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uncommon sense

We Know Our Education System Is Broken, So Why Can't We Fix It?

BY Shawn Parr | 03-30-2012 | 9:05 AM | LEADERSHIP

Our method of teaching hasn't radically changed over the past century. It's stuck, it's dated, and it's in need of radical transformation.READ MORE›

How Ideas From The 1960s Prevail In Leadership, Art, Design, And Social Movements

BY Shawn Parr | 03-08-2012 | 10:11 AM | LEADERSHIP

The 1960s are now middle aged--but the decade has had an abiding influence when we consider trust in leadership, design, self-expression, social shifts, and environmentalism. READ MORE›

10 Steps To Turn Your Passion Into Your Business

BY Shawn Parr | 01-11-2012 | 7:53 AM | LEADERSHIP

Matthew Larson is the chief of product design for one of the surf industry's most exciting new brands, Matuse, which designs incredible, high-end wetsuits. Through following these 10 ideas that helped Matuse build its brand, you'll learn how to turn your passion--whether it's for surfing or something else--into a successful business.READ MORE›

Content Is The New Currency

BY Shawn Parr | 10-20-2011 | 4:24 PM | LEADERSHIP

Getting executive leadership teams to understand the implications of great communication as a currency for change (and ultimately for profit) is a massive untapped opportunity for innovation in many organizations.READ MORE›

The Paradigm Project: A Model For Getting People Excited About Uncommon Causes

BY Shawn Parr | 10-07-2011 | 10:23 AM | ETHONOMICS

In the competitive space of philanthropy and philanthrocapitalism, how do you break through the clutter and get people engaged in an issue that isn’t the tug-on-your-heart-strings norm? The Paradigm Project hopes to do just that by starting a conversation about fuel-efficient cook stoves.READ MORE›

Keep A Breast's Lighthearted Touch Inspires Youthful Breast-Cancer Awareness And Prevention

BY Shawn Parr | 09-27-2011 | 1:26 PM | LEADERSHIP

Shaney Jo Darden's Keep A Breast is a youth-based breast-cancer prevention organization that uses art events, educational programs, and fundraising efforts (namely, slapping the phrase "I Love Boobies" on everything from T-shirts to bracelets) to help eradicate breast cancer and increase awareness among young people. READ MORE›

Staying True To Yourself: The Humble Brand That Is Taylor Swift

BY Shawn Parr | 09-22-2011 | 2:44 PM | LEADERSHIP

Taylor Swift has carefully crafted a humble and accessible brand identity that's helped her sell 16 million albums. The branding takeaways from what she's doing right. READ MORE›

Mastering The "C" In Chief Marketing Officer

BY Shawn Parr | 09-15-2011 | 1:21 PM | LEADERSHIP

Consumers are an undeniable part of the marketing process, with a growing arsenal of tools to create and curate their own content around the brands they love. Technology enables them to share content on their networks and take an active part in a brand's dialogue. Tomorrow's marketing professionals will have to master new set of skills for their brand's message to come through. READ MORE›

The Made For Good Model Of Successful Cause Marketing

BY Shawn Parr | 08-31-2011 | 2:26 PM | LEADERSHIP

Cause-related marketing has been proven to boost sales, engagement, and customer loyalty, but are the new models of embedded generosity a passing fad or the new fundamental?READ MORE›

Less Food. More Nutrition

BY Shawn Parr | 07-15-2011 | 5:44 PM | LEADERSHIP

A conversation about the future of food with the CEO of Annie's Homegrown Foods. READ MORE›

What Can CEOs And Presidents Learn From Gracie Jiu-Jitsu?

BY Shawn Parr | 07-14-2011 | 3:50 PM | LEADERSHIP

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is the Nike of self-defense. It has reached a level of notoriety as the most effective, fastest growing form of self-defense that people are learning to confidently protect themselves--executives are even starting to reference Jiu-Jitsu moves in business conversations.READ MORE›

A Little More Hope Please

BY Shawn Parr | 07-12-2011 | 1:42 AM | LEADERSHIP

Not sure about you, but I couldn't live in a world without hope. A life without optimism, imagination and hope would be like a life without a smart phone. You couldn't live a day without it. Think about it. We live in a world where ...READ MORE›

Fish And Tips: Talk To Your Customers Like People, Not Prospects

BY Shawn Parr | 06-30-2011 | 7:29 PM | LEADERSHIP

There are shining examples of brands that build a personal connection with their customers and have a personal voice in their communication. El Pescador, a small fish market in La Jolla, California, knows exactly who their customer is and what their consumer wants.READ MORE›

5 Tips For Transforming The Micro-finance System

BY Shawn Parr | 06-22-2011 | 1:09 PM | LEADERSHIP

During a recent visit to Michelin, their CEO was proud to share an initiative where Michelin had allocated $2 million for lending to local small businesses in light of the economic crisis. Its success got me thinking, "Why hasn't the domestic micro-finance model moved to the forefront of options for small businesses today?"READ MORE›

Pleased To Meet You: An Uncommon Sense Guide To The Real You

BY Shawn Parr | 06-14-2011 | 5:14 PM | LEADERSHIP

Some of us live our lives without knowing who we really are, bumping through days without understanding what makes us tick, or why we react to situations and people the way we do. READ MORE›

Happiness = Gratitude + Generosity + Sincerity

BY Shawn Parr | 06-01-2011 | 11:22 PM | LEADERSHIP

People or companies who show their appreciation and gratitude attract the admiration and interest of those around them, and grateful people stand out in a crowd with their infectious energy. After "I love you," saying "Thank you" is probably the most affirming and energizing statement that we can use toward one another.READ MORE›

Five Lessons in Uncommon Sense From Guy Kawasaki's "Enchantment"

BY Shawn Parr | 04-01-2011 | 12:18 PM | MANAGEMENT

Guy Kawasaki's new book, "Enchantment," shares an approach to building relationships in meaningful and purposeful ways. He's reframed emotional intelligence and made it simple for the reader to use these tools to approach relationships in business and in life differently. READ MORE›