Between the Lines

A few years ago a magnificent and transformative book was published, called “The Dragonfly Effect,” which is a model that taps concepts from social media, marketing strategy, and consumer psychology to help people achieve a single, concrete goal. They ingeniously named it after the only insect that can move swiftly in any direction – and even hover – when its four wings are moving in harmony.

The four “wings” of their model really struck me as actions we could all strive to take in 2012.

Bull & Bear Essentials offers an excellent list of top ten tips for success in life. These tips were consolidated from a series of interviews which Barbara Walters conducted with four billionaires. Those who have heard me speak over the past few years and/or read my blogs will recognize some familiar themes. I have highlighted those which resonate with a few key points from my recently published book, “Is This Seat Taken?”

A recent article in Forbes draws a relevant correlation between the recent movie on baseball and business. In a nutshell: what truly matters to the endeavor of baseball, and how can we measure what truly matters in business?

The article is worth reading, as we begin our 2011 recap and 2012 business planning and strategic discussions. Two key takeaways for me:

What really is the ‘X’ factor in business? We all know there is one – it is that “thing” that successful executives and leaders have that simply sets them apart from the pack. It is more than just solid performance, track records, and business acumen. It is that extra “something.”

Recently, I have been working with a large health-care organization through their strategic planning process. It is quite complex and involves focusing all levels and their associated responsibilities, from the CEO down to the first shift nurse, into alignment around their overall objectives. For a system that employs tens of thousands of individuals and services [...]

This song has always been a favorite of mine…and I will admit that I am a purist in loving the original by Journey. I have never seen the show Glee; yet, many of my clients and friends are addicts and have encouraged me to watch. I stumbled across this video – and thought is was so uplifting [...]

Oprah and I have agreed on many things over the years; yet, imagine my surprise when I was reading her ‘What I Know for Sure’ column in this month’s magazine to find her expose on personal power. I quote: “The secret is alignment: when you know for sure that you’re on course, and doing exactly [...]