Should a logo include a graphic of the product or service it represents? Entrepreneurs, marketers and graphic designers have debated this issue for ages. As company leaders have become increasingly aware of the power of brand — and begun to infuse it into every aspect of business — differing points of view have emerged regarding how a company logo should look. But, this is not a matter of opinion. Finally, research has tackled the question about product or service placement in logos. Here’s the right answer. Continue reading →

Many people in business struggle to write well. They know what they want to say, but somehow it just does not come out right when they try to communicate their thoughts in writing. But, one need not be a novelist or poet to write messages that are clear and easily understood by the reader. It helps to follow a few simple strategies to ensure any memo, email, or article makes sense and connects with the target audience. Here are some tips that can help struggling writers to improve their written communications. Continue reading →

Groupthink is a plague that stifles creativity to the point where companies become stagnant and stop being innovative. Management experts warn leaders to avoid it as much as possible. So, how does a company stop Groupthink from permeating employee interaction and killing the company’s creativity? Continue reading →

Creativity and innovation are the lifeblood of businesses today. Fresh ideas and approaches are needed for every facet of a company. But, Groupthink – the tendency for groups to make decisions that preserve the status quo rather than take into account dissenting opinions – stifles innovation and makes employees feel pressured to conform. Groupthink inhibits business ingenuity and diversification. And, it is a problem plaguing most organizations. However, the best companies do not
So how does a company determine if Groupthink has permeated employee interaction? And, if so, how does it stop it from killing the company’s creativity? Continue reading →

Have you ever looked for your house keys but didn’t see them even though they were in plain sight? Or ever been so focused on your phone or computer that you didn’t see something else that moved directly into your line of vision? Or have you reviewed an email you wrote but did not catch an obvious, embarrassing spelling error? These are forms of selective blindness; things that the eyes perceive but the mind does not receive. Most people experience these mental blind spots. But, why?

More importantly, how might ‘not seeing what’s right in front of you’ affect leadership and business decisions? Continue reading →

Knowing how to manage business during a crisis is best learned BEFORE there is a crisis. Given how many different kinds of situations can potentially develop into a crisis for any business, from weather and strikes to ethics violations and tech glitches, it’s important to prepare for and know how to handle the metaphorical hurricane before being caught in the eye of the storm. So what are the 10 best practices for managing business during a crisis? Last week, we looked at five. Here are another five. Continue reading →

It’s hurricane season. For businesses on the coast, a crisis may be looming on the horizon. But even companies far from the coast will likely face a crisis at some point… as a result of Mother Nature or some reason. It’s not just possible; it’s probable. It might be something small like equipment failure at a manufacturing plant. Or it could be something truly catastrophic, such as the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. No matter how much a company safeguards against calamities, it is impossible to avoid every possible problem. But there are 10 best practices for managing business during a crisis. Do you know them? Continue reading →

If being unique and standing out is essential in today’s noisy, competitive marketplace, how does a company go about differentiating itself? That’s the challenge and that’s also where the magic is. Has your company differentiated itself? If not, here’s how. Continue reading →

It has been said imitation is the highest form of flattery. Perhaps for the one being imitated, but it does not speak well of the imitator. Being just like another business is not good. Staying fresh, relevant and unique is key to business success. The most successful and longest-lasting companies in the world have survived and thrived, in large part, by differentiating themselves in the marketplace. So why is differentiation so important and how does a company go about differentiating itself? Continue reading →

Imagine a tree replete with lush fruit weighing down its verdant branches. The fruit is ripe for the picking. Now imagine that those opulent berries are creative thoughts. If creative ideas are the most valuable fruits a mind can produce, how does one increase the harvest? Is there a way to fertilize the soil in order to be more original? Are there things a person can do to be more artistic? More innovative? More imaginative? Is it possible to increase the mind’s inventiveness and readily harvest a continual, bountiful yield of fresh ideas? In a word, yes. Here’s how. Continue reading →