In The Optimist’s Telescope, Bina Venkataraman writes, “The decisions we make today can define our experience of the future. This is true for individuals, and also for businesses, communities, and
Strategy & Decision Making
Skin in the Game (Four Ways to Spend Money)
Over the years, I have been introduced to several two-by-two matrixes that are offered as frameworks for which to consider difficult issues. One of the more useful ones came from
Punchcards and Personal Responsibility
Do you recall as a kid enjoying entry to a small-town carnival or amusement park where the rides required tickets? For example, a kiddie roller-coaster may have required three tickets
Mindsets: Craftsman versus Passion
In his book So Good They Can’t Ignore You, Cal Newport introduced the idea of two mindsets that people have with respect to their work lives. There’s the craftsman mindset
Wrestle With and Overcome
Michael Hopf wrote in his 2016 novel, Those Who Remain, “Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard
Honor the Heterodox
In a past note, we set out Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. One of the lessons this great metaphor offers is that thinking differently from the group isn’t a way
Tit for Tat – The Lindy Effect
Here’s an idea to consider: trade in trends for that which is tried and true, that is trade tit for tat. The Lindy effect is an idea that suggests that
Profitability Follows Productivity
What investments are you making in productivity in your business? Is your business one of the few that do this? Where you’re willing to invest in your business (or yourself)
The Tyranny of Or
Back in University, four friends and I took time for an Easter weekend road trip to Banff. We looked forward to meeting up and blowing off some steam after our
Academics v. Athletes and Artists
A business book, Blue Ocean Strategy, became a bestseller when released in 2004. Blue Ocean Strategy was written by Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne. They combined as professor and experienced
