Last month, I shared an experience I had with an old business associate in which we visited several of his customers. He wanted me to see what had resulted from a book we both read and enjoyed very much decades earlier. It was a Tom Peters’ classic, In Search of Excellence, in which he encouraged…
For the next issue of the Top 10 Books, I’m reviewing two engaging books by this author: The Traveler’s Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success and Mastering The Seven Decisions … that Determine Personal Success. Based on conversations with a number of friends and associates, I found that few were actually familiar with this author’s…
It’s hard to argue with the fact that you get what you focus on. It’s not only conventional wisdom, but it’s been proven time and time again. Most everyone has heard of the Pareto Principle … known to most as the 80/20 Rule. Let’s add another formula to your repertoire. It’s the 95/5 Principle. The…
Let me begin by assuring you that this is not a joke. In fact, I’m going to fore go any of the many humorous remarks I could make on this subject. I’m not even sure where to start with this one, but it’s certainly worth mentioning in the spirit of Out-of-the-Box Thinking. Let’s start with…
As if we didn’t have enough to deal with in today’s chaotic U.S. business environment, another obvious crisis is quickly rearing its head and must be seriously dealt with before it gets out of hand. Unfortunately, many organizations have not or are not able to recognize this challenge as the crisis it is. It’s interesting…
Our custom-designed “Project Management: From Concept to Completion” seminar contains many basic tools for project managers. Project managers have many challenges to deal with. One area of challenges frequently addressed is that of project creep. There are many excellent books on project management available in the marketplace. One particular book, Effective Project Management by Wysocki, Beck,…
I’m currently preparing a commencement address for one of many graduating classes who are about to enter the next phase of their lives. This group happens to be in Florida, but consider, for a moment, how many young people from coast to coast are approaching this milestone. The U.S. Census Bureau tells us that 3.3…
As I’ve so often mentioned, I’m always on the look out for examples of creative thinking. I like to share them during keynote presentations and seminars with those who claim: “I am not creative.” “Creativity requires an extensive education.” “I don’t have the experience to be innovative.” “Creativity is reserved for our R & D…
I must admit that I’m a little biased about this particular author as I’ve read everything he’s written, attended numerous seminars at which he was a keynote speaker, and have been strongly influenced during my career by his work. Early in my career, as a regional manager for an international firm, I was charged with…