Verizon Wireless recently found itself in an uncomfortable position. It seems that a “software glitch” was accidentally charging data use charges when the customers weren’t using any data services. The story made its way into the local and national media. Verizon is now issuing credits to its customers.However, the back story of this situation is …

Read more “What ever happened to doing the right thing just because it was the right thing to do?”

A week ago Sunday, September 26, was the 50th anniversary of the first Nixon/Kennedy debate. Many consider this event to be a major turning point in U.S. politics. It was the first time a presidential debate was televised. Many also consider this a turning point in Nixon’s career. The general consensus seemed to be that …

Read more “Did video really kill the radio star?”

Lately, I’ve been talking quite a bit with leaders about expectation setting. Interestingly, the conversation doesn’t always start there. Usually it starts with concerns about employee productivity and performance or disappointment that the organization’s culture seems to be at odds with the leader’s vision. Yet, after peeling back those issues, we often find the same …

Read more “The four key types of expectations”

In the October 27, 2008 issue of The Guardian, Alexis Petridis makes an interesting observation “Last night came final and irrevocable proof that the country is entering tough economic times, unseen since the 80s: AC/DC have returned to the top of the album charts for the first time in 28 years. . . Those keen …

Read more “Fix the economy: Stop buying AC/DC Albums”

Have you ever noticed that sometimes your ideas blow everyone away and then, in the very next meeting, you seem to be the only one who doesn’t “get it”? What’s going on? Your ability to think can’t be changing that quickly. Can it? No, it can’t. In fact, your ability to think changes very slowly. …

Read more “Know your triggers”

Well, summer’s over and it’s time to go back to school. It seems like the right time to re-run this entry (from a couple of years ago) on what we, as leaders, could learn from our teenagers.———————————————————————————–I know that we were supposed to have learned everything we needed to know in Kindergarten. It’s hard to …

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In his book, Reckoning with Risk, Gerg Gigerenzer tells the following story about computing risk: “A few years ago, I enjoyed a guided tour through Daimler-Benz Aerospace (DASA), which produces the Ariane, a rocket that carries satellites into orbit. Standing with my guide in front of a large poster that listed all 94 rockets launched …

Read more “When eight out of 94 equals .4%”

When I was younger, my friend Brian and I used to go fishing a lot. Boy did we look the part. We both had an incredible arsenal of fishing gear: multiple poles, waders, bait catchers, and tackle boxes so big we needed a wagon to carry them. We could have graced the cover of any …

Read more “Do your tools just help you do the wrong things more efficiently?”

Do you have an action plan in place to help you reach your goals? Do you monitor it? Do you follow up if things aren’t being accomplished? If you answered “yes” to those questions you are probably doing a good job executing. Now, here’s a harder set of questions. Has anything changed as a result …

Read more “Creating Impact Plans”