Leadership Archives

Why Giving Is More Powerful than Getting

By Matt Tarkenton | Mar 28, 2013

It’s not about you. That’s the secret that every person needs to learn in business—it’s not about you. It’s about helping others, about putting what other people need ahead of what you want. The secret to business is providing value to your customers, not looking for ways to make money for yourself.

A Sense of Desperation

By Fran Tarkenton | Mar 27, 2013

We are all going to experience failure and disappointment in our lives. The key to success, including in business, is reacting the right way. We all need that sense of desperation, that driving motivation to do whatever it takes to make it. We need to feel a little uncomfortable and use that as a spur.

Go for the Win-Win

By Fran Tarkenton | Mar 21, 2013

If a business owner were just thinking of himself or herself, then the business would never make it. Sure, things might be ok for a little while, but long-term sustainable success only comes when your business is focused on other people. Going for a win is not enough; you need the win-win.

Developing Entrepreneurial Employees

By Matt Tarkenton | Mar 19, 2013

In any business, the people we hire make a huge difference. The right people in the right spots at the right time can push you to new heights, while a bad hire can set you back. A great asset as you organize your business for growth is building around entrepreneurial employees.

Abraham Lincoln: Business Lessons

By Matt Tarkenton | Mar 8, 2013

Abraham Lincoln is one of the most enduring, inspiring figures in American history. His popularity is unwavering, and is as high as ever thanks to Steven Spielberg’s movie Lincoln. Every president aspires to be like Lincoln, but they shouldn’t be the only ones. The life and career of President Lincoln has plenty of great business lessons.

Why We Miss Our Goals

By Edwin Bevens | Mar 8, 2013

Tell me if this scenario sounds familiar. You know exactly what you want to do. You have it all figured out. And then somewhere along the line, something happens. You’re not even sure what it was—all you know is the end result: whatever it was you were planning, it didn’t get done.

Keeping the Entrepreneurial Spirit Alive

By Matt Tarkenton | Mar 8, 2013

As any business ages and grows, it will change. You don’t always do things the same way you did as a startup. The quest for innovation and new approaches to problems often gradually give way to a focus on incremental improvements and doing what you’ve always done, just a little bit better. This problem is part of what is widely known as The Innovator’s Dilemma, after the title of the book by Harvard professor Clayton Christensen.

Succession Planning

By Matt Tarkenton | Dec 21, 2012

What will happen to your business after you retire? Most small business owners want their companies to survive after they leave, but only a small fraction of businesses actually manage to last into a second generation. To make it, you need an effective succession plan.

Building a Culture of Growth

By Rick Gossett | Dec 21, 2012

A culture that encourages and rewards growth can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. When you build an organization, the right emphases and values can be a strong factor for growth. It requires every member of the team, from top to bottom, to buy into the right principles and beliefs.

Reasonable Person Principle

By Chris Barnes | Dec 20, 2012

Any time you get a group of people together, there are bound to be misunderstandings and disagreements. How you handle these situations is important for a strong corporate culture. The Reasonable Person Principle is a simple but effective approach to building a culture of trust.