Best-Practices Leadership

In constraints, a burst of genius

July 14, 2021
The Spark and Fire podcast recently devoted an episode to choreographer Bill T. Jones and Associate Artistic Director Janet Wong. Their dance company was able to stage one of the only large-scale performances held during the pandemic.

Does your company care about the environment? Your customers do

June 9, 2021
It’s not just your product’s quality that compels consumers to purchase it. An increasing number of people today care about how your items are being manufactured, and whether the company is harming the environment in the process.

Next time, accentuate the negative

June 9, 2021
Negative brainstorming, or reverse brainstorming, is just what it sounds like. Beginning on a negative note may sound a bit iffy, but this actually may be the direction our minds more naturally go.

How to tease opinions out of staff

May 26, 2021
Here’s how to tap employee opinions on a variety of subjects.

Spark creativity in your organization

May 12, 2021
You need all your employees thinking creatively, looking for innovative opportunities, and seeking new solutions to recurring problems. Everyone has the capacity to be creative—your job is to bring it out. Here are some tactics for inspiring your team’s imagination.

Eliminate waste in every form

May 12, 2021
Pro athletes know that just being good, even excellent, isn’t enough. To stay on top, they have to keep getting better. As a leader, you’ve got to do the same. One approach is to continually eliminate waste of all kinds. Train your employees to watch out for these main sources of waste in any organization.

Take the anxiety out of innovation

April 14, 2021
Take the anxiety out of innovation by launching new ideas as tests or pilot projects, not full-blown initiatives.

Why leaders need to think like entrepreneurs

March 10, 2021
The future belongs to those who can think like an entrepreneur. After all, entrepreneurs are resilient and resourceful, creative and critical thinkers who can identify and solve problems, mobilize resources, and make things happen when the path is not clear. Simply put, they possess the attitudes and skills the world now demands.

Take these 5 steps to opportunity

December 9, 2020
To help your group identify opportunities for innovations, improvements, or solutions to problems, try a five-step question sequence suggested by training consultant Mark Tager.

Keep that startup feeling alive

December 9, 2020
Nothing beats the excitement of a startup, but maintaining the momentum over the long haul can be difficult. Here are some tips for keeping the startup atmosphere alive in your workplace.