Opportunity Meetings
Results are obtained by exploiting opportunities, not by solving problems. “All one can hope to get by solving a problem is to restore normality. All…
“Meetings Are a Matter of Precious Time”
“The main reason we don’t make meetings more productive is that we don’t value our time properly. The people who call meetings and those who…
Do You Suffer From Vergaderziekte?
Vergaderziekte is a Dutch word meaning “meeting sickness”. It is estimated businesses waste an average of 20% of their payroll on bad meetings, the equivalent to sending…
Ten People at a Meeting Is About Seven Too Many
“We are known for having very small meetings, usually three people. No innovation happens with 10 people in a room. If there are a bunch…
Meet Like a CEO: The Higher You Go, The Shorter the Meeting
On Sundays, The New York Times runs a series called “The Corner Office,” fascinating weekly interviews with CEOs of small- and mid-sized companies. While each…
Powerfully Productive? Possible; Not Probable
Every hour of a meeting with eight people present represents an eight hour workday, the investment of a full “Man-Day”. Was value created or dissipated?…
“Talk less, Do more”
The following is a condensed, edited version of “Where the Fish Swims, Ideas Fly.” by Paul Bennett, NYT, February 16, 2014 “Until a year ago,…
Making Weakness Irrelevant
Turning Weaknesses into Strengths This is a story (edited) from a small book (163 pages), written by a business “coach,” called “Small Decencies: Reflections and…
Diamond-faceted Personality
I often think of my personality as a multi-faceted diamond. Solid and enduring, but with many sides. Often I am called upon to respond to…
Tickler File: A Busy Person’s Best Friend
A tickler file is a way to write notes to your future self. At its simplest level, it is a calendar where you write future…
Time is Not Linear
“Time is not linear” is a saying I use to remind myself that all moments are not the same. That time varies, that time in…
Entrepreneurial Spirit: A TCC Culture Blog
Q. What makes The Collier Companies different? A. Entrepreneurial spirit Q. What is entrepreneurial spirit? A: The short answer is entrepreneurship is the ability to…
“The Long and Winding Road”
Steve Ballmer has been the CEO of Microsoft since 2000 and by his own admission he is a “chop, chop, chop, chop, chop” (yes, that’s…
Duh! “House Panel Finds Conflict in Executive Pay Consulting”
A recent study by a Congressional panel found conflicts of interest abounded in the executive pay consulting field (Reported in The New York Times, 12/6/07).…
Deuparth gwaith yw ei ddechrau
“Deuparth gwaith yw ei ddechrau” is a Welsh Proverb that translates as “Starting the work is two thirds of it.” There is great truth in this statement…
One Worry
An article ran in a recent Wall Street Journal suggesting that one of the biggest issues facing executives is time management. It reminded me of…
One Bad Apple
Best of the Rest – I don’t often run others work but this is good: Imagine the case of someone supervising an exceptional team of…
One Worry
An article ran (see below) in a recent Wall Street Journal suggesting that one of the biggest issues facing executives is time management. It reminded…
You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Perfectly Okay
Absentminded i.e. quite capable of driving to the grocery store and coming home empty handed Spent a fair portion of each day lost in own…
The Little Big Difference
What are the “little” differences that make a BIG difference? Differences of attitude, of approach? John Burke, CEO of Trek Bicycle in Waterloo, Wisconsin, tells …
“Is the Road to Success Paved with an Obsession with Failure?”
To make any process better, does it pay to be obsessed with analyzing your failures? Does virtually any system, whether it be it turning apartments…
“Just Three Things”
How much data can people realistically absorb? Particularly in a meeting or in a short time? There is a reason phone numbers are separated by…
On the Importance of Being Nice
While some stress (can we say deadlines?) are marvelously effective in focusing the mind, excessive or unnecessary stress is a distraction, can hinder productivity or…
Overcoming Your Biggest Obstacle: Your Self!
More often than not, it’s not what you don’t have that holds you back; it’s what you have but don’t use… because you don’t believe you have it! What do…