According to the Cambridge Dictionary, one definition of initiative is. “A new plan or action to improve something or solve a problem.” In corporate parlance this often translates into yet another short-term and often politically correct effort to demonstrate forward motion/social citizenship. Often forgotten faster than the evening news cycle as new searches for performance
Henry Ford, the Founder of Ford Motor Company is famously attributed to this statement. “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” In other words, most of us think linearly. One wonders if this line of reasoning is the best way during the current situation. Perhaps, non-linear mindsets are
Our often called, ‘Best Friend’ has and continues to teach us all manner of life lessons. While the Dog Days of Summer will soon be upon those who live in the northern hemisphere, not all dogs choose to stay on the porch. Most dogs are action oriented. Throw a ball or a stick and some
In a recent online discussion, this pundit put forth the thought that fiberglass wind turbine blades can pose an environmental problem when decommissioned. This position was quickly challenged with the rebuttal that burning coal ‘kills’ kids so it did not matter if discarded blades litter the countryside as it is worth it. According to research
According to Investopedia, “Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria are a set of standards for a company’s operations that socially conscious investors use to screen potential investments.” Definitions of the three components are pretty straightforward: Environmental–Generally refers to the stewardship of the planet and how organizations facilitate that responsibility. Social–Facilitating organizational responsibility to the global
We are offered the world at the tip of our fingers, But! There are many prices to pay. Theft by scam simply by clicking on a great opportunity is getting more sophisticated all the time. Recently, this pundit was offered a once in a lifetime possibility if only I would listen to an MS Office
Update: Just after we published this edition, Goldman Sachs released this comprehensive research piece; Stagflation Risk. Recently, one media outlet raised the suggestion of government price controls. Generally, seen as a bad idea, none-the-less in this inflationary environment, some may perceive value from an action of this kind. Additionally, in the current environment some politicians
Will gas lines return? Recent geopolitical events have driven the price of gasoline sky high–again! As of this writing it is difficult to say where this will all lead. What is known is that the cost of all things related to petroleum have significantly increased and may go even higher. According to the U.S. Department
As of this writing, the situation in Ukraine is fluid at best. Many see the Ukrainian people as heroes winning against all odds. Other pundits predict they will be overwhelmed in the near future. History suggests the later is a premature prognosis. In the 1940’s European resistance played a major role in the defeat of
Readers know that as of this writing there is geopolitical and military tension in eastern Europe. Hopefully, the situation will resolve peacefully. This piece is not about those politics. Rather it is about the potential for accidental engagement and how that risk can be mitigated. President Kennedy is famously cited for the comment that referred
The total or lifecycle carbon footprint for any energy source is a function of the manufacturing, commissioning, operation (including maintenance) and decommissioning of that asset. Moreover, the value of an electric powered vehicles (EV) is seen as a function of the amount of fossil fuel no longer used by the vehicle. However, this is only
An early Baby Boomer, born in 1948 this post war pundit watched (pun intended) the beginning of the broadcast television age, featuring I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, The Ozzie and Harriet show, Leave It To Beaver, Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club, The Roy Rogers Show, Superman, Looney Tunes, Captain Kangaroo, The Howdy Doody Show and more.
