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Over the coming days we’ll be offering our reflections on this year gone by, which will add up to one important word and one warm...

Image from Fast Company Just look at what the average Joe faces when looking for a headache remedy.  It goes on: will he pay with Visa, MasterCard or American Express (and which of the twelve or so he has in his wallet will he choose – the points one, the rebate one, the…)? Will he Tweet about his experience, update his Facebook status or share a picture of the mess through Instagram? And to recover from the shock, will he walk into Starbucks and order a coffee using six or more variables? We love having choices.  But choices can overwhelm us. We quickly become victims...

How does your brand reach out to people? Is it “pretending to be interested”, or is there a genuine effort to connect meaningfully to the people vital to your brand’s success? Is it stuck thinking about facts, figures, categories, segments, markets, etc., etc., or is is focused on “human beings”? Is it acting like it has the upper hand because of the economy, or is it treating people in the way they deserve? Is your brand’s brain about to fall out of its yawn hole, or is it imagining how your brand can truly matter to people? ...

Metrics. They’ve taken over business. From the C-Suite to the front-line, everything is measured, evaluated and judged. Why? Mostly because we can easily measure things now. But there are limits to the value of metrics. You can only measure what is evident or what people are willing to divulge. You cannot measure the intangibles that drive people to believe in, or act on behalf of, an idea. As some wag put it recently, “You can’t measure the ROI of your mother.” So as HR departments pore over spreadsheets, and C-Suiters sweat over the results neatly presented in their...

Summary Armed with engaged and motivated employees – housed in a meaningful workplace – a business becomes a powerful force against what Gary Hamel calls, “the threats of accelerating change, hyper-competition and commoditized knowledge.” The meaningful workplace is the workplace of the future. Its clearly stated ambition serves as a beacon to everyone in the workplace. The way it leaves employees feeling makes them eager to participate, collaborate and create. The behavior of the employees creates a meaningful culture that serves as a magnet to prospective recruits,...