The battle of who couldn't care less
Leaders need to project confidence during negotiations and other confrontations, but, ironically, that confidence is often born of indifference to the results of a given showdown. Caring too much about a specific outcome blinds bosses to the full range of options, explains Scott Eblin, and makes it less likely they'll achieve the outcome they desire. "[T]he confidence that comes from indifference makes you a more effective leader," Eblin writes. EblinGroup.com/Next Level Blog
(5/9)
Are you an East Coast boss or a West Coast boss?
New York marketing executive David Steinberg used to be a loudmouth -- until he headed on a business trip to California. After a day of meetings, former Apple CEO John Sculley took Steinberg to one side and told him to work on his "West Coast style" -- advice that Steinberg says helped him become a smarter and more responsive manager. "Soften it up. Take it down a number of notches, and just listen instead of always talking," he says. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(5/9)
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E-commerce will just become commerce, says Warby Parker founder
Eyewear company Warby Parker got its start online, but in recent weeks, thousands of New Yorkers have been flocking to the company's first real-world location near the Apple Store in Soho. Founder Neil Blumenthal says that's the start of a broader convergence that will eventually kill off standalone e-commerce companies. "The idea that it's one or the other is ridiculous," he says. "E-commerce as a term will become obsolete in five or six years." Knowledge@Wharton
(5/8)
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| Innovation and Creativity |
A 5-step plan for better innovation
Good innovation can't simply be about brainwaves -- it needs to be a systematic attempt to identify and resolve inefficiencies and consumer pain points, argues Woody Bendle. He offers a five-step plan for figuring out what's wrong with the status quo and for generating marketable alternatives. BrainZooming.com
(5/9)
What innovation hat are you wearing?
Innovation requires the combined efforts of thinkers who come up with ideas; builders who put the ideas into action; "improvers" who bug-fix and streamline the new processes; and producers who bring those processes and products to the marketplace. It's important to make sure someone in your organization fills each of those roles to turn ideas into products, Drake Baer writes. Fast Company online
(5/8)
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Huawei CEO says he just wants to open a coffee shop
Ren Zhengfei, the media-shy boss of China's Huawei Technologies, has finally given an interview. The networking-equipment maker's CEO spoke with New Zealand journalists about China's human rights record, his company's strategic planning and his plans post-retirement. "My life aspiration is to open a coffee shop, or maybe a restaurant," he said. Bloomberg Businessweek
(5/9)
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| Engage. Innovate. Discuss. |
4 ways to harness your workers' altruism
Altruism can be a powerful motivator if managers learn to make it a central part of their interactions with and evaluations of employees, writes Julie Winkle Giulioni. That means holding regular back-patting sessions at which workers are praised for the work they've done to help customers and colleagues. "Before long, employees will have internalized the discipline of connecting their performance to its value to others," Giulioni writes. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership
(5/9)
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Paul McCartney and wings
Paul McCartney got a surprise on his Brazilian tour when a swarm of flying grasshoppers invaded the stage during his performance. The former Beatles frontman didn't get hopping mad; instead, he went on with the show and named one of the bugs "Harold." Daily News (New York)
(5/8)
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Innovation to me doesn’t have to be about creating the light bulb or the telegraph. Innovation can be very important small changes to something that’s already working."
-- David Steinberg, CEO of XL Marketing, as quoted in the New York Times
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