Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter I’ve been thinking about keys lately. My recent move gave me an opportunity to sort through the collection I’ve accumulated over the years. House keys, car fobs, office keys, membership tags, even keys to storage units. Some of the keys opened doors I used every day. […]
Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter Seventeen senior banking and payments executives from across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain came together in Miami for three days with Mastercard. The goal was not to sit through another conference. It was to get close to what is actually changing in banking, hear directly
Three Days Inside Banking’s Next Moves Read More »
Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter We spend a remarkable amount of time trying to get better at work that drains us. We tell ourselves we should become more organized, more analytical, better at follow-through, more comfortable rallying a room, or more adept at generating ideas. Sometimes that growth is necessary. But
Stop Fighting Your Wiring Read More »
Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter I recently had the privilege of delivering the opening keynote at The Great Game of Business (GGOB) Conference in St. Louis, Mo. I brought my daughter with me. She is heading off to college soon, so the trip gave us a chance to mix a little
Give Your People a Stake in the Game Read More »
Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter One of the hardest things for a leader to abandon is not a failed idea. It is a good idea that no longer serves the strategy. In a recent piece, I explored what I learned from Ron Johnson, co-creator of the Apple Store, about looking beyond
The Courage to Hit Rewind Read More »
Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter When companies talk about growth, they usually start by looking across the battlefield. Who has the customers we want? What would persuade them to switch? How can we offer a better product, a lower price or a more compelling experience than our competitor? It is logical.
Stop Fighting for Your Competitor’s Customers Read More »
Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter I recently tried to boost a clip on Instagram from my Outthinker podcast with Eric Ries. Meta rejected it as political content. The apparent problem? Eric was questioning existing securities laws. Think about what happened there. An algorithm interpreted an idea, classified it according to rules
When an Algorithm Decides Which Ideas You Can Share Read More »
Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter What do people feel when you walk into the room? Not what do they think of your strategy. Not whether they liked your presentation. Not even whether they agree with you. What happens to their energy? Do people sit up a little straighter? Do ideas start
What Is Your Leadership Brand? Read More »
Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter “Can we afford it?” Every business owner, executive team and board has asked the question before making an investment. But there is another question we ask far less often: Can we afford to stop too soon? The most meaningful investments rarely produce their full return immediately.
Can We Afford to Stop Too Soon? Read More »
Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter We ate a big salad outside under one of Seattle’s rare, brilliant blue skies. My friend Chris Hare, an expert in the science of storytelling, had invited a fascinating group of new friends from companies including Microsoft, Costco and Amazon over for a housewarming dinner. The
The Right Time to Grow Read More »
