Monthly Archives: August 2009

We recently blogged about health insurance, which garnered some thoughtful comments on both sides of the debate. Solving our healthcare challenges is certainly beyond the scope of our blog. On the other hand, we agreed to provide a little bit … Continue reading →

It’s no surprise that moods are sagging in mid-2009. The capital markets are stalling, the banks are barely lending, the federal government stimulus is not stimulating enough, and job losses are mounting. Incumbent politicians promise that things are getting better, … Continue reading →

I started my consulting business 11 years ago with a laptop computer in a living room. It grew quickly. The first year I made more money than I had in the previous three combined, the second year I doubled that, … Continue reading →

On August 12, the Wall Street Journal carried a feature article entitled “A President as Micromanager: How Much Detail is Enough?” The word “micromanager” is a pejorative, one that carries a lot of baggage. Micromanagers are, according to Webster’s, people … Continue reading →

You know the Catch-22: “You can’t get a job without experience, and you can’t get experience without a job.” Young job seekers have always faced this dilemma. In today’s shrinking job market, people with years of experience also struggle with … Continue reading →

Most observers agree that large companies aren’t optimally organized to innovate. What’s less clear is a better alternative to current organizational designs. An article in the Wall Street Journal last week about a radical organizational experiment at Cisco Systems kicked … Continue reading →

How do you make money making soda cans–not the branded soda inside, but the can? The old imperative might have been to lock up raw-material supplies, hoard critical technology, and lock-in customers. Then, reap rewards for having things both valuable … Continue reading →

In the near future, carbon won’t be free. Governments are about to tax it. Retailers are looking to communicate it on product labels. Consumers have started to make purchase decisions based on its presence in products. Business customers will demand … Continue reading →

The speaker was doing his determined best to continue speaking but the audience had other ideas. Those in attendance were restless and eager to get to a reception for free drinks and snacks. Still, the speaker plowed on through his … Continue reading →

Something out of the ordinary arrived on your desk today: an “IT Annual Report” brought to you by your internal IT department. Resist the temptation to throw it away. Instead, see it for what it is: a cry for help. … Continue reading →