Business Before Politics: How Office Politics Raid a Company A Case Study Hybrid JD Thornton Bellevue University August 2016 Abstract “Office politics” is a term many of us cringe upon hearing. But what does it mean? How does it affect our business operations? And how can we overcome its adverse … Continue reading Business Before Politics: How Office Politics Raid a Company – Case Study
There’s a pretty fair amount of death going around at the start of this new year. After losing such stars as David Bowie and Alan Rickman, the world of social media is reeling. My own world took the same turn with the loss of my favourite uncle, who passed away at far too young an … Continue reading Alan Rickman, David Bowie, Death and Business
It can be far too easy for an organization to become stagnant and complacent; even more so if they have experienced some success. Your company may be doing well, perhaps even slowly growing. But if you don’t maintain the upward climb, the alertness to your surroundings, and the hunger for improvement… you could be doomed … Continue reading Creativity and the Dangers of Success
What can be said to be the greatest ambition of the majority of business leaders? Sustainable Growth. While the mergers and acquisitions route has been favoured by some companies, research highlights that growth driven by new market expansion and high-impact innovation has consistently achieved more sustainable success. Part 1 of this series on innovation discussed the reasons … Continue reading Incorporating Innovation (Part 3)
For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction, conflict, argument, debate. -Margaret Heffernan If we want our companies and organizations to grow, mature, and become strong, we must encourage conflict. Tension and disagreement are actually essential for growth, change, and innovation. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Let’s start by looking at … Continue reading Innovation, Part 2: Conflict and Diversity
I grew up in a farming family, homeschooled all through middle and high school. This upbringing gave me a strong work ethic, but one that doesn’t quite fit with our society’s norms. You see, in farming, you don’t work 9 to 5. You don’t even work 8 to 6. You work when work needs done. … Continue reading Performance VS Presence – Which Do You Value More From Your Employees?
Talent management often seeks to enhance productivity and performance by eliminating undesirable behaviors. Most businesses today seem to rely on the traditional methods of positive and negative reinforcements to accomplish this, such as raises, performance reviews, write-ups, disciplinary actions, and firing employees who do not perform to satisfaction. I have an hour-long commute to work … Continue reading JD Gets Real: Why Positive Reinforcement Doesn’t Work
I’m with Al Gore… American politics has essentially been, as he says, hacked. In my hour long daily commute, I usually turn to audio books, and most recently have been enjoying Gore’s book The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change. I’ve been impressed with how well he integrated passion with research and a balanced perspective. But … Continue reading JD Gets Real: Separation of Corp and State