Lessons
-
Role of Luck in Business
There was a lot of talk about luck this summer! Mostly due to this paper outlining a well-done lab experiment on luck. Additionally the MIT Technology Review (a great resource for business information, especially if you are looking for advice and commentary with a technology bent) had additional analysis. Especially in America, we see success as the natural fallout of talent + hard work. But does hard work always (or every) guarantee success? How about talent? If so, how do they factor in? If I work 10% more than you (44 hours vs. 40 hours) will I earn 10% more? How about investors who earn 1,000 times what some people…
-
Creativity and Boredom
You find business advice in some of the most interesting places. Take this video for example: https://youtu.be/UzO56i7nUBs It’s by a YouTube artist know as Chris Ramsay. I found his channel one day looking at puzzle solutions. I have a friend, let’s call him David, who loves puzzles (as do I), but he’s always frustrated that he solves them too quickly – this is NOT a problem I have. I was hoping to find some puzzles that were real stumpers to challenge David with. Chris’s channel did not disappoint. Chris has an easy demeanor onscreen and walks you through his solving process. He also has quite a few videos on magic…
-
Why Employees Quit their Job
In his book DRiVE, Daniel Pink takes a scientific view of what actually motivates us. The answer is simple: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. (Interestingly, money is not on that list. You need to make enough money to make it a non-issue, but after that, we are motivated by Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.) Autonomy in that we have some say over how we do our job, Mastery in that we are given the opportunity to learn and grow in our profession, and Purpose in that we are working for a greater good. In a recent Harvard Business Review post, they come to similar conclusions as to why people quit their jobs.…
-
Handling Stress
Stress. As a CEO you’re supposed to be immune to stress. You’re the captain of the ship; the general of the army. Never let them see you sweat…all that stuff. But, you’re also human. All humans experience stress in one form or another and a various times. The important thing is what to do about it. The way you handle the stress that life presents is the key. The other issue as a CEO is that you rarely have people you can confide in. No one really wants to hear about your troubles, and, see above, you are not supposed to have any troubles. Many of the activities you can…
-
Passion and Business
Passion. That’s what I learned about when I attended the 2017 Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans this last weekend. Everywhere I looked, I saw performers loving what they were doing and concert-goers thrilled to be a part of the experience. In the Gospel tent local choirs moved the audience to tears and living legends like Irma Thomas completely transformed herself and the crowd by her presence. On some of the larger stages I saw fans listening to music not because the pop-music industry machine told them that they had to go see whatever the latest boy band was, but because they wanted to be there. They wanted to be transformed. The Crown…
