In the smartphone era, civility is a vital skill to model and learn
Trend-watching is a good way to spot issues that your organization may be facing in the future. A popular topic lately is the erosion of civility, and the accompanying uptick in rudeness, in our society today. New research about the …
Paying attention to cash flow helps you avoid disaster
Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a freelancer, being responsible for your own business is empowering and exciting. The possibilities are endless, but so are the risks, particularly financial risk. In fact, one of the main reasons that new businesses fail …
Strategic thinking and technical know-how are both important
When discussing new hires, organizations often categorize candidates as either generalists or specialists. Specialists are typically sought for technical jobs while generalists are steered toward staff or junior management roles. But more and more, with businesses in a constant state …
December 6, 2017 |
Insights |
Denise Gifford
Mining the data is about strategy and curiosity
Businesses thrive on data. Data helps them create new strategies to increase revenue and improve efficiency. Companies use data to predict who will buy, how to get products delivered cost-effectively, how to anticipate and plan for risk, and which strategies …
November 9, 2017 |
Insights |
Helen S. Cooke
The skills that define leadership often arise organically, not by force
When it comes to projects, we are often comfortable with identifying ourselves as executives or managers, but few of us describe ourselves as “leaders.” Others may put us into that category, but why are we hesitant to place ourselves under …
These three capabilities are key for success in the new world of work
Contemplating “the future of work” is both exciting and daunting. Now and in the future, compared to our parents, we have a vast array of choices over how we work, where we work, when we work, and with whom we …
September 9, 2017 |
Insights |
Denise Gifford
How wishful thinking can be dangerous to your business
It seems that starting a business has never been easier. Social media and crowd funding are just a couple of the developments that have eased the way for entrepreneurs. With online tools, an entrepreneur can now set up shop and …
When done right, risk management is a critical factor in business success
Plato is quoted as saying that “The problem with the future is that more things might happen than will happen.” Or as Pliny said, “The only certainty is that there is nothing certain.” Nowhere is this more evident than in …
Ability to assess risk can improve project management outcomes
Some people seek out risk while others avoid it. Likewise, some organizations tolerate risk while other organizations minimize it. Whatever one’s particular strategy, we all face risk in our personal and work lives on a daily basis, and how we react to risk distinguishes those who are effective project managers from those who are less effective. In …
It’s about results, not lip service
There has been a lot of talk in the news lately — especially in the political arena — about picking leaders based on loyalty. It seems that sometimes, loyalty even takes the lead over ability and expertise. But then, that’s …
Leadership, business, and the need for trust
A leader seeking success needs to be trusted. In study after study, research on leadership lists trust as a top trait, and studies have shown that when trust in a leader increases, productivity goes up and costs go down. As …
Critical thinking pitfalls allow us to easily believe what’s untrue
Fake news, it seems, is everywhere. It’s a term we didn’t know just a few years ago, but after this political season it’s become difficult to figure out what’s real and what’s not. “Pope Backs Trump,” “Hillary Sold Weapons to …