Recent Articles from Lisa Jackson
The final simple idea to improve your business culture
This is the first in a series of concrete, proven tips that will improve your business culture to create a more aligned, responsible, and adaptive organization. Read part one and part two. Foster clear decision making. Is your company plagued by “consensus disease?” This is a pendulum swing from an “autocratic” era, in which a […]
Improve meetings, improve your culture
In the first part of this series, we discussed the cultural power of defining a “success theme.” Here’s the second simple practice to help you achieve that: Improve meetings. Meetings are a “litmus test” for urgency and action in a company. Too often, they are not focused and crisp with a bias for problem solving and […]
Three remedies for corporate culture weak spots
(Editor’s note: this is the second of two parts. Read part 1.) In my last column, we shared the first two steps in an honest assessment about whether your culture “power system” is sucking growth. In this article, we share the three most common culture weak spots and remedies you can use to upgrade your culture power […]
Corporate culture: your growth depends on it
(Editor’s note: This is the first of two parts.) During an economic recovery, companies often experience ‘eyes bigger than stomach’ syndrome: “We have a vision, plans, and strategies to grow — we need to get something moving finally. But why can’t we implement fast enough?” Organizations on starvation diets during the recession are piling projects on [&hellip[...]
The super power every leader needs
If you could have a secret power, what would it be? How would you use it? I ask clients this question to elicit clues for overcoming limitations. But recently, I’ve been thinking about the ONE super power I would give every leader if I could. If they had this magic power, they would discover essential […]
The secret ingredient for great corporate culture
Corporate culture is like a great recipe – the final product can vary a great deal even if 20 people (companies) follow the same recipe. But then there’s “grandma’s secret ingredient” – what made her famous chocolate cake so great was the one thing she never told you about. In business, a clear mission and goals, strong […]
Why culture matters to the entrepreneur: part 2
Editor’s note: This is the second of two parts. Read part 1. Brandon Berumen and Lenee Koch – a brother-sister team who founded and run LEI Companies, a highly respected electrical contracting company in Denver — know that by attending to the “hidden, unseen” element of their company’s infrastructure, it is not being left to […]
Merger—or mayhem?
If you’ve been acquired, are about to acquire or are leading a deal — this perspective is for you. Research shows two out of three mergers fail to achieve the promised financial results(about on par with the nation’s divorce rate). Most common reasons cited? • Management in acquiring firm not as strong as expected (including systems); • […]
Best practices for a new era
(Editor’s note: second of two parts. Read the first part here.) If you want to lead confidently into a new era by focusing on what is certain, may I recommend a few good practices: 1) Waste time. The cat spends more time watching than chasing its prey. Productivity isn’t always a straight line. Find space […]
Leading in a new era
(Editor’s note: The first of two parts) Ah, the 2000’s. The era of hope built on a house of cards. The promise of unending growth and prosperity. Where optimism was a drunken elixir for modern risk-takers: Creative financiers. Serial entrepreneurs. Corporate refugees. Global markets. Followed by a rude awakening in 2008 – and a long, […]
How should we measure success?
(The second of two parts. Read part one here.) If it’s true that “You get what you measure” what would happen if we developed a “balanced scorecard” of success in our society that tracked and reported statistics related to happiness, right alongside all those “hard” measures? This is the question being actively explored by world […]
The happiness factor
(The first of two parts) Remember the old saying in business, “You get what you measure?” There are powerful implications in our society for exploring what is being created by what we are measuring. Spend some time today looking – really looking – at the people around you. What do you observe? Can you see […]