What’s Your Question?
Good piece by Polly LaBarre. Some fifteen years ago, in the early days of starting up Fast Company magazine, co-founder Alan Webber, shared one of his rules of thumb with me: “a good question beats a good answer.” That pithy wisdom sunk in and took hold immediately. In the course of hundreds of reporting journeys and thousands of conversations with leaders, entrepreneurs, thinkers, and doers of all stripes, I’ve tuned into the questions people ask. The first thing you notice when you have your ears pricked for questions is that most people (especially businesspeople) are...
read moreIs Occupy Wall Street An Effective Change Platform?
Say what you want about the Occupy Wall Street movement, but we can surely agree it has garnered attention and sparked debate. The question is why. Why has the Occupy Wall Street movement — and the related activities it has spawned — tapped our interest and emotions? What is there to learn from this change platform? I can tell you I have questions about the movement, especially its beginnings. Were people hired to protest? Where the protestors put in place by a powerful, quietly controlling organization? Is the march on Wall Street a made-for-media event not unlike that depicted...
read moreMaking Transformation Happen – Part 2
Organizing for Success Third, given the importance of transformation should organizations consider making transformation a business function? I would argue, yes. Organizing for success is key. Where can we find the best candidate to lead the transformation effort? The Office of the CEO would seem to be a natural candidate, but it’s not my choice. While the Office of the CEO sets company vision and strategy it does not have the time or operational bandwidth to physically drive the transformation agenda day in and day out. Who then? Who is best equipped to lead the cross-functional,...
read moreThe Jeff Bezos Formula for Asymmetric Competition
The art of moving quickly with a savvy strategy. By Stephen Wunker, Contributor Today’s announcement of the Kindle Fire, possibly the iPad’s most serious competitor, underscores how Amazon’s Jeff Bezos remains one of the most predictably revolutionary leaders in business. Selling at just $199, the Fire can accelerate the growth of the already white-hot tablet market through leveraging revenue streams Apple lacks. It embodies the sort of asymmetric competition that has become Amazon’s trademark. How does the company do it? First, consider the legacy preceding the Fire. Amazon launched...
read moreWhat is Soul?
Soul. It’s a funny looking word, but it carries such depth. What comes to mind when you see the word, soul? Think about it for a minute before reading on. When was the last time you thought about soul? Soul shows up in many places. Like music. Soul music. Can you hear it? Like a dramatic performance. Soulful. Can you see it? Like religion. “Pray the Lord my soul to keep.” Did you recite it? Like food. Soul food. Authentic food, be it southern collards or Sicilian rice balls. Even though we’ve shown many associations, soul isn’t really what you see. It’s more about what you feel....
read moreSpeed Matters Blog
Thomas Butta
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