This edition marks the 100th post in our Critical Mass Blog series. We have sought to provide thoughtful, unbiased insight into the contemporary business and organizational challenges we all face. Since our first blog post on November 27, 2017 our world has turned over in ways none expected. Likely, this trend will continue. This series
This edition is taken from our forthcoming book tentatively titled, Techniques for Successfully Closing Deals in the 21st Century. New Year’s Resolutions We all make them and in many cases they are short lived, often falling by the wayside before March 31. So as we ponder what the new year will bring, most in
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Team Models There is a tendency to see DEI through the lens of initiatives or often a process semi-outside the daily ‘organizational’ grind. Does this represent reality? Organizations spend countless sums training employees and others they depend on for Operational Excellence performance. They often trust global Teams to add stakeholder
We have all heard the flight attendant say, “Thank you for flying with us and welcome your destination, another on time arrival.” Usually stated with gusto, as if an on time arrival was uncommon! Pundits and politicians are telling us that Santa will be late this year. More salt on the wound, the jolly elf
Almost every day, we hear that “The Science” says . . . We are told Covid-19 and Climate Change are based on The Science and as such we must accept that expert analyses as ‘settled.’ Then something changes and once more the science police demand we accept their new interpretation. The near-term result: confusion and
Not the rock bands of the 1960s–1980s, but the mining required to extract the heavy metals necessary for electric vehicles and other renewable energy solutions. So, what is a heavy metal and why do we care? Typically, “In science, a heavy metal is a metallic element which is toxic and has a high density, specific gravity or atomic weight. However,
The writing instrument, the pencil is purported to have been invented in 1795. It has been around for a while and continues to serve a useful purpose. In the following video, the late economist Milton Friedman describes the process for manufacturing this simple longstanding tool. The point he makes is that regardless of the simplicity
Who among us have not uttered these words as a child or for those who are parents heard them? Usually in the context of a trip in an automobile, but perhaps now in our journey to the next . . . Society is on a number of interconnected journeys. Most visible is the Covid-19 transit
This Baby Boomer graduated from college in 1970. Just in time for Saturday Night Fever and Grease, Avocado colored refrigerators and Harvest Gold dinnerware. Plus, the best friend a then bachelor ever had–the microwave oven! Not to forget the Gasoline Lines and Hyper Inflation, Vietnam, Peace/Race Protests/Riots, a Major Recession, Stagflation and other wonderful (not)
Awash with data, how many decisions made actually use it to add value? Too few one suspects and partly because decision-making systems are not designed for this volume. Much is made about Big Data and the value it can add to a business. However, there is little said about the software applications and compute power that
Watching one of the Sunday morning political news shows recently, as yet another pol described that the ‘science is changing‘ and mentioning the results of new data, it dawned on me that smart individuals are conflating science with data. By one definition, Science is “he intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the
Picture sourced from LinkedIn, author unknown. It seems like there are a lot of answers these days, even to questions that have not been posed. As of this writing, this author understands that masks work for Covid-19 but vaccines not so much although we are advised to get the shots and even a third one
Attributed to former US Senator and Governor Rhode Island, Lincoln Chafee, “Trust is built with consistency.” Moreover, from statistics we know that Internal Consistency, “measures whether several items that propose to measure the same general construct produce similar scores.” The follow on definition statistical reliability, “is the consistency of a set of measurements or measuring
Originally published as a LinkedIn article on July 6, 2021, this updated version is reprinted here with the permission of the author. Links to relevant sources are added. Lately, many LinkedIn posts bemoan the state of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The seeming slow take up of great ideas. Some argue that DEI initiatives are no
“Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.” — Napoleon Bonaparte Volumes have been written on decision-making and this pundit has offered his share of insight and comment on the subject as well. Some of our comments regard the appropriateness of the human intercession in electronic decision making. Others
“A healthy corporation acts on the interests of its stakeholders and customers” — Ari Melber, Journalist Currently, organizations are being implored to implement Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) driven business models. Proponents even suggest that investment in organizations that do not have this imprimatur should be avoided or even divested. However, one wonders what has
“A good, quick, small team can beat a big, slow team any time.” — Paul William “Bear” Bryant, legendary college football coach In the early 1990s my former wife and I, both avid sailors decorated our boat for the local Christmas Boat Lane Parade. While we had some help, most of the work was performed by the
What Are We Doing? An interesting sign of the times. Individuals on social media who identify themselves by name, photo, job (even senior) title, organization etc. are taking controversial positions on a variety of often emotional subjects. In the old days discussions about , sex, politics and religion were off limits in the corporate
