Great quote from from Professor Henry Mintzberg on leadership that really got me thinking…..

Self-talk, the conversations you have with yourself in your mind, is one of the primary ways you direct your focus. Are you talking nicely to yourself?

Benjamin Franklin knew the value of preparation. “By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail,” the influential author, inventor and Founding Father once said. Planning and preparation will give you a 10-times greater chance to achieve your goals. It will reduce wasted time and effort, while improving and maximizing results. Here are four ways […]

Sam Walton grew up poor during the Great Depression, yet rose to start the biggest retail store Wal-Mart. When Walton died in 1992, the family’s net worth approached $25 billion. Today, Wal-Mart is the world’s #1 retailer, with more than Wal-Mart Stores has more than 5,700 stores, including some 1,350 discount stores, nearly 2,000 combination […]

Below is a great story from the Right Now Customer Experience blog that I can really relate to. Dave Carroll’s story depicts the value of great customer experience and illustrates that spending a little can save millions when it comes to your brand’s reputation. In 2008, Dave was flying United Airlines with his band Sons […]

Back in November I commented that General Mills drastically changed the packaging of Raisin Nut Bran, a staple in my home. Many of you agreed with me that the new packaging was boring, unappetizing, generic and just plain bad. (Original post here.) Recently, we noticed that the old packaging had returned to the shelves. At […]

You should never fake it. To counteract scathing reviews by Web users at sites like InfomercialScams.com and RealSelf.com, do-it-yourself face-lift maker Lifestyle Lift  allegedly posted fake user reviews with positive critiques by supposed patients to review sites and other destinations.  But this strategy had a flaw:  the “patients” turned out to be company employees who had been paid to […]

I never thought I would see the day when I was delighted by Northwest Airlines. Today I got this in my email: A jump start can be the perfect beginning. That’s why we’re excited to provide you with 10,000 complimentary Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) – which have already been deposited into your WorldPerks account – […]

Apparently, it’s hard to find good people out there. I have recently had several CEO’s and CMO’s tell me that they are frustrated with the candidates they are interviewing for various marketing roles, ranging from “utility player” marketing mangers to Senior VP’s . They tell me of candidates yawning during interviews, looking at their watches, […]

The New York Times reported yesterday that Tropicana is reverting to its familiar orange juice packaging after hearing from upset consumers and bloggers. From the article: The about-face comes after consumers complained about the makeover in letters, e-mail messages and telephone calls and clamored for a return of the original look. Some of those commenting […]