When we talk about leadership traits, we refer to personal qualities that are defining the effective leaders. There is this common misconception that the best leaders in the world are simply naturally gifted. This is not actually the case. Just like all the other skills, leadership traits will be acquired with practice and time. Peter […]
Responsibility
7 Keys to Balancing Profits Versus a Higher Purpose
It’s always been tough to start a new business, even when the bottom line was just making a profit to stay alive. A few years ago, a second focus of sustainability (“green”) was added as a requirement for respectability. Now I almost always hear a third mandate – social responsibility. Entrepreneurs are now measured against […]
Do Your People Own Their Commitments and Responsibilities?
A sales manager was whining to me, “My sales people don’t do what I tell them to do! How do I get them to do the things I want them to do?” He went on a rampage describing how they weren’t meeting their commitments, how they weren’t doing the things that drove the best results, […]
A Former Skeptic Explains Why Conscious Capitalism Could Save the World
I am a convert. But it took a while. Even though my friend Rajendra (Raj) Sisdodia is the co-author (with John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods) of the best-seller Conscious Capitalism, I was skeptical of their thinking for the longest time. However, the recent horrific headlines we have been hit with have made me change my […]
What is Your Marketing Doing to Develop a Better World?
Is your business solely focused on profit-making or does it try to make a social impact, too—aligning profits with purpose? What does social impact mean? “Social impact has become much more than just a business strategy—driven by Millennials, social impact is, instead, a way of life and a way of being in the world. It has undeniably […]
Did You Get Screwed in Business?
This is a true story. I was there. The details are possibly not exact, and the quotes are paraphrased, but the essentials are true. A startup founder was pitching to 22 local investors. The group had asked him to pitch because we liked his summary materials. He was local to us and had an interesting […]
8 Reasons to Promote Corporate Social Responsibility
Businesses are finding that being socially responsible can be great for the bottom line, as well as good for employee morale. Of course, a company still needs to make a profit to survive, but supporting a worthy cause can be the most profitable brand building you can do. Witness the growth and popularity of Patagonia […]
