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| October 20, 2010 |
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- The fall and rise of Chris Albrecht
Chris Albrecht was a legendary HBO executive -- until he drunkenly attacked his girlfriend outside a Vegas casino and was forced out of the corner office and into a 12-step program. Albrecht -- now CEO of premium cable channel Starz -- admits he went through a rough patch, but he says that he's landed on his feet and is making the most of his new position. "There's no growth without conflict," he explains. "Everybody in life makes mistakes." GQ
(11/2010)
    
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- How to turn public speaking into a strategic advantage
Top CEOs tend to be good at public speaking -- so why aren't more companies making the most of their talent? Smart marketing departments should carefully monitor public-speaking opportunities at pertinent conferences and other events, and they should seize every opportunity to position their company's executives as thought leaders. "Having your company prominently represented at an event provides a promotional vehicle that can translate into increased sales, potential partnership opportunities and greater media exposure," writes Rachel Meranus. "All that's needed to succeed is a little planning, a touch of creativity and a hint of charisma." The Business Insider
(10/19)
| Innovation and Creativity |  |
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- Problem-oriented thinking often misses the point
If you focus exclusively on problem-solving you're bound to miss opportunities to improve and innovate, writes Edward de Bono. Problem-oriented thinking stops when a satisfactory solution is found, but it's often possible to go further and find options that are more than merely satisfactory. "There are often more answers than just one," de Bono writes. "So we need to develop the habit of continuing to think about the matter even when we have an adequate answer." Management-Issues (U.K.)
(10/19)
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What percentage of your time is spent in recurring update meetings/staff
meetings every month?
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0% to 25% |
68.53%
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25% to 50% |
22.04%
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50% to 75% |
7.17%
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Greater than 75% |
2.26%
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Productivity killer: Nearly a third of you are spending an inordinate amount of time in recurring meetings. While some of those meetings are definitely required, I'm safe to assume many aren't, but no one knows how to stop the madness. Here's a suggestion -- estimate all the salaries of the people in the room. Calculate the hourly cost of everyone being in that meeting. If the value of the meeting is less than the cost of the meeting, kill it. Ask if there are more efficient ways to disseminate the information (e-mails, shorter update meetings, etc.) and redefine the purpose for getting together. Unless you can articulate a clear business outcome associated with the get-together, it's likely a waste of time. Do everyone a favor and go kill a meeting today. --Mike Figliuolo, managing director of ThoughtLeaders
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What is the most common reason you've seen projects fail?
 | Poorly defined scope and objectives |
| Lack of proper resources |
| Poor project execution |
| Office politics |
- "Mr. Moustache" brings French touch to oil business
Christophe de Margerie, a genial gent known to his workers as "Mr. Moustache," doesn't look like an oil baron -- but as CEO of French energy giant Total, he's playing an important role in shaping the direction of the global energy sector. In an industry dominated by U.S. and U.K. companies, De Margerie brings a distinctively French outlook to the table, preferring ambiguity and moral relativism to the black-and-white certainties that characterize much of the debate over climate change and fossil fuels. Telegraph (London)
(10/17)
- The weird habits of highly successful bosses
Many top executives have quirky habits that help them unlock their creativity, assert their individuality or simply blow off steam, writes Steve Tobak. Among them: Bill Gates, who was known for rocking back and forth during meetings; a Texas tech CEO who took workers out shooting on their lunch break; and another senior executive who relaxed on flights by solving differential equations. BNET/The Corner Office blog
(10/19)
 | Leaders can get into trouble by subconsciously thinking it they have no limits on their power, even though they'd never say such a thing out loud."
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Recent SmartBrief on Leadership Issues:
- Tuesday, October 19, 2010
- Monday, October 18, 2010
- Friday, October 15, 2010
- Thursday, October 14, 2010
- Wednesday, October 13, 2010
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Contributing Editor: Ben Whitford
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