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- 4 reasons leadership isn't a team activity
We're a long way from "a post-CEO world," writes Bob Frisch. Team-based decision-making processes simply don't work well, leaving companies without proper accountability or the ability to make tough decisions swiftly. "It is unrealistic and unreasonably idealistic to think that modern corporations will abandon the time-tested model of placing their trust in individuals to lead them in favor of utopian experiments in management-by-committee," Frisch writes. CNNMoney.com/Fortune
(2/23)     
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- How Stonyfield Farm saved cash by going green
Organic-yogurt company Stonyfield Farm has saved $18 million by curbing its carbon emissions, reducing waste and limiting its water footprint, says Wood Turner, the company's vice president of sustainability innovation. "We were founded on the idea that you do the right thing, that you embed these environmental values into your business, but over time, we've realized that focusing on impacts also reduces cost," Turner said. The Business Insider
(2/23)
- Why are investors spurning Berkshire Hathaway?
Berkshire Hathaway is doing fine by most measures, but investors are giving the $160 billion behemoth a cold shoulder. Succession concerns could be partly to blame, but Warren Buffett is likely not losing any sleep. "The market may ignore business success for a while, but eventually will confirm it," he says. The Wall Street Journal
(2/24)
| Innovation and Creativity |
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- Innovation tricks from DARPA's top dog
Innovation is born when technology meets a driving need, says Regina Dugan, director of the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. To that end, it's important to hire smart people and build a lean, nimble organization capable of adapting to new technologies and changing priorities. "Urgency inspires greater genius," Dugan explains. EblinGroup.com/Next Level Blog
(2/22)
- 6 key questions to ask prospective hires
If you want to hire innovative workers, it's vital to figure out how to spot creativity at the interview, writes Geil Browning. The details of candidates' answers are less important than the way they think through the questions, Browning explains, with creative types tending to be more reflective and intuitive in their thought processes. "One note of caution: look for competence, not just blue-sky thinking, because ultimately you need ideas that will benefit your bottom line," Browning writes. Inc.com
(2/23)
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- Can Steve Wynn turn Macau into Las Vegas?
Steve Wynn, the billionaire CEO of Wynn Resorts, wants to turn the Asian port city of Macau into a Vegas-style Disneyland for international gamblers. Wynn refers to China's nouveaux riches as "my people," saying their appetite for leisure rivals that of post-war Americans. "There's a huge pent-up demand here, a repressed craving for this kind of an experÂience," he says. "It's just like America was, in a way." Forbes
(3/12), Reuters
(2/24)
| Engage. Innovate. Discuss. |  |
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- Why businesses should give female workers a confidence boost
Businesses need to do more to support female employees as they rise through the ranks, says Elissa Ellis-Sangster, executive director of the Forté Foundation. "The biggest challenge facing women in business is having the confidence to do it their way. ... It's time for businesses to recognize the unique contributions that women in leadership bring to their organizations." SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership
(2/22)
- Short on cash? Just reach for the bottle
Wealthy people who find themselves temporarily short of cash are raiding their wine cellars in pursuit of liquid assets. Some pawn shops accept cases of expensive wine as collateral for six-figure loans, offering a helping hand to bankers and businessmen with less-than-stellar credit ratings. "We lend up to 70% of the value of the wines," said Richard Mews of Prime Asset Loans. "It is quick, easy and there are no fees." Reuters
(2/22)
 | If we do the right thing and run our businesses right, performance takes care of itself."
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Recent SmartBrief on Leadership Issues:
- Thursday, February 23, 2012
- Wednesday, February 22, 2012
- Tuesday, February 21, 2012
- Monday, February 20, 2012
- Friday, February 17, 2012
| | | Lead Editor: James daSilva
Contributing Editor: Ben Whitford
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