Customers have a never ending thirst that must be quenched on a continuous basis. They return to the same source of water that will quench the majority of their thirst because of familiarity and trust. Customers will desire for that source of water to be the answers or solutions to myriad of diverse needs. Yet, no business can fulfill every single need a...

In a previous post I wrote about how an inconsistent manager can create discontent amongst their team.  Later, during a discussion about this in my business planning class, I was reminded about an old manager I had.  He used to say that he would be consistent in treating us all as individuals.   At first blush this sounds like a complete rebuke of what I...

When you enter the planning phase – whether it is business planning, launching a product, or marketing plan – you cannot be limited.  You need to be willing to explore untried paths and find inventive ideas.  There should be no sacred cows and you  have to put blinders over the “not invented hear” crowd.  This video discusses what...

An article in the recent edition of the Harvard Business Review talks about the need to bring conflict into the workplace.  Picking a fight about the future direction for a brand, product, or company can be key in bringing out innovation and a stronger plan. The article gives you the tools you might need to set the conditions and manage the fight within the...

In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal on September 21, 2009, discussed how larger companies like Starbucks and Avon are consolidating the power base into the CEO.  This is done by combining the CEO and COO positions and/or President positions under one person.  In essence the combination of those positions eliminates the #2 person in the organization....