• Life

    Is Political Correctness Coming to a Brand near You?

    by  • February 17, 2013 • Branding, Leadership, Life, Marketing, Strategy • 0 Comments

    rhinoEarls Restaurants is a very popular casual dining chain with 64 outlets in Canada, Arizona, Washington and Colorado. Twenty-five years ago, they launched a whimsical brand of beer called Albino Rhino. I don’t know why they chose that name – maybe it had something to do with the white rhino’s keen sense of smell or the fact that the species is endangered. One thing’s for sure; Earls didn’t intend to demean or humiliate people with albinism. Yet, someone with albinism launched a human-rights complaint. Now Earl’s is pulling the Albino Rhino brand and considering a new name.

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    A Canadian’s Tribute to US Thanksgiving

    by  • November 20, 2012 • Leadership, Life

    State-of-America1-150x150Last year, I came out of retirement to take a temporary assignment in southern California. This meant moving to Ventura from British Columbia for the better part of a year. I happened to be there for the third Thursday of November. Thanksgiving in America is a much bigger deal than it is above the 49th parallel. The days surrounding the holiday are the most travelled of the year. Families and friends come together to give thanks. Strangers wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. Americans believe no one should be alone on this important day. I’m certain that’s the reason my wife and I were invited to Thanksgiving dinner by people we barely knew. 

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    In Praise of Average Joes

    by  • November 13, 2012 • Human Resources, Leadership, Life, Strategy

    MVPThis website was created to share my views and experiences with the next generation of business leaders. That meant reflecting on past situations and determining the factors that were critical to the outcome. The times have changed, but the tools that determine success or failure have not. Companies, large and small, cannot survive without great leadership, sound strategy and flawless execution. Those that thrive, go a step further; they worship innovation and breathe culture.

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    Inspiration from The Daffodil Principle

    by  • August 25, 2012 • Life

    DaffodilToday I received an e-mail of The Daffodil Principle. I’d read it a number of years ago but had forgotton the important message. Spend a couple of minutes reading Jaroldeen Asplund Edwards’ beautiful story. If it inspires you, pass it on and benefit another.

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    The Gulf Spill: BP Still Doesn’t Get It

    by  • April 26, 2012 • Branding, Human Resources, Leadership, Life, Marketing, Strategy

    Gulf Spill(First published in Forbes.com, April 20, 2012) Two years have now passed since the explosion at BP’s deep-water rig in the Gulf of Mexico. In the aftershock, the world watched BP and its chief executive, Tony Hayward, make blunder after blunder while their crude continued to gush, literally and figuratively. BP’s talk about caring for the environment was for naught, as its actions failed to match its message. And although the company finally fired Hayward, paid restitution, enhanced its drilling standards, and sponsored several feel-good TV commercials, it has failed to regain the trust it supposedly covets. Why? Because the public still holds the view that BP is dealing with the Gulf disaster’s fallout not because it wants to but because it has to.

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    The Power of an Enemy

    by  • April 23, 2012 • Leadership, Life, Marketing, Strategy

    IClay’m an extremely competitive person. As a kid in sports, I played my heart out, hated my opponents and cried when I lost. Admonished by my mother and father for unsportsmanlike behavior, I eventually matured and forged a stiff upper lip in defeat. But behind the façade, the agony gnawed my gut – it still does. I have no regrets; In fact, I consider the repugnance of losing a special gift. There is no doubt in my mind that my ferocious competitive spirit is responsible for my success in corporate life.

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    Learn to Teach. Teach to Learn

    by  • April 13, 2012 • Leadership, Life, Marketing, Strategy

    teachlearnWhen I retired, I thought I was through with business. And I was, until the social network came along and enticed me to blog. Like most bloggers, I write about what I know; that’s strategy, leadership and branding. My motive is nothing more than to share my experience with today’s business community in the hope they might put an old warrior’s advice to good use.

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    The World of the 21st Century CEO

    by  • March 19, 2012 • Human Resources, Leadership, Life, Marketing, Strategy

    globeLast week I identified the successful 21st century CEO as someone who is constantly thinking about the future.  History has shown us that the best performers were those who made the right strategic moves to create a future in which their company would enjoy significant competitive advantage. Their strong sense of vision and belief in proactivity helped them get to the future first. Apple’s Steve Jobs and Google’s Larry Page are excellent examples.

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    Are Great CEOs Always Great Leaders?

    by  • February 19, 2012 • Human Resources, Leadership, Life, Strategy

    ISteve-Jobs-BW1n my mind, the best CEOs are usually the ones who are in a race to the future – they’re obsessed with defining the future because they can’t stomach the thought of reacting to a future created by their competitors. During his era, Steve Jobs was miles ahead of every other forward thinking CEO in that race. Somehow he was able to see the unseen, and marshal Apple’s resources to deliver the innovative products that fulfilled his view of what lied ahead. In the process, Apple became the most valuable corporation on the face of the earth.  That established Steve Jobs as the greatest CEO of our time. But was he the greatest leader of our time? Apple shareholders would surely say yes. Former subordinates, who suffered under his autocratic and abrasive style, might differ.

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