Power Plays Issue 135, November 16, 2023 As mindful observers of today’s national and global discourse, we would be among the first to remind you that we are all both a witness and a victim to power positioning among politicians, world leaders, global business moguls, and everyday bullies. And as is often the case, when bad behavior is prevalent on the world stage, it tends to trickle down to the local level in organizations, relationships, families, and institutions. It is…
Why Women at Work Remains an Issue Issue 134, November 9, 2023 We’re going to tackle an issue that, in our opinion, should no longer be an issue: gender parity in the workplace. McKinsey in its latest Women in the Workplace study reports, “Over the past nine years, women—and especially women of color—remain underrepresented across the corporate pipeline. However, we see a growing bright spot in senior leadership. Since 2015, the number of women in the C-suite has increased from…
Are You Sure You Matter? Issue 133, November 2, 2023 Holding onto next-gen workers and customers (born between 1997 and 2012) requires more than a trick up your sleeve. They are actively changing up the rules of engagement in, and for, organizations of all sizes — whether they are employees or customers. Call them naïve or a brutal force of nature with critical mass, they are redefining the workplace culture and the brand/customer value proposition. Here’s the key thought: You…
The Value of Intangibles Issue 132, October 26, 2023 We continue to be fascinated by the value proposition of intangibles. This isn’t some weird magical idea. We’re talking about assets that have no physical form but are nonetheless valuable. Considering that we are living in a digital marketplace, intangibility has a profound relevance despite our inherent and deeply programmed need to see, feel, and touch something tangible. If it can be seen, felt, and touched we believe it is real…
Misinformation, AI, Cyber Troops, and Our Need for Guardrails Issue 131, October 19, 2023 We’re taking a moment (again) to consider the implications of the speed of technological change confronting us daily. What was charmingly referred to as the information superhighway by Al Gore back in 1993 has morphed into a bullet train … run by AI. What’s more, we face those with malicious intent to manipulate our opinions, bend our minds into believing fiction and influence us in what…
The Present Issue 130, October 12, 2023 We’re picking up on a theme we’ve been hearing recently. It’s not exactly a new idea, but it resonates as we are challenged by living in an increasingly disruptive and disturbing world. It is, quite simply, living in the present. Professor Scott Galloway (love him or not) has increasingly peppered his critical commentaries with the realization that his career has been defined by planning for the future informed by the past. His existential…
The Motivation of Manipulating Data and Information to a Desired Outcome Issue 129, October 5, 2023 Some recent headlines have reported disturbing news about respected and respectable scholars falsifying or just ignoring data conclusions in scholarly papers. This is another example of the skepticism many of us have with the shifts in misinformation flooding our inboxes and newsfeeds, compelling each of us to exercise our critical thinking skills. And the examples we’re referring to aren’t even results of AI. It…
What Would You Do? Issue 128, September 28, 2023 We’ve all been in business situations that are uncomfortable, confrontational, and dysfunctional. Even after spending decades building a career, we can get a curveball that puts us in an untenable position. In our newsletters we seek to surface new ideas and realities of the workplace, always recognizing that the human factor is always of paramount importance and influence. It is our intention to help you and your organization manage change, successfully…
Preventive and Supportive Questions Issue 127, September 21, 2023 Chances are when things go wrong it’s because of poor communication. You’d think that we would have figured out by now how to communicate with each other effectively. All the strategy in the world goes down the tubes if you can’t speak it. And managing a team starts and stops with listening and communicating clearly and empathetically. The biggest landmine? Asking questions. Do it wrong and the conversation comes to a…
How the European Union Is Ahead on Privacy Issue 126, September 14, 2023 It has been over a year since we summarized privacy policy actions (or inactions) that will impact you as well as your organization. Why haven’t we written more on the topic? To be honest, there has been little if any action here in the US at the Federal level despite continued news about incidents that result in negative consequences across our society. While inaction continues at the…