“Ego is the invisible line item on every company’s profit and loss statement.” —David Marcum and Steven Smith in egonomics: What Makes Ego Our Greatest Asset (or Most Expensive Liability), Fireside, 2007 Fifty-three percent of businesspeople estimate ego costs their company 6 to 15 percent of … [Read more...] about The Costs of Ego
Communications
Executive Engagement: Managing Energy With Stories
“To be fully engaged in our lives, we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our immediate self-interest.” — Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, The Power of Full Engagement (2003) Executives strive to sustain high … [Read more...] about Executive Engagement: Managing Energy With Stories
Mindset: Why Executives Thrive…Or Barely Survive
Mindset shapes our mental world, influences our outlook, determines the scope of our goals, and ultimately sets us on a path of growth and fulfillment—or one of stagnation. Executive suites are filled with high achievers who boast high IQs and stellar accomplishments. Still, some stagnate, while … [Read more...] about Mindset: Why Executives Thrive…Or Barely Survive
The Business Case for Happy Companies
There is no doubt that business success depends on highly motivated employees. Highly motivated employees multiply in organizations whose missions, leaders, and inner workings provide profound meaning and inspiration. —Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor, Marshall School of Business, … [Read more...] about The Business Case for Happy Companies
No More Jerks at Work: Preventing Desk Rage
It’s a sign of the times when a well-known Stanford professor and best-selling author publishes a book titled The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t (Warner Business Books, 2007). Robert I. Sutton argues that variations of terms like creep, jerk and bully … [Read more...] about No More Jerks at Work: Preventing Desk Rage
Managing Across Generations: Motivating Gen Xers
Younger generations — the so-called Gen Xers and New Millennials — comprise half the U.S. work force. The other half consists of 45% Baby Boomers and 5% veterans, many of whom are charged with motivating newer employees. But what happens when generations don’t share the same values and beliefs … [Read more...] about Managing Across Generations: Motivating Gen Xers
The Brain Science of Persuasion: 7 Automatic Triggers
People make two major mistakes when trying to persuade others: 1. Using the argument that would work best on themselves 2. Overestimating the power of logic and rationality The scientific study of persuasion has continued for more than half a century, yet executives across all fields make … [Read more...] about The Brain Science of Persuasion: 7 Automatic Triggers