Most Recent Posts

Does Your Manager Suck? It Might Not be a Bad Thing

Posted on 11. Apr, 2013 by in Orange

Two managers I’ve been working with lately were described to me as “sucking,” and the meaning was very different. Of the first leader, a team member described him in glowing terms, “He literally sucks the creativity out of you. He demands you give him your best ideas, absolutely demands it, and he’s willing to try [...]

California Pizza Kitchen is All In

CPK is All In

Posted on 08. Feb, 2013 by in Blog, Orange

I saw a great idea at the HQ of California Pizza Kitchen. Employees sign the wall saying they are “all in” with the company’s new Purpose, Brand and Guest Experience. Standing next to the wall is Jim Rich, vice president of operations services, who believes one of his managers most important roles is to “give [...]

Get ideas out of their pockets

Posted on 02. Jan, 2013 by in Blog, Orange

In our travels we find very few innovative companies. It is rare indeed to come upon an entire organization brimming with the determination and courage to break new ground. No, what we do find—every where we go— are pockets of innovation. Every company we come upon has those departments, branches, or teams that have found [...]

Post-Election Blues? How to Deal with Frustration

Posted on 07. Nov, 2012 by in Blog, Orange

Here in America it’s the day after a presidential election. And that means almost 50 percent of voters woke up frustrated and worried about the future. People tend to forget that this happens to half the country every four years. If our candidate doesn’t win we grumble, panic, and threaten to move to Canada. Remember, [...]

Playing 9 to 5

Posted on 11. Oct, 2012 by in Orange

I was on Huffington Post Live today talking about having more fun at work. It’s worth a watch.

With Comedy There’s Creativity

Posted on 18. Sep, 2012 by in Blog, Orange

Trying to develop a new product or process? Are you looking for a solution to a particularly vexing problem? Is your company working on a new marketing or communication campaign? The work world isn’t suffering from a dearth of boring brainstorming sessions, especially when just a spoonful of fun can spur the kind of breakout [...]

Are you sharing your best ideas? Why not?

Posted on 27. Aug, 2012 by in Blog, Orange

Why does it seem that we are asking leaders to pull out their own teeth when we encourage sharing of ideas between different branches, locations, or departments of the same company? We often visit a retail chain, for instance, where store managers in Seattle do not communicate what’s working because they feel as if they [...]

Great Moments in Sportsmanship from the Olympics

Posted on 08. Aug, 2012 by in Blog, Orange

I don’t get misty eyed during the Olympic medal ceremonies. And while it’s fun to watch great athletic performances, I won’t remember all the winners. What will I remember from the London 2012 Games? The moments of sportsmanship. Here are a few moments that stood out to me: Kirani James of Grenada winning his semi-final [...]

Fish Head Soup

Posted on 26. Jul, 2012 by in Blog, Orange

A few years ago I had a speaking engagement in Singapore so I took my family. As we walked through a small market we came to a vendor selling something that to the locals must have seemed as common as a bowl of Ramen Noodles. Black uppercase letters proclaimed: “Fish Head Soup: 5 USD.” My [...]

It Was a Win-Win Knowing Him

Posted on 17. Jul, 2012 by in Blog, Orange

We lost a management icon yesterday when Stephen R. Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” passed away. He was a hero of ours. I saw Stephen R. present for the first time when I was in my early twenties. He had been asked to give a presentation to a magazine I [...]

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