In a twelve year old article from Kellogg School of Management, which is also backed up by recent research of how cognitive diversity in a group setting has many positive effects such as: Mitigating unconscious biasFostering new ideasMerging different ideasEnhanced learningImproved problem solvingBetter decision makingEnhancing compassion, the authors explain how better decisions often are made … Continue reading Why diverse groups are better for decision making

The best and worst day of my professional life. I just didn't know it yet. We were in the middle of The Great Recession. I inherited an inexperienced team. I was working with a skeptical CEO. We lost ~1000 customers that first week. It was my first official day as GM, a role with sizable … Continue reading 1/5/2009 – Best and worst day

I believe that courage is the only attribute that ALL leaders have in common.  Courage combined with a compelling and clear vision are critical to an enduring and valuable company. Courage to defend and promote that unique and compelling vision.  Courage to be vulnerable.  Courage to create an autonomous environment.  Courage to trust that autonomy.  Courage to correct mistakes as learning to … Continue reading Do you have what it takes to be a great leader?

My guess is almost every aspect. I am often asked who my best customer is. Every time, I say a humble, hungry learner who is comfortable constantly challenging the status quo. Here is a great set of thoughts on humility from Shane Parrish set up by one of the wisest Stoics:“It is impossible for a … Continue reading What parts of your business have been dictated by someone else without you even realizing it?

Inspired by my second reading of Think Like a Rocket Scientist by Ozan Varol, here is a list of things to help you work through the complexity of leading a team and running a business. Try to prove your hypothesis wrong - We, too often, try to prove that we are right when the best … Continue reading Leading a team – It IS Rocket Science

“Focus on the few things that truly matter, for those that do matter tremendously.” “Fire your unprofitable customers…compassionately.” These are a couple of my favorite sayings. One of my new favorites is to “be unreasonable in your thinking”. That is, look at a situation with fresh, unconventional eyes. When it comes to profit, there are … Continue reading Be a profit prophet, a margin maven

No matter what it is called, it certainly doesn’t feel that great right now, especially for employers. It seems that with the social safety net, the realization that working from home IS productive AND rewarding, and there are plenty of jobs out there, people are reluctant to go back to their place of work under … Continue reading Great…Reset, Resignation, Re-shuffle, Realization…

There is much written on how to be happy. I have heard many “experts” talk about primary drivers that are extrinsic. Some research says nearly the opposite. Here is what I have learned:1. Happiness is a choice but it is also has a set point for each of us. 2. Some people’s set points skew … Continue reading How to be happy (ier)

Net Promoter Score (NPS) There are four main sections to this post: What is NPS?How do you calculate it? (example provided)Why is NPS different?Effective NPS follow-up ideas. NPS - What is it? Net Promoter Score®, or NPS®, measures customer experience and helps to predict business growth.  It is used as a proxy for gauging the customer's … Continue reading Optimize your use of the Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Shane Parrish of The Knowledge Project has written a rather meaty article on how to remember what you have read. Here are the highlights: Quality matters more than quantity. If you read one book a month but fully appreciate and absorb it, you’ll be better off than someone who skims half the library without paying attention.Speed-reading … Continue reading Six ways to be able to retain and recall what you have read