CEO Insider

"We have always considered Patagonia an experiment in doing business in unconventional ways." These are the words of Yvon Chouinard – the founder of multi-billion-dollar outdoor apparel company Patagonia. He has often done things differently and even said, "I never wanted to be a businessman." Recently, you might have read...

In my last article, Ode to the Misquoted and Misattributed, I started by using an often-misquoted axiom from Aristotle, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts," to bridge how the best leaders and teammates create synergy in their teams. The longer I reflected on how great teams...

As a professional recruiter, I interview 100's of job seekers, and the pursuit of well-being and balance is top of their list. Everyone wants it. Fair enough. I too, quest for that elusive perfect balance… as I write on a Sunday at 5 am. But it is my balance and...

Chile’s recent rejection of a new constitution highlights that democracies do not want to be micromanaged. Chile’s proposed constitution included 388 articles outlined in 170 pages enshrining a series of prescriptive rules as the law of the land. Luckily, the people of Chile soundly voted it down. Passage would have...

In the global digital 24/7 marketplace of today, reputation is all powerful yet as fragile as a flower. And with Harvard Business Review citing 70-80 percent of a firm’s market value coming from intangible assets such as brand equity, intellectual capital, and goodwill, it’s vitally important for all CEOs to...

Meaningful employee recognition is a necessary component of a successful workplace. It is necessary to celebrate employee wins as it helps to build momentum by encouraging your team to engage in positive behavior, and it also shows that you value their contributions, even if you can't see results immediately. If...

No business can succeed without a strategic plan. Yet, based on my fifty years of experience leading companies like Reebok and HBO Video, I’ve come to realize that often the biggest hurdle to creating a plan is figuring out exactly what business you’re in. Below is my step-by-step formula for...

Many people think of part-time work as a zero-sum game. They know there are benefits for the individuals who work part-time, including better life balance and improved well-being. But they assume it’s only a downside and inconvenience for organizations. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Part-time work,...

From Gordon Gecko in 'Wall Street' to Miranda Priestly in 'The Devil Wears Prada', a bad boss story makes a good movie. However, when you are working for one, it's not so much fun. A horrible boss can make your working day feel like hell and impact your effectiveness and...

How many of us have heard the advice that we need to “get out of our comfort zone” in order to be successful?    My survey of hundreds of entrepreneurs asked whether they felt it was important to get out of their comfort zone to be successful. The overwhelming majority agreed....