Manage the seasons

In nature, seasons dictate activity and focus. Why do we forget this in business? Just as circadian rhythms affect our daily performance, seasonal rhythms impact our yearly productivity. Farmers understand this. They rotate crops and let fields rest. Why? A study in...

Strategy: Compass or checklist?

Strategy. It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot in business. But what does it mean? Is it just a fancy term for a to-do list on steroids? The author Steve Blank learned the hard way that strategy is not a series of tasks to be checked off. It’s a...

Good enough

“Perfect is the enemy of good.” It’s a phrase we’ve all heard, a warning against getting so caught up in pursuing perfection that we fail to make progress. But what about the flip side? What about the danger of settling for “good...

Promoting wisely

Employees who climb the corporate ladder face a hidden challenge: the Peter Principle. Introduced by Dr. Laurence J. Peter in 1969, this concept suggests that employees are often promoted until they reach incompetence. It’s a trap that can stunt not only...

A leader’s greatest gift

As leaders, we often discuss the importance of trust in our teams. We want our people to trust us and each other and to create an environment where trust is the foundation of every interaction. But there’s a secret that many leaders miss: trust isn’t...