To Nutkick or Not To Nutkick? That is the Question.

I have always believed in being 100% transparent with everyone around me, and to deal with the consequence of that transparency. I once heard a saying "the problem with people who say what they mean is they think everyone else does too." There is a lot of truth in that statement. I know from experience. But in the spirit of staying true to my core belief of speak your mind, I wanted to reach out to you and get help with a dilemma that has just presented itself.

Why Bloomberg Is Wrong About Soda

No doubt you have read about Mayor Bloomberg trying to regulate the size of soda in New York City. As emotional as this subject is, I wanted to share some thoughts. This will be short (and sweet for all you soda lovers). Well, maybe.

Your Success Depends On Changing Behavior

A friend of mine recently sent me this quote heard on NPR in an interview with a Venture Capitalist:

"It's a bit like not getting dessert until you've had your vegetables. Maybe this all sounds incredibly simplistic, but venture capitalists say one of the trickiest things about this new world of investing is that their returns, in many cases, hinge on humans changing their behavior. And that's a lot harder than building a robot."

U.S. Competitiveness: What American Business Can and Should Do (In Its Own Interests): Guest Post

I came across this article by Edward Alden, the Bernard L. Schwartz Senior Fellow, specializing in U.S. economic competitiveness and Director of the Renewing America Publication Series. And I think he nails it. The media and politicians have made the topic of U.S. Competitiveness a government issue, as well as a broader civic one. This is incorrect and Alden explains why.

What You Need To Understand About The Concept Of Time

In business one of the most frustrating things is the lack of urgency. Corporations are notorious for this. They take a long time to make decisions and executives think nothing of delaying meetings and decisions for weeks or months. In contrast, when you work with start-ups in Silicon Valley they move so fast it can leave your head spinning. The concept of time and urgency are very different depending on which business you are in, how much money you have to burn and the kind of leaders at the helm.

Super Bowl's Lessons From Mrs. Brady

Another year, another Super Bowl. As the planet knows by now, the New York Giants did it again. They beat the New England Patriots again. They had a late 4th Quarter winning drive again. Their team did just enough to beat an opponent that was every bit their equal. Yet post-game media was focused on the losing Quarterback's wife, super model and business star Gisele Bundschen, and her comments after the loss.

The Fallacy of Social Proof

Herd behavior is an epidemic in our society today. Known as large groups conforming to choices which may be either correct or mistaken as a result of social influence, psychology research goes pretty deep into this phenomenon. One definition I read for social proof is people assuming the actions of others to reflect correct behavior for a given situation. This effect is prominent in ambiguous social situations where people are unable to determine the appropriate mode of behavior, and is driven by the assumption that surrounding people possess more knowledge about the situation. Regardless of semantics, social proof is in every part of our world.

BS Thyself Not

I had a boss early in my career who was one of those philosophical types, always dropping sayings or quotes to make his point. He thought he was quite smart and cool, very pleased with himself when he could drop a Churchill or Emerson quote, two of his favorites. We all thought he was a bore at the time.

The Need For Quantifiable Objectives

2012 is meant to be the year America makes its economic comeback. Since the economy tanked in 2007-8, we have been conditioned to believe that economic power and superiority has passed to China and our era was over. The US has too much debt, not enough prospect for growth, and we have outsourced our way to becoming an irrelevant economy.

Who Are You Spending Your Time With?

I've been relaxing in Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania the past week. Zanzibar was on a very long list of places I have always wanted to travel. Known as the Isle of Spice, the history and beauty of this place deserves a closer look. I highly recommend you google it and read about what makes this small island nation so unique. From its Islamic roots as a trading post to its unique architecture, Zanzibar has far exceeded any expectations I had when I packed my bags and set off for the 20-hour trip.

Why the Peter Principle Works: Guest Post

There is so much crap on the internet these days I find myself craving something good to read. Magazines and Newsletters are no different. Twitter is a minefield of useless sh*t people say. Its like every idiot with a keyboard is a writer now, or I should say 'blogger'. Trouble is they don't have a heck of a lot to say...at least that that I find of interest.

Solving The Gender Gap - How Not To...

Why are regulators so short sighted? They think a single regulation can fix everything thats wrong with a complex issue. The past few weeks I have scanned a ton of titles regarding countries establishing quotas for the number of female directors serving on executive boards. Malaysia is the latest to come out and establish a rule that states “30% of all corporate decision-makers must be women”. Really?

Time To Cancel The Cable Subscription, Honey

The US has a very different culture of work and rest than Europe. Three times a year the country slows to a halt and people disconnect to be with family and friends. This past weekend was one of those occasions, Memorial Day weekend. Everyone was off on Monday and the streets were awfully quiet as people stayed home, attended cook outs and hopefully stopped to remember and honor those who gave everything for the rest of us.

The Seeds of Our Destruction: Guest Post

I am in the process of applying for my citizenship. Its incredible how much history is behind what made the US the country it is today. As history has taught us, there is no perfect. There is no country or era in history where things were perfect. You can definitely categorize historic periods in terms of growth, evolution and innovation. And you can also map depression, war and turmoil.

Reflections On Good-To-Great: Guest Post

I recently posted about the The Key To Gen Y Is Gen X. As an advisor to clients I am always surprised by the lack of understanding Gen X has for the mindset of Gen Y. Most of us who are older than 30 don't seem to realize how fast the world is changing around us. I recently read that the Nokia-Microsoft partnership is going to produce its first phone in two years. Really? Two years? Have these guys even thought about what the smart phone landscape will be like in two year? I don't think we even know who all the players will be two years from now (Facebook will likely be a main competitor), so how can you be designing products for two years from now?

Where Is The Courage?

The lack of courage in corporate America is frightening. From CEOs and Board Directors to Senior leaders and middle management, the lack of courage to do the right thing and make the hard decisions is a sign that we, as a society, are firmly in decline. Yet I personally see this as an opportunistic environment to step up and take action, speak up and be heard, and, most importantly, to stand tall and lead when so many others fail to do so.

The Most Interesting Interview In The World: Guest Post

I spent a wonderful weekend in Washington DC. You can say what you want about the type of creatures that lurk in those waters (politicians, lobbyists, special interests, POTUS...) but that city is first class. From the hip cafes of Capital Hill to the cobble stones of Georgetown, Washington DC is a romantic city calling for the kind of attention reserved only for a special someone.

25 Guys to Avoid on Wall Street: Guest Post

I recently participated in an executive workshop where they made us look back on our career and dissect the key milestones to understand what exactly happened. One of the areas was focusing on the key people who have influenced your career, either knowingly or unknowingly. What was really interesting was when one of the participants said he got more from avoiding certain individuals in his career. That really struck me as insightful given my own career path.

Why Black Is My Favorite Color

Black. Strictly speaking, black isn’t a color at all. It is, in fact, the absence of all color, of light and, indeed, of anything else. Black does not reveal all, but keeps the most important things under wraps. It has an allure epitomised by the legendary ‘little black dress’. Quite simply, it symbolises the power of attraction.

People Matter: What The Turmoil In The Middle East Has Taught Us

This past week I have been asked by numerous friends and colleagues what my thoughts are on the demonstrations in Egypt. The world has been watching as tens of thousands of people hold anti-government rallies across the land of the Pharaohs, and another Mid-East government collapses in a short period of time, and thus far without major human casualties. I am always hesitant to offer my opinion on politics because I don’t believe it adds much value. Politics is a dirty game in case your mother never told you, and I try to steer clear away from it, but what I do love to talk about, and encourage every individual to be aware of, is the important lessons coming out of events like Egypt.