I recently spent some time at Forbes.com and found some incisive articles I want to share:
The Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives – Eric Jackson
…In it, he shared some of his research on what over 50 former high-flying companies – like Enron, Tyco, WorldCom, Rubbermaid, and Schwinn – did to become complete failures. It turns out that the senior executives at the companies all had 7 Habits in common. Finkelstein calls them the Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives.
I’ve seen variations on many of these in various companies I’ve worked for in the past. It’s a good read, regardless of the size of your organization.
How to be more interestings (in 10 simple steps) – Jessica Hagy
I could quote this one, but then I’d end up quoting the whole thing (it’s that short), and that’s not kind to Forbes, who puts out such good stuff. This article is short, pithy, and spot on. It’s the implementation that’s complex.
Why Best Buy is going out of business… gradually – Larry Downes
But the numbers only scratch the surface. To discover the real reasons behind the company’s decline, just take this simple test. Walk into one of the company’s retail locations or shop online. And try, really try, not to lose your temper.
I admit. I can’t do it.
I can’t say I found my most recent experiences to be similar, but I know what he means. I did get hit with several canned speeches. When I had a defective printer to return I couldn’t find a replacement unless I drove to another store 30 miles away. They would have shipped it in, but it would take far longer than I could afford to wait. I’m afraid Amazon is eating their lunch, and they’re not doing enough to emphasize the brick-n-mortar advantage (yes, there is one).
The rumors about Bill Clinton are true – Shah Gilani
The first rumor about Bill Clinton that I wanted to address was, upon meeting him, as every single person I know who has met Bill Clinton says is true (and many of them weren’t fans), does he have the “star power” and “aura” that he’s famous for?
Well, that rumor didn’t take long to ferret out. Having had the luxury of knowing lots of rich, powerful people and several of the biggest movie stars in the world, I’m not easily impressed.
But, I was. The man has more than star quality he has genuine “presence.”
I’m always interested in people, especially public figures of importance (ie. I don’t plan to read any Lindsay Lohan bio anytime soon), and what they’re really like. While this article doesn’t go deeply enough, I do find it interesting. Bill Clinton, regardless of what you think of him, is a fascinating person. And to be honest, based on his second term in office (outside the scandals, that is), if he were running for office last election I would have voted for him. If he were running for office this time I’d be sorely tempted. He did, at least, learn to listen to the public eventually. I’ve said it before: governing by the polls is better than governing from the extremities. Anyway, I find myself tempted to read his new book.