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10 Reasons Why Business Should Banish the Word “Brand”

April 24, 2014 —

10 Reasons Why Business Should Banish the Word “Brand”

Our rather controversial thoughts on “Brand” 1. It is meaningless Ask five people in your company what the word “brand” means and you’ll get at least seven definitions. As such, the meaning of the word “brand” is completely diluted and lacking in concise meaning. That’s not helpful. 2. It confuses, defuses and abuses One person in your compnay uses the word “brand” and another person interprest it differently, and then everything goes haywire. That’s expensive. 3. It becomes a tyrant It becomes a mysterious entity with a mystical...
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When People See Their “Best Selves” Reflected in Your Business

February 10, 2013 —

When People See Their “Best Selves” Reflected in Your Business

I recently had the opportunity to interview Gianpiero Petriglieri, Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior at INSEAD, Europe’s top business school. Following our fruitful talk, I reflected on a thought from our interview. We were talking about how people identify with leaders, when Professor Petriglieri said: “Leadership happens when you attract others through your thinking, your beliefs, and your behavior. Or more precisely, when others come to see their best self reflected in your thoughts, beliefs, and actions.” I related Gianpiero’s observation to the...
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Good Leadership Character Leads to Good Brand Character

June 12, 2017 —

Good Leadership Character Leads to Good Brand Character

Tough time call for strong leaders As recognition sets in that the COVID-19 crisis will not be short-lived, companies must respond appropriately by communicating in ways that are empathetic and relevant, contextually aware, human and sensitive. Leaders, brand stewards, and their teams must be extremely focused, keep up with the new normal of uncertainty, and have the ability to rapidly re-evaluate what their company stands for, how it communicates, and why this matters now more than ever. Leadership Character An excellent post at IMD.org speaks to two attributes that the writers, Professors...
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Are We Really In The Age Of Meaning?

July 5, 2012 —

Are We Really In The Age Of Meaning?

In our white paper, The Age Of Meaning, we explore the challenges and opportunities this new era presents to business. Referring to economist Umair Haque’s contention that we’ve left the “age of opulence” – a time of hyper-consumerism based on the mantra of “bigger, faster, cheaper, now” – we make the point that the age of meaning didn’t suddenly appear. There was no “Breaking News” story, no Twitter trending topic, and no planned downtime for a total system upgrade. It crept up on us, through current events that jarred our...
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C-Suite Confusion, Fear and Disagreement

June 29, 2012 —

C-Suite Confusion, Fear and Disagreement

It’s little wonder someone like musician David Carroll was inspired to produce a music video – that went viral – about United Airlines’s cavalier attitude toward him when he complained about how they badly damaged his guitar in transport. “United Breaks Guitars” – cited in an excellent report from the Economist Intelligence Unit – was a wake up call to United. But its point about the importance of responsive customer service in the on-line age doesn’t seem to have penetrated the business world as yet. As the infographic summarizes,...
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