As the snow from this very harsh winter begins to melt, those of us who are golfers begin the transition from the winter doldrums to a hopeful new season.  One way to prepare your body and your mind is to watch professionals play on televised tournaments.  In analyzing the professional swings, I am always struck […]

In our many years of operating a strategic planning firm, one incredible truth has emerged. The commitment to continually learn defines whether people and teams have the energy to innovate and develop strategies that achieve results. As the world continues to evolve economically and politically, global and emerging markets become more competitive. Effective leaders understand their role in stimulating discussions that […]

There are countless books on best practices for employee motivation. An Amazon search yields more than 8,000 titles. Combined with lectures and journal articles, you could probably spend the next two years wading through all the information. Many of these writings were sound and offered excellent tools. I intentionally used the past tense “were” and […]

The economic recovery continues to be problematic for the county and, as a result, regulatory pressures on  public companies and their boards remain high with no signs of abating.  Instead of waiting until regulatory  bodies start weighing in on ways to maintain high quality board performance, let’s exert some common  sense and get out ahead […]

The new normal for many consumers includes eating out once every two weeks instead of every one, getting a haircut every eight weeks instead of six and turning off lights to save on electricity bills. Lifestyle changes and drastic cutbacks in spending have had a profound impact on businesses, including layoffs, pay cuts, unpaid time […]

As I work on this column, Patricia Dunn, former non-executive chairman of Hewlett-Packard’s board, is preparing to testify before Congress about recent revelations that HP was spying on its own board members. As the lead director of a public corporate board, I’ve watched the situation deteriorate and important lessons surface. These lessons have applications for […]