A friend recently received a call from a large tobacco company. The product she would would be leading is fantastic. The kind of work being offered is even more fantastic.

But at its core, the business represents something which is against her personal ethics. Is she being inappropriately biased, debating whether to accept the job?

This might seem one of those rare occasions…

In one of the product management forums I monitor, there has been an ongoing discussion about decision ownership. For instance, does the product manager make all the final decisions regarding his or her product?

As the discussion evolved, it reminded me a guiding principal a mentor gave me early in my career. "Never lose alone."

The best successes come from collaborative efforts, working alongside others. You may get lucky as a sole…

Been traveling some…and find there’re still some basics

that business hotels need to improve on.  I’m sure you have your ‘favorites’ as well.

So here are ‘my’ 5 Basics Hotels Still Need to Master

• Easy check-in
• Available room service
• Quick check-out
• WiFi
• Decent restaurant for breakfast meetings

Check-In:

Since many hotels…

This morning I gave a presentation related to product management.  I enjoy giving this particular presentation as we explore topics like: product roadmaps; business plan; target markets, and managing scope (feature creep).

In discussing target markets, and knowing your customer, I use one slide in which I suggest they ask their customers, “What keeps you up at night?”

One of…

Three times this week, I have stumbled across discussions of ‘online tools’ in relation to product management.  And, in each

case, numerous software solutions were named, yet no one specifically discussed social media.  How’s that?

At first, I noticed that social media wasn’t being included by

virtue of, what seemed to me, a glaring omission.  After all, in today’s world, consumers can rip a company a ‘new one’ quite…

Absolutely.

Your followers have a significant role in -executing- strategy. Teams are chartered to execute a mission, objectives, and goals. The underlying strategy defining these activities need to ‘harmonize,’ to some minimal degree, with your team(s) or they will not be executed, or executed ‘fully.’

Followers are not just ‘employees,’ showing up for a check, to be led around by their noses. In today’s world, given the rate of change, disruption, and ambiguity, require team…

Remember?  You started that new job.  You were full of

enthusiasm.  Your curiosity was insatiable.  And, your drive led you to overcome seemingly incredible hurdles.  At the same time, you likely had periods of uncertainty, risk was everywhere, yet the exhilaration was almost like a narcotic.

Now, the clock has rolled forward a few years.  Your curiosity has waned. 

You know where all the road’s bumps are, so hurdles aren’t quite so high any…

In my experience, negativity is often a symptom. Rather than treat the symptoms, the negativity being expressed, it is better to search out the crux of the problem.



Perhaps it is an individual, a 'negative' leadership personality, in which coaching and/or other change may be required.



More often, I find negativity stems from senior management, from the ‘leadership.’ This comes in the form of unstated expectations; no clear direction and/or…

The problem with the Truth is that it can change.

Not too long ago, a few of us were in a spirited discussion about Truth and Facts; the two sometimes used interchangeably or synonymously.

One group took the position that Truth was an absolute. Unchanging, unyielding, definitive, and unquestionable. If…

Harvard Business Review’s John Baldoni perhaps says it best, “Credibility is a leader's coin of the realm. With it, she can lead people to the Promised Land; without it, she wanders in the desert of lost expectations.” (http://bit.ly/o7cy4W)

Why does credibility matter? At it’s most fundamental level, it…

I came across this well-written parable today, “Let the Rabbits Run.” I encourage you to take a minute and read it.

Ok, if you didn’t, the gist is a discussion of how we spend so much of our lives, focused on what we’re not so good at, at the expense of what we excel at.

There have almost certainly been times where both you and I could relate.

Last night, coincidentally, I also just watched Company Men. It’s a…

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to hear AJ Deeds (@MyLovingWorks) talk about content.  You know, the ‘stuff’ we have to spend time on, that acts like filler material, enabling us to use our shiny objects.

Or, have we let all the shiny objects out there distract us from what really matters: content.  Why do people…

You’re a professional. At something, somewhere. You’re working to improve productivity, get more done, and improve the quality of your life. At the same time you have a personal side, and you seek to do more of the same there, as well. You feel there are a b’zillion things being thrown at you and you seek to improve your focus, you ability to accomplish something.

How do you improve your focus?

For me, one item I've found that is important, is to have a Goal. Focus is…

You’ve probably heard some variation of Woody Allen’s quote, “80 percent of success is just showing up.”  It means you had to do something many others won’t.

• Seth Godin: In, “Linchpin,” he repeatedly reminds everyone to ship! If you want to be…

In separate thread, Jon Madian, did indeed highlight a significant area for…

Interesting article: When your offering is like the fridge of the new kitchen.  The gist of it is, how do you diversify your product/service offering, if it’s basically taken for granted?  People simply expect it to be there, keeping things chilled, perhaps with water/ice dispenser, but otherwise not the key item around which major decisions are based.

For a long time, I have felt strongly that every American should spend time living abroad (at least 6 months).  Why? To give each person the ability to think beyond their own existence, to truly appreciate just how different, how varied our world can be.  And, in the case of leaders, the ability to more readily appreciate competitive concerns, issues of cultural acceptance, as well as otherwise unseen risk.

As Americans, we have long seen ourselves as free, progressive, and…

It's just that simple. Either you do. Or you do not. And, there are countless ways to put lipstick on the topic. There are entire books written about execution, shipping something, or the like.

But it just comes down to did you? Did you not? And, Why?

Parallel to discussions of making things happen, you find discussions of failure. No one wants to…

“The Price of Everything”

by:  Eduardo Porter

ISBN:  978-1-101-44451-1

The title reflects the breadth of topics that Eduardo Porter covers.  And he covers a lot, including things that may be considered taboo in polite circles, doing so in a manner encouraging thought and discussion, rather than derision.

For instance, the opening chapter, The Price of Things, starts with a look at why we pay so much…

“Enchantment”

by: Guy Kawasaki

ISBN: 978-1-59184-379-5

Every once in a while, there comes a book you’re sorry to see come to an end. It’s not to say other books you’ve read were not tremendously enjoyable…just that they often come to an end about the time you’re ready for them to.  With Enchantment, I really…