We are in a recession. Secure jobs are valued. We don’t want to screw up and potentially lose our jobs. Fear can take over. What happens when fear takes over? We don’t stretch or take risks.  Creativity and ‘out of box’ thinking and execution is virtually squelched. We play it safe. Playing it too safe does…

Happy 2011 everyone! I hope your year is off to a great start. Many of you have asked me to recap the most popular posts from 2010 – so my first posting of 2010 is just that: The Top Ten Between The Lines for 2010! The best advice I ever got Do I have to be liked…

Recently I ran across an article which struck me with its brilliance. We live in world which rewards global reach, so to see an article in Newsweek entitled Keeping it Local; I was intrigued. The article highlights how budding entrepreneurs, not to mention even large companies, can build profitable businesses by focusing on a few basic…

As we enter the 12th month of 2010, it is a good practice to review where we are and where we are going. I typically do a dive deep into this process between Christmas and the New Year. I try to take long walks each day, write in my journal, take notes, and generate ideas, which…

At a recent gathering, I had the fortune of hearing colleague, Bill Lively, CEO of the Texas Super Bowl Host Committee speak. By way of background, Bill had acclaimed super star status for his supernatural ability to raise funds for the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts over the past few years. While there, he…

Being in sales basically my entire career (aren’t we all, really?), and being charged with leading large sales organizations, I was intrigued by a recent article in Harvard Business Review this past month which segmented sales professionals into 8 types based on observations of over 800 sales meetings focused on their behavioral tendencies (not their personality types),…

When an individual does not fit into the organizational or managerial culture, the costs can be huge on many levels. I have had numerous clients over the years where their lack of alignment to the organization in which they work impeded their ability to succeed in their jobs, not to mention their level of dissatisfaction…

Welcome back from what I hope was a fabulous Thanksgiving Holiday! As we come to the close of 2010, it can be a time to reflect and learn from very successful CEO’s singled out in 2010 for their excellence in leading their troops! This article written by Cheryl Hall from the Dallas Morning News earlier in…

Note to readers: To read the entire article requires either a subscription to HBR or you can opt to just purchase this particular article. Robert Simons, Professor of Business at Harvard Business School, has written a compelling article in Harvard Business Review this past month. I love it for its simplistic nature and the richness by…

I recently read a short yet powerful synopsis of an interview with Mark Cuban in CRN, Computer Reseller News. We all know of his remarkable success of selling Broadcast.com for billions and his future successes with the Dallas Mavericks and other diverse interests. There are a few golden nuggets from Mark relative to his road…