Declare War on Ineffective Strategic Planning  Next week is the 240th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Americans will celebrate Independence Day on July 4th. This national …

“In all affairs,” wrote British philosopher Bertrand Russell, “it’s a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.” Download …

“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success,” said Niccolo Machiavelli, “than to take the lead in the introduction …

Strategic planning season is upon us. That’s the good news. Here’s the bad news: Most strategic plans fail. These plans rarely fail because of misguided strategy or a lack of …

It’s back to school season. Whether you’re a student or a business executive, the back-to-school vibe is noticeable in classrooms, cubicles and conference rooms as calendars fill more quickly, cooler …

Amazon turns 20 tomorrow. This anniversary means Amazon is one step closer to being your newest competitor. Leaders of business-to-business companies: Pay attention. Fortune magazine calls Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos …

Last week I delivered my accountability workshop to owners, CEOs and key executives over a three-day period in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Kelowna is western Canada’s wine region and Tony …

Memorial Day signals the beginning of summer. The holiday’s original purpose was to honor the men and women of our armed forces. Tomorrow marks the 75th anniversary of the Dunkirk …

David Letterman says goodbye to late-night TV tomorrow. During his 22 years at CBS, Letterman developed several quirky features, including “Stupid Pet Tricks,” Monkey-Cam and “Small Town News.” One of …

With Spring in full bloom nearly one-third of the year completed, it’s an opportune time for you to tend the garden you call your business and consider taking this action: …

Happy New Year! Are you focused on moving from being successful to leaving a legacy of significance? Download for free this one-page personal goal-setting exercise – the 7Fs. The exercise …

Halloween is approaching and, for some, this observance can be a scary time. The notion of witches, ghosts and goblins haunting the living on Halloween is hundreds of years old. …

I’ve posted my latest blog on LinkedIn, for a change of pace – go over and check it out at the following link –https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140812123634-15819907-where-s-your-chokepoint

You’re the captain of your ship. What shape is it in? Is everyone in your organization doing what’s expected or do employees blame each other for missed deadlines, broken promises …

Next week is the 100th anniversary of World War I. Rather than focus on the tragedy of war, take a moment to consider the impact of what you’re doing today …

Our family recently returned from a wonderful trip to Australia and New Zealand. While there, I spoke to several groups of CEOs for TEC Australia. We traveled to Adelaide where …

Why do plans fail? We’re nearing the year’s midpoint. How’s your performance? Take these two actions in the next two weeks to increase the odds you’ll finish the year strong. First, …

Most of us are so busy doing our own thing – meeting deadlines, completing projects, hitting the numbers – that we sometimes fail to consider problems and opportunities from the …

Summer’s here. Trees are branching out, flowers are in bloom, and the bees are back. We’ve said before that you must cultivate your workplace culture – your work environment – as …

The month of May is a time to celebrate graduations. And a time for all of us to think. This excerpt is from Barbara Kingsolver’s commencement address to the 2008 …