stated, rather than falsifying it. Humm that’s sort of a brain twister, isn’t it? As a result, even supposedly smart people can be quite illogical. That is, according to research psychologist Keith Stanovich, a prof […]
Control Freaks
One hallmark of exemplary leadership is the ability to inspire cooperation among others. Control Freaks, on the other hand, do motivate by dangling a long carrot. But, instead of working with others to create alignment and heart-felt passion for a shared goal, they apply humiliation, intimidation and bullying. I spent a fair amount of […]
Takes More Than Great Tomatoes and Basil
You can have great tomatoes and basil and still mess up the tomato sauce. How you put the ingredients together makes a difference. The seasonings you use to blend the flavors and even technique influence the outcome. The same is true with speaking. You can have great content, great graphics, but the way you put […]
Happiness? Whose Job Is It?
I haven’t been posting much lately not because there was nothing to say. To the contrary, I’ve been up to my ears in thoughts and activities. For example, I was in Morocco during the Egyptian crises. It was an extraordinary trip. If I can get a foto or two downloaded here, I shall do […]
Plumb Lines to Punch Lines: UT Dallas President Speaks Out on Education
You’d expect Dr. David Daniels, with academic degrees in engineering, to know all about plumb lines and other engineering concepts. What’s refreshing is that the President of the University of Texas at Dallas also knows how to deliver a punchline. He “gets” the importance not only of subject-matter expertise, but also of […]
Client Testimonials: Video or Not? – April 2010
A great testimonial is the trump card for winning business. Clients telling others what you do is like gold in the bank. Traditionally, companies have relied on written testimonials. With the popularization of YouTube and other social media outlets, the bar has been raised to include video. And that can be a problem if you […]
The Talent Whisperer – March 2010
Sam bellowed more than whispered when he coached championship 6th grade football. Yet, to this day, his former “players” tell me how my dad inspired them to be better men. He was a true talent whisperer, a special coach. My now mellow 83-year old dad led his Blue Bruisers to an undefeated decade of wins. […]
Talking Heart-to-Heart – January 2010
Watching open-heart surgery is like no other experience. I learned this working with a client who pioneered open-heart procedures. There it is. The heart, the body’s power center. The bloody red source of ecstasy or hellish misery-so the poets say…. Its power stopped, not beating. It lies in a puddle of liquid, in an open […]
Taking a Break in Zihautanejo
It may be freezing where you are. Obviously, it is not freezing here. I took this foto from my hotel balcony a few hours ago. Rather than trudge through January, I decided at the last minute to hop on a plane and take off for somewhere I’ve never been, where I hoped it would be […]