A few weeks ago, the Harvard Business Review ran an article titled, “It’s Time to Acknowledge CEO Loneliness.”

It’s an interesting article that discusses extravagant compensation packages, fancy jets and hotels, mansions for homes, and car services. All while feeling very lonely because, as a leader of an organization, you seemingly have no one on your side.

I recommend you read it.

But the most interesting part of the article is in the comments.

You see, people don’t feel sorry for CEOs. The perception is they have all this money so why should it matter they’re lonely?

In fact, one commenter said, “My heart bleeds for the lonely, misunderstood CEO.  I’m sure someone making three hundred times my salary is in need of some tender loving care and understanding.  So let me tell these guys where to find sympathy:  In Webster’s, somewhere between s*** and syphilis.” Continue Reading »

Last week Jeannie Walters and I were discussing Brian Solis’s new book The End of Business As Usual.

Because she is a customer experience expert, she was especially interested in what Brian had to say about the connected customer and where business is going because of it.

When I mentioned I was writing a review of the book, she asked if she could join in.

And, because the Pinterest debate between Paul Sutton and I worked so well, we thought we’d do a combined book review.

Jeannie reviews it from the customer experience angle and I review it from the leadership angle. Continue Reading »

Yes, I know it’s Facebook question of the week time, but we’re trying something new this week.

You see, Social Fresh wrote last week about the best times of the week and day to blog, in order to get social shares.

Historically, Mondays and Tuesdays on Spin Sucks are our big days, but the Social Fresh research proves we might be missing something on Thursdays.

I’m curious to see if a blog post runs at 8 a.m. and the video runs at noon, if there is a difference both in traffic and social shares.

So Lisa Gerber has answered Barry Silver’s Facebook question and that will run at noon.

This morning, however, you get an intellectual discussion about when to determine it’s time to fire a client. Continue Reading »

Late last year, Lisa Petrilli published The Introvert’s Guide to Success.

It popped into my brain when I saw, “The Rise of the New Groupthink” in the New York Times last week.

Combine those two pieces of content and you may have actually heard me yell, “Hurrah!”

You see, I’m an introvert. And, until about two years ago, I thought there was something wrong with me (well, there is clearly something wrong with me, but it’s not because I’m an introvert).

I know, I know. When I say that people don’t believe me.  Continue Reading »

Today’s guest post is written by Shelley Pringle. 

Once upon a time in a land far, far away—actually it was in Canada so maybe not that far away for some of you—I worked for an integrated marketing communication company called Promanad.

Promanad had one of the most interesting corporate cultures I’ve ever experienced. For example, new business presentations were always concluded with the declaration, “We’re not normal.”

And indeed we weren’t.

Now, corporate culture can be a pretty nebulous thing. Many factors affect it, including how people are compensated and rewarded, formal and informal policies, rituals, routines, and, perhaps most importantly, the behavior of the organization’s leaders. Continue Reading »

Today’s guest post is written by Paul Roetzer. 

Hybrid agencies will come to rule the marketing services world.

These emerging firms are tech savvy, offer integrated services, hire and retain versatile talent, and profit from diversified revenue streams.

They also build scalable infrastructures that enable them to readily adapt their business models and services to changes in technology, consumer behavior, and market demand.

Meanwhile, traditional agencies — PR, SEO, advertising, web, and content — that are resistant to change will struggle to remain relevant. They are slowed down by legacy systems that make it increasingly difficult to evolve and compete as clients seek more innovative strategies and services.

Unless traditionalists make dramatic adjustments, they run the risk of quickly becoming obsolete.  Continue Reading »

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” - Alice Walker

There is a very interesting debate happening online. It’s being highlighted with the Miss Representation Sundance film about media being derogatory to women.

The trailer shows media talking about Hillary Clinton “looking haggard and 92.” It shows a clip of Sarah Palin being asked by a reporter if she has breast implants. It shows a panel of men on a Sunday morning news program where they’re talking about Nancy Pelosi and whether or not she’s had plastic surgery. And then it shows Marc Rudov saying the only downside to having a woman in the Oval Office is the “PMS and mood swings.”

The most powerful women in America are being shut down, based on their looks and not on their intellectual capabilities.

Imagine if the same conversation happened around men. Continue Reading »

Today’s guest post is written by Craig McBreen.

Years ago, there was a boy who spent much of his school day staring out the window, daydreaming.

To him, school was like the clink – a penitentiary so void of inspiration his imagination often left the room.

His creative spirit needed an outlet, but it was so stifling in there.

Kids dream big

Children are imaginative and not afraid to be wrong, but we often lose this as we grow up. Do we grow out of it or does the system drain it out of us?

Innate abilities lost over time? Or are they never discovered? Passions are lost. Continue Reading »

Today’s guest post is written by Marc Girolimetti.

I’ve been blessed by living among entrepreneurs my entire life. I’ve learned a lot from them and they inspired me to drop the dreams of being the next Jacques Cousteau and head straight to Babson College, which has been named the #1 undergraduate program for entrepreneurship for 15 consecutive years.

As a result of choosing a life of working within and founding a couple of start-ups, I get to dabble in adjunct teaching of entrepreneurship at Boston University.

As a result I can say one thing: Entrepreneurs suck.

I’m addicted to start-ups, but it’s begun to take its toll on me emotionally and financially. “One more hit,” I say. “Then I’ll quit.”  That’s because no illegal narcotic can give you a better rush and ruin your life more deeply than choosing to be an entrepreneur. Continue Reading »

Did you see Jeffrey Immelt, the chairman of GE, on 60 Minutes last Sunday?

He’s been given the jobs czar title by President Obama, with the sole charge of convincing companies to hire, and Lesley Stahl was there to understand more.

Her big question…whether or not the man who has sent more jobs overseas than any other chief executive has what it takes to create jobs in America. Continue Reading »