It is the last work Friday of the year…WOO HOO!!

I finished the last of my speaking and business travel last night.

The light at the end of the tunnel is getting very bright.

Of course, I have that book thing I have to finish (it’s due Dec. 30) and I have some reading to catch up on. But no real thinking or hard work for 12 whole days.

And, starting tonight, it’s all family, all holidays, all the time. Bring on the cheesecake, ebelskivers, and wine!

And, this week, I have lots of fun topics for you. Dogs and seals and kids, oh my! Continue Reading »

Today’s guest post is written by David Horne.

You want to build an incredible brand. This is one reason you became a marketing professional or started a company in the first place.

Who doesn’t want to create the next Google, Apple, Nike, or Coke?

Who doesn’t want to drive an incredible brand, one people love, that affects lives, and changes the world?

 “We are no doubt in the Great Age of the Brand.” – Tom Peters

Before you can build a brand that has market ubiquity, fosters loyalty, and promotes advocacy, the proper foundation must be set.

That foundation is credibility. Continue Reading »

Today’s guest post is written by Anne Weiskopf.

Apologizing is hard to do. As Elton John so memorably summed up; “Sorry seems to be the hardest word.”

But sorry can be the smartest word for your brand if it’s sincere, delivered in a timely fashion, and if concrete steps are outlined to right the wrong.

What makes one apology more successful than another is the subject of a growing body of research. A key finding is that it’s much easier to forgive a perceived mistake then an intentional act.

Let’s look at a few examples. Continue Reading »

Steve Jobs resigned last week. This is likely not news to you. But what is interesting is it likely will cripple the consumer electronics industry.

Spending quite a bit of time on the speaking circuit, I constantly hear from leaders that they’re afraid to use the web for business reasons because they don’t want the competition to know what they’re doing. Continue Reading »

Guest post by John Heaney, principal at Orange Envelopes.

The National Science Foundation released a disturbing study recently that revealed that only nine percent of American companies engaged in any product or process innovation during the three-year study period (2006-08).

Frankly, I’m not surprised with the near absence of corporate innovation because I see so few companies that encourage a culture of innovation.

Too many CEOs focus exclusively on improving financial metrics – increasing earnings and keeping a tight control over costs. Few understand their corporate value can be linked directly to their embrace of innovation and their capacity to constantly renew themselves. Continue Reading »

Can you imagine being the CEO of Apple – the Godfather of all things iPod, iPad, iPhone?  Now picture answering almost every email that comes your way.  That’s exactly what Steve Jobs does.  He personally responds to almost every email that make it to his inbox while, of course, running one of the world’s most successful brands.  But bad things can happen when billionaires get a little annoyed. Continue Reading »

Guest post by Larry Spada the vice president of branding and marketing at Outdoor Living Brands.

Apple changed my life. When I saw my first Macintosh computer in the mid-1980s, I was speechless.

My only exposure to computers at the time was those ugly, old, ochre cathode ray streams of digits beaming from clunky monitors – or those big monster server rooms that we typically see in spy movies.

So there I was, in my buddy’s office, looking at this unusual beige box with a seven-or-so-inch monitor. And he was showing me a slowly bouncing, rotating 3D black-and-white checkerboard-patterned ball. Continue Reading »

The iPad is finally making its launch tomorrow after about as much hype as only Apple can bring. So will you be in line to buy it? Is yours waiting to be mailed? Me? A week ago I would have said no, but now?

Several months ago, in typical Apple fashion, there was a leak (I am sure it was a complete mistake, uhhhhh). Apple was going to be announcing the launch of the iPad. Like all celebrity gossip magazines, it happened to be true (I think the Enquirer is more accurate than the NYT, but that is just me). I would like to thank Apple for giving me at least 20 jokes in regards to the naming of it.

My first thought was, I have a MacBook Pro Laptop, I have a desktop, and an iPhone, what on earth would I want with an oversized iPhone which I assumed its main use would be coming down Mount Sinai with one in either hand right after I parted the Red Sea. Continue Reading »

When I learned Steve Jobs had a liver transplant two months ago, my first thought was, “Wow! If I were on his PR team, I’d quit.” Talk about no transparency or honesty.

So I decided to look into the reasons behind Apple not disclosing his health issues before jumping to conclusions.

Turns out I still feel the same way I did initially…and following is why.

* On July 31, 2004, Jobs had surgery on his pancreas, nine months after being diagnosed and keeping it a secret from everyone but a small group of confidants.

* At the time, Apple entertained no questions about Jobs’s health, citing his need for privacy.

* In early January of this year, Jobs said he had a hormone imbalance that was “relatively simple and straightforward” to treat.

* A week later, he announced the issue was more complex and said he was taking a leave of absence.

* Two days ago we learn that the complex matter required a liver transplant.

* Jobs is notoriously secretive and controlling when it comes to his relationship with the media.

* Apple has drawn criticism from some shareholders over what they have called “limited disclosure of Mr. Jobs’s health problems.”

* Jobs is a leader, an executive, and a celebrity, who is widely viewed as the company’s irreplaceable leader, personally responsible for everything from the creation of the iPod to the selection of the chef in the company cafeteria.

I disagree that Apple and its board think Jobs’s health is a private matter. He has made himself a public figure synonymous with the brand; he is the face of the company. Many believe his health is instrumental in the stock performance of the company. While the U.S. has strict medical privacy laws, Jobs’s role as the company’s visionary trumps his right to privacy.

Avoiding questions about his weight last year. Telling employees, stakeholders, and his board he had a hormone imbalance. Announcing, just a week later, he had to take leave because it’s more serious than they thought. Then disclosing a liver transplant just days before he returns to work. And this is all in the past 12 months.

This screams dishonesty and non-transparency – especially in a day and age that we all are focused on transparency and authenticity – while using his right to privacy as an excuse.

As a communication professional, I recommend they focus on honesty and transparency, especially if Jobs comes back as the chief executive. If he really wants privacy and refuses to be transparent about both his personal and professional lives, it’s time to provide a clear succession plan and put other spokespeople in front of the cameras.

Until then, I quit if I’m on his executive team or am at his table as his communication professional. This is dishonest communication, no matter which way you cut it.