When new tools create new opportunities it’s important to think about: The eternal truths of the underlying concept How those truths are best applied using the current technologies [youtube]7vThuwa5RZU[/youtube] For example, take Social Media. It’s networking, or relationship building. The most fundamental rules of Networking are: Give before you take. When somebody does something for […]
The key difference between people who analyze data and people who don’t is that people who analyze data know that they’re wrong 90% of the time, and people who don’t analyze data incorrectly assume that they’re right. Ideally analyzing data makes us humbler, more realistic, and more tolerant about others’ mistakes. It can also help […]
Yom Kippur is the climax of a 40 day period of self-evaluation and repentance. The period kicks into high gear with Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year, nine days earlier. The process suffers from some of the same challenges that we face as managers with annual performance evaluations. I hate this period, and I know […]
Fantastic piece the other day by David Brooks (welcome back, David!) on humility and the lack thereof (High-Five Nation). The Joe Wilson / Serena Williams / Kanye West fiascos provided the opening to a piece that highlighted how our attitudes towards war and foreign policy changed since World War 2. WW2 ended with the US […]
After 10 years working with my wife (Rena Reich) at Answers.com I’m now watching her do great things on her own site, The Pet Wiki. So in the evening I watch my wife creating on her own and it gives me food for thought for working as part of a team the next day. It’s […]
Entrepreneurs, Product Managers and other otherwise intelligent people often get distracted by their ambition. Everything from Disney to these Out of the Box management (I mean leadership) books keep hitting you with hyperbole about dreaming big. Which is only OK if you also have the discipline to think and act small. Take Google. They have […]
I was just crying over the Lincoln assassination (news travels slowly around here). Doris Goodwins’ excellent Team of Rivals’ primary theme is a management lesson. Here are my top 9 management takeaways. 9. Surround Yourself By People On Different Sides This is the book’s primary management lesson. Bring the people who are on opposite sides […]
My wife and I are amusement park addicts. We were at Disneyland Hong Kong on Thursday. Beautiful. Magical. The next day we went to Ocean Park. Most things about Ocean Park are better than Disney. More and better rides. Unbelieavable view. Great animal exhibits and shows. Imagine Sea World built on the edge of a […]
Just spent a great day in Hong Kong Disneyland. Judging by many of the kids I was watching, Disney may be, as they claim, the happiest place on Earth. What to learn: Disney is the master at execution. Whenever I’m at a different amusement park I think of how Disney would have less downtime loading […]
Some will say there’s only one don’t to performance evaluations — don’t do them. Tom Peters said it takes the average employee six months to recover, and that performance evaluations are the worst things manager do. I think he’s exaggerating — I’ve done much worse things. But I accept much of his point — it’s […]