Commentaries

Beyond machines, then what?

December 30, 2012

Here is an excerpt from an especially interesting article that I came upon while visiting the IBM website. For more than half a century, computers have been little better than calculators with storage structures and programmable memory, a model that…

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Overcoming a bias against risk

December 29, 2012

Here is a brief excerpt from an article in The McKinsey Quarterly, published by McKinsey & Company, in which Tim Koller, Dan Lovallo, and Zane Williams explain how risk-averse midlevel managers making routine investment decisions can shift an entire company’s…

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Enduring Ideas: The three horizons of growth

December 29, 2012

In this interactive presentation—one in a series of multimedia frameworks — Steve Coley, a director emeritus in McKinsey’s Chicago office, describes the three horizons framework. Based on research into how companies sustain growth, this approach illustrates how to manage for…

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4 of the best marketing videos of 2012

December 29, 2012

Here is an article written by Erik Sherman for CBS MoneyWatch, the CBS Interactive Business Network. To check out an abundance of valuable resources and obtain a free subscription to one or more of the website’s newsletters, please click here.…

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How and Why Perception Gaps Impede Working Women

December 27, 2012

Here is an excerpt from an article written by Kip Kelly for Talent Management magazine. To check out all the resources and sign up for a free subscription to the TM and/or Chief Learning Officer magazines published by MedfiaTec, please…

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How many of these Qs can you answer?

December 27, 2012

I am greatly indebted to Randy Mayeaux for sharing what follows, provided by Harold Urschel. Please scroll down to obtain the correct answers. 1. How long did the Hundred Years War Last? 2. Which country makes Panama hats? 3. From…

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Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey on “three fertile problems”

December 27, 2012

In Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization published by Harvard Business Press (2009), Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey identify and discuss what they characterize as “three fertile problems” that…

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The “talent myth” revisited

December 26, 2012

The research conducted by Anders Ericsson and his associates at Florida State University has certainly generated a number of bestselling books (e.g. Geoff Colvin’s Talent Is Overrated, Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, and Daniel Coyle’s The Talent Code) as well as hundreds…

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Michael Lewis’ perspectives on the writing process

December 26, 2012

It is by no means an anomaly that two of the best authorities on the writing process, Michael Lewis and Stephen King, are themselves prolific authors of countless bestsellers. The paperbound edition of King’s On Writing is a steal at…

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Lincoln’s Leadership Lessons

December 25, 2012

Here is an excerpt from a brief but enlightening article written by Nancy Koehn for the Harvard Business blog. * * * February is Presidents’ month, and in this frame, it’s a fine time to spend a few hours with…

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