Recently Money Magazine’s “Best Places to Live” article was published. Coming in at number eight was Middleton, WI which is very close to where I live. Middleton, and Madison for that matter, are no strangers to being on the list of top places to live. Both cities have continually received high marks for their quality … Continue reading “What Businesses Could Learn From The Best Places To Live”
Technology is a tool, not a crutch. Growing your business will take some direction and hard work.
The HP Touchpad has been out about a month and it is already done. In fact, I just saw an ad for it this morning which makes it ironic that HP would be discontinuing it so soon. In fact, it looks like HP is giving up hardware entirely to focus on software and cloud technology … Continue reading “It’s True: If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going, Then Any Road Will Get You There”
Seven things you can do to make your role as a leader easier and help your business grow.
I read once that the modern internal combustion engine used to power most of our cars is incredibly inefficient. Surprise huh? The report stated that less than 20% of the energy produced actually went to power the car. Even less makes it to the wheels to actually propel the car forward. A vast majority of … Continue reading “Is It Time to Get Your Motor Running?”
In the days of “Gotta have it now” we are always looking for the quick fix to our problems. I am constantly bombarded with ads telling me that their product or service is the answer to all my prayers. Continually the words simple, easy, fast, and guaranteed are used to demonstrate that little work on … Continue reading “My Magic Wand Is Broken. Can I Borrow Yours?”
A conversation with a client today made me think about the impact creativity has on a successful business. We are in a climate where budgets are carefully being watched. Our educational system is under review and programs are being reduced or cut out of the curriculum all together. One of the biggest targets for the … Continue reading “Why Killing the Arts is Killing Business”
Ever heard a story that you knew for all practical purposes is wasn’t true, but people embraced it anyway? Recently McDonalds experienced just that. http://yhoo.it/mcd_hoax McDonalds was subject to an attack that made them popular on Twitter for several days. Last week a picture popped up on Twitter showing what appeared to be a note … Continue reading “The Harsh Realities of Public Opinion”
I have noticed several surveys recently asking executives what are the biggest challenges that keep them up at night. Often one of the top responses is related to the lack of a clear or unified vision. Given the prevalence of this response, it appears to be a serious problem. I believe leaders want to provide … Continue reading “Lacking a Clear Vision is Costly”
I recently read a McKinsey Quarterly article that debated that very question. (http://bit.ly/prod_growth) Good points were raised on both sides, and in the end, it will be the economy and job growth which will truly provide the answer for us. As a nation we have an amazing tradition of innovation which led to much of … Continue reading “Is Productivity Growth in the US Gone?”