How to Create a Successful Company
Do you recognize the company named Yum! Brands, Inc? Probably not. Recognize the names Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell? Absolutely! In 1997, PepsiCo spun these three restaurants into a new company called Yum! Brands. David Novak, the Chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands (and author of Taking People With You), was faced with a […]
It’s Time to Flex Your Workplace Flexibility
A company is nothing without its team of talented employees. Even if a company executes one brilliant idea, it must continue to grow and evolve in order to stay afloat in today’s complex market. This calls for more brilliant ideas generated by a diverse and talented pool of employees. Talent often comes with expectations. […]
Creating a Culture of Trust in the Workplace
When organizations face tough, unpredictable times, it’s easy to blame a specific leader’s professional traits. When this happens, you might hear complaints about the leader, such as “She’s too rigid.” or “He’s in his ivory tower and doesn’t see what we deal with every single day.” Remember, most people complain the symptoms, not the root […]
Managing a Perfectionist
Ah, perfectionism. What we all wouldn’t give to turn in that perfect report with no mistakes found, a killer depictive chart and the best layout. Yet every project has a deadline. As nice as it would be to think of every possible interactive graphic, you have to prioritize what is most important as you work […]
Building an Innovation Ecosystem
As the new year begins, organizations are looking to up the ante. Fresh slates and new ideas abound after employees relaxed over the holidays. As such, Harvard Business Review’s recent article, How to Create an Innovation Ecosystem, is timely. Though geared toward for-profit businesses, a majority of its suggestions are ideas found in many international […]
Four Steps to Employee Engagement
What company doesn’t face lean, tough times? I heard a great podcast recently that interviewed the former CEO of Campbell’s Soup Company, Douglas Conant. He shared some excellent recommendations and insight for keeping employees engaged during tough times. According to Conant, the challenge leaders face today is leading in a “frenetic environment”, where workers are […]
Do Unhappy Employees Stifle Innovation?
I recently read an article in Bloomberg Business Week titled, “Three people to fire immediately.” I know what you’re thinking – you loathe the idea of discussing problem areas that a certain ‘You Know Who’ needs to address. However sometimes, no matter how effective your management techniques, there are people who will not change and […]
Freedom Does Ring for Millennials
More and more, college students and young professionals are looking for specific characteristics within the workplace, not just a secure salary. This article mentions that 40% of Millennials, those born between 1981-2001, would accept less pay for more autonomy. Where do they want the most autonomy? In their mobility – both physical and throughout the […]
Intangible Rewards Motivate Better than Hard Cash
Intangible rewards are often the best kind of reward. That’s where we left off on the last blog. Positive reinforcement is a way to remind employees of the type of culture and behaviors you want emulated. Intangible rewards are a great way to encourage a specific type of behavior. Boyd cites Dan Pink, who is […]
Communicating Culture with Positive Reinforcement
A lot of big words for a simple theory. Or as Boyd so eloquently puts it in the recent Fast Company article, “People want to be inspired, not lectured. They tend to respond better to humor and gentle reminders than they do to dictates or presumptions of guilt before innocence.” In essence, people don’t respond […]
