“Is having a sacred playbook an asset that companies should preserve at all costs, or does it become a liability holding companies back as the world around them changes? Is there a point at which a company’s size, growth, and industry-spanning tentacles make a unified culture of decision-making and inventing impossible?” These questions, posed in […]
Blog: Brand-as-Business Bites™
ExperienceBrand
DifferentiationEmployee
EngagementPurposeful
LeadershipStart-Ups and
Scale-UpsCompany
Culture
Why Do Most DEI Efforts Fail?
The failure of most DEI efforts result from the approach most commonly employed by companies. Reliance on programs and targets—such as employee resource groups (ERGs) and hiring quotas—without addressing the fundamental values and culture of the organization, only leads to additional bureaucracy rather than a genuine sense of belonging. While dedicated programs and metrics are […]
With the U.S. average annual employee turnover rate at 47%, employee loyalty seems to be a relic of a bygone era. Even if you’ve managed to escape the escalating employee turnover trend, you might want to take a closer look at your employees’ attitudes. Just because someone stays at your company doesn’t mean that they […]
Brand power comes from keeping – not only making – promises. And to keep your brand promises, your brand and culture must be aligned and integrated. In other words, brand-building requires brand-culture fusion. But a recent HBR article by Roger L. Martin, former dean of the Rotman School of Management, and a couple of LinkedIn […]
A Personal SWOT Analysis
“Know thyself.” For centuries, this has been the motto of great leaders. Now, here’s a tool that helps you do just that. It’s a new twist on a SWOT analysis that will help you uncover new insights about yourself. Instead of looking at Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to your company, look at your Self, […]
Celebrating my 20th anniversary of being an independent practitioner! As I reflect on my journey, I’m convinced that “culture” is as important for solopreneurs, coaches, and freelancers as it is for companies of thousands. Check out my thoughts on brand-culture fusion and why it matters for people who are self-employed. Let me know what you […]
Get a Mentor; Be a Mentor
Mentoring is a valuable path toward growth and development. A mentor can share insights from their expertise and experiences to help you grow and develop – and being a mentor can help you achieve clarity and focus as you reflect on your own development. A few pointers to get the most out of mentoring: Start […]
How To Use Your Core Values
Your core values can’t simply be words on your website or on a poster in your office; they must be used. Learn how Amazon uses its core values in my new post on LinkedIn: Do You Use Your Core Values Or Just Talk About Them? related: Do Your Core Values Have Teeth? Fusion: How Integrating […]
A lot of wisdom that helps teams wins on the football field also helps leaders win in business. Take for example “look the ball into your hands.” This speaks to the importance of follow-through, whether you’re playing a game or leading a team. My latest Smartbrief on Leadership shares some of my favorite football phrases […]
How to Engage Employees
The principles in my book, What Great Brands Do: The Seven Brand-Building Principles That Separate the Best from the Rest can be applied to employees, employee experience, and employee engagement. For example, in WGBD, I explain that Great Brands Avoid Selling Products. Instead of simply focusing on selling products or services to customers, great brands […]
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