Table of Contents | May 2005

Table of Contents | May 2005

Features

Change or Die
All leadership comes down to this: changing people's behavior. Why is that so damn hard? Science offers some surprising new answers -- and ways to do better.
Fast Take: Five Myths About Changing Behavior
On crisis, facts, and fear.
Fast Take: Which Stage of Change Are You In?
While studying how smokers quit the habit, Dr. James Prochaska, a psychologist at the University of Rhode Island, developed a widely influential model of the "stages of change." What stage are you in? See if any of the following statements sound familiar.
Hot Wheels
How do you get a soccer mom to shell out $749 for a stroller? Design it so it'll grow right along with junior. Dad will think it's cool, too.
25 Top Women Business Builders
You know the party line about women today: They're "opting out" of business, fleeing the confines of the corporation in droves, unwilling (or unable?) to make it in the big leagues. But if all these smart, ambitious, experienced women are leaving, we wondered, where are they going?
Fast Take: Management Mantras
Lessons from the winners.
Fast Take: Venturing Forth
Kathy Sherbrooke, cofounder of Circles, one of the few venture-backed companies on our list, on what she learned about going after venture capital.
Fast Take: The People Factor
Being a business builder means living in the trenches. It also means you'd better have good people in there with you. Winners' words of wisdom on how to find the best.
Fast Take: Heroes & Role Models
Influential and inspirational individuals.
Driving Ambition
As CEO of a car and truck recycler, and a throttle-stomping race-car driver, Sherri Heckenast knows what it takes to beat the guys at their own games.
God and Mammon at Harvard
Harvard's B-school has some competition across the Charles River: the divinity school, which is turning out a new flock of spiritually minded business leaders.
Fast Take: A Divine Reading List
Here's a selection of works by Harvard Divinity School faculty and students.
Soul Assassins
Employees are probably the worst thing that's ever happened to a company, say the misanthropes at Despair.com, who have built a business on some very nasty ideas.
Face-off: Motivation vs. Demotivation
Which approach is better at getting the employees you want? According to Despair Inc., it's not as simple as you may think.
Fast Talk: What I Learned on The Apprentice
You're fired! With the finale of season three this month, five people who've heard that signature Trumpism share what they learned about image, experience, role models, decision making, and leveraging free publicity from being on The Donald's hit show. And -- surprise! -- Trump himself had little to teach.
Ambidextrous Exec
Steve Murphy, president and CEO of Rodale Inc., on the need for flexibility, discipline, and his old dream of backing up Jerry Garcia.

Next

I Am Woman (I Think)
Men are pigs. So why try to emulate them in business? Women -- and their companies -- are much better off when they're true to themselves.
Latte Everywhere
Any business that relies on mass replication of a high-end experience has become vulnerable to the Starbucks of metaphors.
Varnished History
Citigroup's documentary about its history aims for Ken Burns but comes closer to Spinal Tap.
CEO See Ya!
This month: Peter Kann, CEO of Dow Jones.
Not the Retiring Sort
One assisted-living facility is bringing customer focus to senior care.
Chic Lit
Women create more than half of all blogs, says research firm Perseus. But in the business world, blogs penned by women are less common. Here, three smart women sound off.
Best Business Blogs: Women at Work
An expanded list of our favorites.
The Ethics Monitor
The results of our first Ethics Survey. Plus: morally challenged folks from all over.
Bull-sitter
The CEO of the rodeo.
Terminated
What happens when offices close.
Think Like a Peon
Five tips for managers who've forgotten what it's like to be at the bottom of the ladder.
The Brand Called Glue
Is it time to cobrand with your customers?
Can't We All Just Get Along?
What are all those hieroglyphs plastered on product tags?
Datebook
Critical calendar listings for May 2005.
Journey to "Serious Games"
We check out some video games where you don't kill everyone in sight. And some where you do.
Virtual Darkness
The dark side of video games.
Office Handbook
Chapter 44: Diversity
Consultant Nation
Even you can be a consultant! You just have to find your niche. Compost? Satanism?

Playbook

Escape Your Pigeonhole
If you're good at what you do, you may get pigeonholed. Here's how to avoid that fowl fate.
Politically Proactive
Make things happen by mastering the game of day-to-day politics.
Blogging Up
Self-proclaimed "blogologist" Alex Halavais on how to career-blog without it coming back to haunt you.
Deciding Factor
Learning how to make better decisions.
Hotels, Jet Blue-Style
An early look at new cheap-chic hotels.
The Corporate Shrink
Coping with the agita of a CEO's stepping down, and timing a raise request.
Readers' Choice
Explore how design and technology affect modern life in this month's book.
Learning From the Jurassic Office Park
Corporate arrogance will kill your company as surely as it did AT&T.
America's Productivity Secret? You.
America's dirty little productivity secret: Cost-cutting companies are getting customers to do their work for them.

More Great Stuff

The Case for Change
This month's letter from the editor.
The March of War
With our November issue, Fast Company will celebrate 10 years of publication. Each month until then, we'll review one of our favorite editions from the first decade.
Feedback
Letters. Updates. Advice.
Shirts and Skins
Management lessons from the basketball court