Why We Hate HR

In a knowledge economy, companies with the best talent win. And finding, nurturing, and developing that talent should be one of the most important tasks in a corporation. So why does human resources do such a bad job — and how can we fix it?

Bill Drayton

Social visionary Bill Drayton is creating a network of incalculable problem-solving power. Ashoka, named for a peace-minded third century BC Indian emperor, has identified and supported 1,500-plus Fellows, as it calls them, in 53 nations since Drayton founded it in 1980. (Five of them are winners of our 2005 Social Capitalist Awards.) It seeks out social entrepreneurs with enormous ideas — solutions of such ambition … [ Read more ]

You Can Do Anything – But Not Everything

David Allen, one of the world’s most influential thinkers on personal productivity, offers his unique advice on how to keep up the pace — without wearing yourself down.

The Monroe Doctrine

When Lorraine Monroe became principal of Harlem’s Frederick Douglass School, it was well known for violence, poor attendance, and a low level of academic achievement. Five years later, student test scores ranked it among New York City’s best high schools.

Size is Not a Strategy

The faster big business cleans up its ethical mess, the sooner we can address the real crisis of capitalism. Giant companies dominate the landscape — from media to medicine, banking to broadband. But talented people don’t want to work for them, customers hate doing business with them, and Wall Street doesn’t want to invest in them. A candid appraisal of why so many big companies … [ Read more ]

5 Habits of Highly Reliable Organizations

The worst thing about recent business scandals is their lingering aftereffect: How can you move forward when you don’t know who you can depend on? Karl E. Weick says the answer is inside highly reliable organizations. For them, uncertainty is the “good stuff.”

Do You See What I See?

Each of us sees the world through our own lens, says one diversity consultant. You can’t move beyond your own biases if you don’t recognize them. Take this test to see how your belief systems compare with others’.

Beware of These Blunders

Christopher Lochhead, former chief marketing officer at Scient, knows a bit about delivering bad news. So listen up when he recounts the 13 biggest marketing blunders a battered company can make. Ignore them at your peril.

No Risk, No Reward

This article claims to offer “Nine amazing and instructive lessons on the power of breaking the mold, the genius of the unexpected move, the thrill of standing out from the crowd, and the virtues — yes, virtues — of conservatism.” Personally, I found it of little value but the following excerpt makes it worthwhile…

*Economics primer: Frank H. Knight was cochair of the department of … [ Read more ]

How Do Fast Companies Work Now?

Imagine a company (iFormation) started by the best-connected investment bank in the world, by a leading management-consulting firm, and by one of the top venture-capital firms. Give it $300 million — and set it loose to reinvent big business.

Leaders for the Long Haul

Article discusses “appreciative inquiry,” a management tool developed by David Cooperrider, an associate professor at Case Western Reserve University. Highlighted is its application at Roadway Express.

Big Bets, Fast Failures

Fast Company speaks with David Nadler, who has advised the CEOs of some of the biggest and best-known companies in the world through the consulting company he started, Delta Consulting Group. Topics discussed include:
At 70 MPH, Failure Comes Faster
Beware: Balance Sheets Can Kill
Ask Yourself: How Elastic Is My Enterprise?
Understand What It Really Is That You Do … [ Read more ]

Grassroots Leadership: U.S. Military Academy

If Harvard Business School is the West Point of capitalism, then where is the West Point of leadership? It’s in West Point, New York. Here’s how raw cadets become resilient commanders.

Michael Porter’s Big Ideas

The world’s most famous business-school professor is fed up with CEOs who claim that the world changes too fast for their companies to have a long-term strategy. If you want to make a difference as a leader, you’ve got to make time for strategy.

How Do We Break Out of the Box We’re Stuck In?

Donald Winkler is profoundly dyslexic. He is also a startlingly effective leader at one of the world’s biggest companies. The two are related. He sees the world in ways that we can’t or won’t. Read about his ideas on “breakthrough leadership” and his 10 principles for effective leadership.

Soul Proprietor

What drives Troy Tylers grinding battle to keep his startup dream alive? Passion. Purpose. A hunger for revenge. In the midst of the Internet-driven startup boom, the saga of smartRay Network Inc. offers a powerful reminder of what real entrepreneurship is all about.