Lots has been written about motivation.  And yet, as I think about all that I have read and seen, it boils down to a simple idea: give people a sense of control.  Allow people to not only use their skills and abilities but also to express their ideas. Intrinsic motivation...

Last week we talked about leadership as practiced by George Washington, a model of thoughtfulness, self restraint, and forceful action.  Today let's talk about the other side of leadership as practiced by Holly Chen who with her husband has grown her Amway business to include 300,000 salespeople.  You read...

We all know many things about George Washington.  Most of us see him as a heroic figure who guided us through the beginnings of the United States and helped set the stage for where we are today.  My guess is that most of you are also like me and never thought...

Everyone is talking about the way smartphones have changed business.  And everyone includes all executives. Some of the talk is about the ways the new technology has led to wonderful things such as the ability to work anywhere and how you never have to get lost again. Unfortunately the negative talk seems...

Just about everyone says "people are my most important resource."  Yet few actually think about what this means.  And fewer actually do the things that show this is true. A global Gallup survey recently found that at large firms only 33% of employees describe themselves as fully engaged in their...

Kodak died recently after a long illness.  Meanwhile Fujifilm is doing quite well with a nice profit and a market capitalization of about 12.6 billion dollars. And yet, they started from the same place: an almost total dependence on film.  They faced exactly the same situation: the end of the...

I’m in Sharjah, one of the United Arab Emirates, as I write this. During the three days I’ve been here I’ve also been in Dubai, another Emirate, passed through the Emirates of Ajman and Fujairah, and left the Emirates for Oman. The experience has jogged my mind for each...

Last week I started off the new year by sharing my thoughts as expressed in the South African proverb "Good Behavior Must Come From The Top."  I must have struck a chord since I received a number of quite nice responses.  As I read the notes and thought about...