My local burger restaurant recently installed a state-of-the art Coke machine. A big screen displays about ten different options for ice, Coke, its various forms, lemonade, and Sprite. Customers can even opt to mix the different drinks in whatever formula they like. Leaders should offer several options for people to get what they want fromRead more
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Years ago, I worked for a boss who would have told you how much he admired, encouraged, and inspired discretionary effort. And he would have been wrong on all counts. However, he would have also told you that he went to great lengths to hire highly motivated people who would ensure his success as aRead more
In botany, we learned that an evergreen plant has leaves that stay green throughout the year. Unlike deciduous plants, which lose their foliage during the winter or dry season, the foliage of evergreen plants remains constant. Like their botanical counterparts, successful companies take an evergreen approach to their client relationships, too. Conventional wisdom, which isRead more
The Oxford American Dictionary describes mindset as “an established set of attitudes held by someone.” The definition implies stagnation–something that resists change. But great leaders know they can’t settle for any mental model that limits their potential. We develop a “mindset” from our mental models–those ingrained assumptions and generalizations we develop throughout life. These invisibleRead more
In September 2017, Ikea, the Swedish home goods retailer, gave their customers what they wanted when they acquired TaskRabbit, a company that sends tool-wielding workers to rescue customers from the frustration of build-it-yourself furniture kits. TaskRabbit continues to operate independently of the acquiring company, using online marketing to connect 60,000 freelance “taskers” with people whoRead more
