Mary Marshall I was having a conversation with a CEO this week and we were debating the meaning of “leader” and “leadership.” His contention was that because he was the designated leader of the company, he was exhibiting leadership. When I asked him to define what that … Read more
The other day as I was meeting with a client he was expressing frustration with the differences in cultures within his workforce and the problems it has been causing the company. Although he has tried many things, nothing seems to be able to bridge the … Read more
The Puget Sound Business Journal recently published a piece about Expeditors International and the number of leaders there who do not have degrees entitled “Performance, not Pedigree.” The philosophy of founder Pete Rose has created a culture where performance is rewarded above all else. The … Read more
Last week I spoke about Amazon’s unintentional culture and the role the CEO had in it. This week I’d like to call out an example of what I think is good leadership and true customer service. Unlike Amazon, whose drive to customer service through speed … Read more
A lot has been written about the NY Times exposé on Amazon and their culture. The article describes a fast-paced, innovative, customer service-obsessed environment that has led to profits for investors and created the largest retailer in the world. What it also points out are … Read more
I was listening to NPR this week and they had a great segment on how to deal with a crisis at a business when something major goes wrong. The reason I bring this up is that as leaders we are so often dealing with growth … Read more
Google’s big announcement this week stunned some and was not a surprise to others. The crux of the announcement was focus and from my perspective, they made the right move. The more success a company has, the more options it creates for itself. And the … Read more
Most of the entrepreneurs and executives I’ve worked with have struggled with change and evaluating the options that are in front of them. Frequently, only a couple of options are brought up and even considered. Recently, I remembered a talk by a Vistage speaker, Amy … Read more
Recently, the Puget Sound Business Journal featured the 2015 Eastside’s Fasting Growing companies and asked several to provide one tip to manage fast growth. The one that stood out to me was, “Great people who are motivated by a purpose beyond profit can accomplish more … Read more
You may have heard about Pope Francis’s recent travels, speeches and teachings, but one address in particular is relevant to all of us in business. In it, he outlined what he sees as 15 Diseases of Leadership, and boy are they relevant to our leadership … Read more