Open Culture
The Importance of a Distinctive High-Performance Culture
All companies strive to have their team arrive each day highly motivated, ready and eager to do what it takes to get the job done. However, this is more of an ideal than reality. Motivation…
How to Foster a Company Culture That Values Creativity and Innovation
As a startup founder and investor, it’s not enough for me to merely value innovation and creativity: I must also manage the hazards associated with new ideas. After all, employees who routinely bring novel ideas to their…
Birds of a Feather Fail Together: The Business Case for Diversity
Diversity is good for business. Equal opportunity is not only morally and ethically right, it’s also a better way to run a business. Here are some reasons why, and points to consider. What’s intuitively obvious…
Great Company Culture Essential to Success
The Internet has had two very interesting, and important, impacts on small businesses. First, it has lowered the barrier to entry for entrepreneurs and second it has raised the bar for customer service. If you…
3 Steps to Stimulate Change and Establish a Clear Purpose
Organizations and people grow, evolve, and change. It’s what we do—and failure to do so over time will find us being followers rather than leaders. Change starts with having a clear purpose. Leaders need to…
Why You Need a Clear Written Mission Statement, and Tips to Write One
When you are buried in the day-to-day operations of running your business, it’s easy to get tunnel vision. Your nose is to the grindstone everyday just getting it done. Such a limited perspective is one…
Strong Cultures Welcome Dissent
In Adam Grant’s fantastic (like, “beyond-words fantastic”) new book, Originals: How Non-Conformists Move The World, Chapter 7 includes the story of Ray Dalio, billionaire founder of the venerable investment firm, Bridgewater Associates. I was excited to see that. In one of…
5 Ways to Empower Your Employees
Every smart business owner knows that people are an organization’s number one resource, and if they’ve tried putting that principle into practice then they know how hard it can be to keep employees happy and…
6 Tips to Make Your Company Party the Event of the Year
You’d be surprised by how many employees do not want to attend their office parties. When planning the company party, you’ll have to think outside the box to make the party inviting and exciting. Otherwise,…
10 Ways to Increase Workplace Efficiency
Being a small-business owner involves wearing many hats—and while being involved in all aspects of your company can be rewarding, it can also take its toll on your productivity. Here’s how to save time and…