…in just seven grueling months. That’s right. You too can lose a pound and a half of fat every week for 28 long, difficult, arduous weeks. Interested in learning the secret formula? I used a recipe so simple that anyone, from any walk of life, with even the poorest genetic predisposition, can achieve exactly the same results. Getting in shape didn’t require a degree in medicine, biology, chemistry, exercise physiology, nutrition, biomechanics, or even statistics (Everything requires statistics these days. Except, ... Read More

Employee productivity is often paradoxical. Which explains why it’s so tough to get it right from an employer perspective. It all stems from the counterintuitive truth that how productive you are while at the office is largely dependent on what you do away from the office to prepare your mind and body for workplace challenges. That truth often clashes with an employment mindset based on the traditional American grindstone mentality – employers often think the key to productivity involves keeping shoulders to the ... Read More

Too many of us in the executive suite have bought into the notion that better processes, smoother systems, and smarter number crunching can propel business growth. They usually can’t. Chasing efficiency is usually the hallmark of a shortsighted executive, swiping at the low-hanging fruit of business growth and employee productivity. Don’t get me wrong – technological and process-enhancing tools are certainly indispensable for rectifying inefficiencies and identifying misaligned efforts, which are necessary preconditions for ... Read More

I had a ham and cheese omelet the other day. I thought about that old joke – the cow and the chicken were involved in making my omelet, but the pig was committed. If you’ll indulge a bit of a low-brow analogy, it struck me that executives and business owners have much more in common with the pig than the chicken. We’re married to our business outcomes, and personally committed to our results. The same isn’t always true of our employees, which gives rise to what I call the “Pride Gap.” While everyone clearly has a vested ... Read More

I’ve become convinced that most businesses fail because of poor leadership. Occasionally, market forces will make a product line or service obsolete, or a competitor will outpace your offering, but those are recoverable circumstances – if your business has the proper leadership to adapt. What relatively few business owners and executives appreciate is that every business is a people business. I grew up flying fighter aircraft in the Air Force. It’s demanding, technical, athletic, and exhausting. As you might imagine, there are ... Read More