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Humanocracy

Some companies have the knack of turning in stellar performance decade after decade. To be sure, they may lose their way for a year or two, but somehow they overcome the setback and resume their relentless progress. General Electric is one such company. So is Shell. Understanding what sets these...
Blog by Christian Stadler on March 7, 2011
Often, when I'm invited to speak to boardrooms, I start by gently saying: "Listen up folks. Business is brain-dead. Right now, even as we speak, your business is probably undergoing a slow, barely perceptible, but wholly pernicious brain death." I might take a custom-made, baby-soft $2000 loafer to...
Blog by Umair Haque on March 4, 2011
I’m a big fan of New Yorker cartoons. There’s usually at least one in every issue that provokes a wry smile or a wince of self-recognition. While I’ve never actually participated in the magazine’s weekly caption competition, I occasionally gin up a prospective entry. Last week, the contest featured...
Blog by Gary Hamel on February 9, 2011
"I would not give a fig for the simplicity on this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity." —Oliver Wendell Holmes When it comes to managing their costs most companies operate with a simple model. They start by trying to maximize their gross...
Blog by Raj Sisodia on February 7, 2011
Here’s a thought to chew on while you’re considering your new year’s resolution: if it’s not laughably impossible, hopelessly impractical, preposterously insurmountable—stop. Start over. You’re not doing it right. Let me explain, with a little parable. In 2007, Blackberry-maker RIM was king of the...
Blog by Umair Haque on January 17, 2011
Wouldn't it be great if human beings were born with a "users guide?" Then we would know the best way to lead, motivate and engage our employees.  My hack attempts to deduce what the
Hack by Paul Herr on January 8, 2011
This time of year we tend to subject ourselves to tough review. We zero in on our practices and tendencies and resolve to take up new, positive habits--and, more importantly, to break the bad. It can be a productive exercise if approached with a clear eye and dedicated follow-through. My question:...
Blog by Umair Haque on January 3, 2011
The authorities at Merriam-Webster have declared “austerity” the defining word of 2010 . That may be an appropriate reaction to all that’s transpired this year (and built up over this decade), but the word—and, more to the point, the feeling —that permeates this shabby, hangdog year is loss. Look...
Blog by Polly LaBarre on December 30, 2010
We're at the end of an eight-year period, which was marked in the beginning by the demise of Enron and marked at the end by the demise of Lehman Brothers. During that near decade, the quasi-religious mantra of business was shareholder value: Focus on performance and on performance alone. That's...
Blog by Colin Price on December 14, 2010

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