Elevating one’s work to the next plateau is a struggle for those with aspirations of doing great work. The roadmap towards doing great work is driven by three ingredients: focus, courage, and resilience.
Starting with the need to focus, when you think about it the number one barrier to great work is our own inability to [...]

We are programmed for safety and survival and are drawn to repetition.
Opting for the known and comfortable has kept us close to the fire and the wolves at bay. Today we follow our daily routes to and from work. We buy favourite brands uniformly designed for availability, recognition and consumption.
Then, following the commute, we just [...]

Here is a great story in AdWeek that provides an example of why strategic communications and issues management expertise should inform Social Media initiatives.
A designer can craft a great look and a developer can build a highly functional and optimized site, but the communications strategy and potential ramifications behind the process of engaging  real people – [...]

It is interesting how frequently the concept of being creative is thought of as an abstract moment in time. As if this process is a tap that can be turned on and off at will by the legions of creative-types whose sole responsibility is to daydream the next big idea.
The act of generating creative [...]

As you enter the day, keep in mind that culture and results are like water.  Water always flows downward, dripping from the head onto the rest of the body.  If you expect results then you must set the tone.
Here are ten thoughts to ponder for every aspiring leader.

Value your time first, show that you treat time [...]

Brad wrote about email overload a couple of posts ago, and I went looking for an easy solution to an endemic problem. (Hugh McLeod: “I do the work for free. I get paid to deal with all the emails.”)
A friend sent me to emailga.me, currently only available for Gmail.  It turns your inbox into a [...]

Technology has super-charged our communications through a multitude of channels but it has also resulted in a worrying deterioration in the very purpose of human interaction and productivity.
We demand instant responses from each other with a definite focus, volume, and velocity.  If one doesn’t respond to the next email, text or instant message with a [...]

At Starshot, we have long held the idea that creative is not a department in our business.  We are also on a quest to vanquish unnecessary bureaucracy with a particular focus on the time killing consequences of corporate meeting culture.
So where does the brainstorm fit between this?
Brainstorms can be highly valuable or an utter waste of [...]