Essays

So you like acronyms?

You know who else had a thing for words formed from the initial letters of other words? Hitler was a great admirer of Peter Behrens, the father of the concept of modern corporate identity. In 1907 Behrens was the artistic

So you like acronyms?

You know who else had a thing for words formed from the initial letters of other words? Hitler was a great admirer of Peter Behrens, the father of the concept of modern corporate identity. In 1907 Behrens was the artistic

Nobody is making content worth reading

Have you noticed how most corporate content is so badly written that it’s practically worthless. Have you looked at the number of white papers out there lately? And how they all suck? At the collateral? At the websites? At the

Nobody is making content worth reading

Have you noticed how most corporate content is so badly written that it’s practically worthless. Have you looked at the number of white papers out there lately? And how they all suck? At the collateral? At the websites? At the

One thing businesses need to grow

Jim Stengel recognizes that the most successful businesses are those guided by ideals and by business artists who instill a broader purpose across a company. I know what you’re thinking. Another hippy love story. Not quite. Stengel is the former

One thing businesses need to grow

Jim Stengel recognizes that the most successful businesses are those guided by ideals and by business artists who instill a broader purpose across a company. I know what you’re thinking. Another hippy love story. Not quite. Stengel is the former

Why business people speak like idiots

Bullshit has become the official language of business. Brian Fugere, Chelsea Hardaway and Jon Warshawsky aren’t afraid to write a book about it. (“Why Business People Speak Like Idiots: A Bullfighter’s Guide”) All three are veterans of the consulting giant

Why business people speak like idiots

Bullshit has become the official language of business. Brian Fugere, Chelsea Hardaway and Jon Warshawsky aren’t afraid to write a book about it. (“Why Business People Speak Like Idiots: A Bullfighter’s Guide”) All three are veterans of the consulting giant

Reading on trains

Have you noticed that faraway look when people are reading on trains. It doesn’t matter if it’s a book or newspaper or magazine or phone. They’re there but they’re not really there. Rarely do I see anyone absentmindedly looking out

Reading on trains

Have you noticed that faraway look when people are reading on trains. It doesn’t matter if it’s a book or newspaper or magazine or phone. They’re there but they’re not really there. Rarely do I see anyone absentmindedly looking out

Blackout

No doubt you witnessed the blackout on the internet today. Dead sites everywhere. Dead Wikipedia. Dead Craiglist. Dead Reddit. Dead Flickr. Dead Mozzila. Google blacked out its logo and posted a message on its home page that said “Tell Congress:

Blackout

No doubt you witnessed the blackout on the internet today. Dead sites everywhere. Dead Wikipedia. Dead Craiglist. Dead Reddit. Dead Flickr. Dead Mozzila. Google blacked out its logo and posted a message on its home page that said “Tell Congress:

Why executives suck at telling stories

Annette Simmons knows a thing or two about stories. She’s big on storytelling as a fundamental process in business. Storytelling creates all meaning. Especially where we spend our time working. The stories we tell about a corporation create the identity,

Why executives suck at telling stories

Annette Simmons knows a thing or two about stories. She’s big on storytelling as a fundamental process in business. Storytelling creates all meaning. Especially where we spend our time working. The stories we tell about a corporation create the identity,

Business is not war

You know what really annoys me? Idiots who think reading Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” is a good primer for business. Okay, it’s a good managerial treatise if you’ve managed to somehow travel back in time and are running

Business is not war

You know what really annoys me? Idiots who think reading Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” is a good primer for business. Okay, it’s a good managerial treatise if you’ve managed to somehow travel back in time and are running

The future of capitalism

You do realize that banking and the stock market are not going to save us, right? Neither will private equity, hedge funds or collateralized debt. Or any other form of financial engineering magical thinking. What will save us is good

The future of capitalism

You do realize that banking and the stock market are not going to save us, right? Neither will private equity, hedge funds or collateralized debt. Or any other form of financial engineering magical thinking. What will save us is good

American media meltdown

In 1983, 90% of American media was owned by 50 companies. That same 90% is now controlled by just six companies (and their brands). 1. GE (Comcast, NBC, Universal Pictures, Focus Pictures) 2. News Corp (Fox, Wall Street Journal, New

American media meltdown

In 1983, 90% of American media was owned by 50 companies. That same 90% is now controlled by just six companies (and their brands). 1. GE (Comcast, NBC, Universal Pictures, Focus Pictures) 2. News Corp (Fox, Wall Street Journal, New