Work

Markets change over time. People’s needs change over time. One of the biggest problems that I see with entrepreneurs and small businesses is that they start the business based on a single solution, or set of solutions, products or services, that satisfy one particular need or pain point in a market, and they may be doing it very well at that point in time.

But over time, markets evolve, needs evolve, pain points evolve and everything changes. All too often, the people who are providing solutions for those markets don’t continue to evolve with the markets and are left with a bigger and bigger gap between the need and the pain point of the market and the product, service or solution that they’re providing. Add a drastic change in the bigger economy and the speed at which these gaps open grows exponentially, as does the width and depth of the gaps. Read More

Carl used to be described as "uptight." In fact, he was such a taut person that he suffered from chronic back pain and excruciating headaches that his doctors ascribed to tension. He was also very anxious. When he learned to perform regular relaxation techniques, these problems came to an end. Read More

CEOs and senior executives have two important leadership functions -- ensuring strategies are executed well, and developing a team of leaders in the organization. Middle managers, aspiring to become senior executives, can help them exercise their leadership development function by following these tips: Read More

Dear Irene:

My best friend and I have been teachers at the same school for over twelve years. I am 37 and she is 58, which makes her older than my mother. Through many of her life's challenges, I was there for her. I brought food when she was hungry, accompanied her to see her daughter in jail (I had never been to jail to see anyone), spent many days away from my own family with her and her granddaughter in the hospital, helped her study for graduate school (she would not have graduated without my help), decorated her classroom and completed school paperwork and report cards each year that she was ill, and so many other major favors, none of which were ever reciprocated.

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I will say it plainly: honeybee hives are meritocracies. The evidence shows that nepotism plays very little role in the hive. The smooth, efficient functioning of the colony trumps preservation of genetic lineage. There are no competitive struggles among familial cliques to displace coordination across the colony. Read More

Vision goal setting is goal setting with a grand purpose. It begins with a dream based in your passion and inspiration in your work. From the dream comes a clear vision of where you want to be and what you want to do in your career. This vision projects you five, 10, and even 20 years in the future. Vision goal setting provides you with a clear "why," "what," "how," and "where" for your efforts.

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Can values scribed on boulders in a New England ghost town help you stay optimistic and succeed in your job search? They can if you believe and try. Read More

Remember what fun it was when you first looked at a mirror in another mirror, and the images went on forever? Publish This Book: The Unbelievable True Story of How I Wrote, Sold, and Published This Very Book isn't quite like that. But it's a lot of fun... Read More

As the Bernard L. "Bernie" Madoff scandal broke in December 2008, the first thing I noticed about the man was his tightly compressed lips. They were rolled in and pressed together so tightly that I barely saw them. After studying the widely publicized photo by Don Emmert for Getty Images of Mr. Read More