Category: Article

One of the biggest myths in business is that best practices create the best companies. They don’t. Best practices create average companies that all begin to resemble one another. History tells a different story.The organizations that redefine industries rarely begin by asking, “What is everyone else doing?” They ask, “What if everyone else is wrong?” […]

Several years ago, a senior executive told me something I’ll never forget.“I’ve hired brilliant people who failed… and underestimated people who became transformational leaders.” After nearly three decades in executive search, I’ve heard versions of that statement countless times. The résumé looked perfect.The interview went well.The references were outstanding.Yet something didn’t translate into long-term success. […]

In 1997, Apple was weeks away from collapse. The company was losing money. Its product line lacked focus. Many experts believed its best days were behind it. When Steve Jobs returned, he certainly had vision. But one decision often receives far less attention. He simplified. Instead of trying to compete everywhere, Apple concentrated on doing […]

Years ago, businesses competed primarily on assets. Then they competed on information. Today, they increasingly compete on interpretation. That distinction matters. Artificial intelligence is making knowledge widely accessible. Data has become abundant. Expertise can increasingly be augmented. The question is no longer, “Who knows the most?” It’s becoming, “Who thinks differently enough to discover what […]