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Leadership

Mentors Are Useless--But They Don't Have To Be

I am a lousy mentee. It’s a funny admission to make as someone who makes her living as professional mentor. Sure, I train my clients on how best to leverage my expertise. Of course, that doesn’t mean that I follow my own advice very well.READ»

Ford's Nancy Lee Gioia On Leading Where The Rubber Meets The Road

In her 30 years with Ford Motor Company, Nancy Lee Gioia’s learned a thing or two about teamwork, sparking innovation, and being a driving force in what was once considered a man's industry. READ»

3 Ways To Deal With A No-Win Situation

If you're a Star Trek aficionado, then not only have you heard of the "Kobayashi Maru Scenario" but you can recount it easily to others--it's a no-win situation cadets encounter at the Starfleet Academy. How we deal with these situations in real life is crucial. READ»

The Ultimate Crisis-Communications Checklist: 6 Steps To Master Your Disaster

Whether you’re digging your way out of a negative PR avalanche or simply need to scrub a less-than-squeaky-clean outburst, here are tips from branding experts on how to handle public outrage with grace and style.READ»

Is Your Company About To Be Knocked From Its Perch?

In today's competitive environment, staying the course is the kiss of death. Nest disrupted thermostats; what will you choose to do in your industry?READ»

5 Early Birds Share Everyday Productivity Strategies

We can't all be morning people, but we can crib from the caffeine-stained playbooks of successful early risers. Here's how.READ»

Be Like Mark: 8 Ways To Emulate Facebook's Zuckerberg, The Unlikely Leader

Whether you love him, hate him, or are just a little jealous of his newly minted multi-billionaire status, you have to admit that Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, has made some visionary leadership moves. Here's what the rest of us can learn from his controversial reign. READ»

Leadership Lessons From The GOP Primary Race

Business owners have more to gain from the GOP primary process than entertainment--in fact, there are a number of valuable leadership lessons that have been illustrated in recent weeks.READ»

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Zite CEO Mark Johnson On Creating An iPad Magazine Just For You (Yes, You)

In this extended version of the conversation from our latest issue, we chat with Mark Johnson, the CEO of Zite. "Part of the problem with the news today and news discovery," he tells us, "is we've been so satisfied with good enough for so long that we haven't opened our eyes to the possibility of what news discovery can be."READ»

2 Steps To Getting Lean Enough To Succeed

There are things that we carry around in our organizations and in our mentality that make things more cumbersome than they need to be. Treat your leadership like you would treat a manufacturing floor and get leaner now. Here’s are the two fastest ways to achieve this.READ»

The Talent Paradox: Despite High Unemployment, Two-Thirds Of Your Employees Are Ready To Bail

Unemployment is high, and voluntary turnover has slowed to a crawl. So why are employers so worried about a talent shortage? Turns out the majority of workers are considering leaving their jobs once the economy shores up. But there are steps businesses can take to ensure talent sticks around--and steps up to lead. READ»

Conflict In The Workplace: Can't We Just Put Everyone Into Time Out?

Dealing with dueling employees is never easy. While it be great if we could just put everyone in their separate corners to cool off, there are more direct and effective steps to take. READ»

The Business Case For Corporate Philanthropy

Donations are a better financial choice than either liquidation or landfill when it comes to unloading product that cannot be moved otherwise, according to a report released today. READ»

To Be A Better Leader, Learn How To Referee Work Relationships

When you are able to put on the striped black-and-white referee shirt and mediate conflict--when you take responsibility for fostering cooperation, collaboration, and collegiality between coworkers--you've taken a large step toward becoming a more productive and valuable leader.READ»

S#*! Our Business Leaders Say: "We're in Business to Make Money"

"We're in business to make money" and "we engage in marketing to market ourselves" are the kind of statements that send companies spinning into obscurity. And it is to serious business strategy conversations what "because I'm your dad" is to parent/child relations: a shortcut from someone who has no reasoned or considered approach.READ»

MTV's New Crusade: Helping Students Battle College Debt With A Facebook App

MTV's new Facebook app, My College Dollars, is part of the network's broader strategy of hitting the sweet spot of profit and purpose. READ»

Chobani Yogurt Tickles The Tastes Of Pinterest Addicts, And So Can Your Brand

There's a new social media platform every minute, it seems, and the darling of the moment is Pinterest. Here are some expert tips from Chobani Yogurt's social media team on how to get beyond flavor of the week.READ»

In The Commoditization Of Everything, Adaptation Will Win

Lots of industries are becoming saturated with competitors, to the point where they’re becoming commoditized. And a funny thing happens when an industry that was once nascent becomes the next big thing: Everyone thinks they can do your job. But it doesn’t signal the end for startups; instead, it’s a renaissance, a period of both rebirth and adaptation.READ»

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How Biochar Will Help Kenya Go Green And Save Money

Re:char is a pioneering company that sells kilns to farmers in Kenya that allow them to convert their farm waste into what's known as biochar, which can then be used for cooking. CEO Jason Aramburu spoke to us about the emerging area of biochar and a grant that re:char just received from the Gates Foundation to develop a system to transform human waste into biochar.READ»

Sticking Your Neck Out, And Other Required Tasks For Change Agents

As a change agent, the worst thing that can happen is that you see something and don’t bring it up--you become seduced by the process and become part of the problem by failing to change it. Most animals survive by blending with the herd. Who wants to be the white buffalo, the one the wolf targets? Change agents are white buffaloes.READ»