A moment if you will…away from everything else. Sometimes I wonder how I got here. If I had to be honest, I would say that none of it was intentional. And if I had to be fully transparent, there were many throughout my life who believed I wouldn’t amount to much. There was a time when I believed them. I let it define me. The truth is that I still think about it from time to time. Am I supposed…
Humanity and Transparency are Genuine Value Propositions
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to keynote #SMMW18 in San Diego on the “State and Future of Social Media” and how we can (and need to) take back control of technology’s role in our lives. It was the first time speaking on the subject after walking away from it for several years. It was a big talk…first time presenting it. It was also a big audience…several thousand attendees. I was nervous and human and trying to stay centered….
It’s an Ideal World After All; The Importance of an Open Mind
If you and I stood on opposite ends of the number “6” painted on the floor, it’s likely that one of us would see a “6” and the other would see a “9.” As rock legend, and one of my favorite musical idols of all time, Jimi Hendrix once sang, “If 6 were 9.” You could be so sure I see what you see, and I could be certain, you see what I see. It’s all a matter of perspective…
In Pursuit of Relevance
Welcome to irrelevance. Population: most of management by @gapingvoid and @briansolis What does it mean to be relevant today? We live and work in an era of digital Darwinism, where technology and society are evolving away from yesterday’s norms, mindsets, values, and behaviors. Most companies want to be customer and employee centric. Most executives believe that their work matters to employees and customers. But the reality is that customers and employees are changing as times, trends and tastes evolve. They’re…
Uber’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad String Of Events
Uber is en route to a massive IPO. As the company gets closer to its destination, its once 5-star rating is rapidly diminishing. As a result, the company’s president, Jeff Jones, opened the Uber door and jumped out after only six months on the job. The list of recent offenses, not all incidents since its launch, just some of the events over the last several weeks, have been very public and damning. To name a few… Uber CEO Travis Kalanick joined…
Top 11 Trends Shaping the Future of Retail
I took this picture in 2016 at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo, California. This used to be a Sears department store. While Sears is still alive and kicking, it’s sad to see so many once celebrated brands slowly deteriorate and/or then suddenly crumble. I call this the new “Kodak Moment,” that moment when executives fail to see how customers and markets are shifting. All too often, there appears to be a pervasive “too big to fail,” shareholder-first attitude during what amounts to…
What Makes Someone a Thought Leader?
That was the question I was recently asked by my friend Vivienne Neale. I wasn’t sure how to reply. After all, we all have our “thought leaders” whom we follow. Me, I always wanted to be part of a community where doing meaningful things made belonging matter. Honestly, I don’t consider myself a thought leader. I simply shared my ideas and work because I felt alone in my mission to change the future of business. I’ve always believed I couldn’t do…
Connected Customer Experiences Are at the Heart of Digital Transformation
The word “digital” can be misleading. Digital transformation is about how people and their behaviors, expectations, and preferences are changing. Customer experience (CX) is one of the most important trends in business today as it brings companies closer to customers and customers closer to brands. But CX is also so much more. The work toward creating more relevant, meaningful and productive customer experiences also places your company and employees on a path toward business transformation. But this isn’t change for…
The Importance of Artistry in Business and Everything
I am a big fan of Chase Jarvis and I’m also proud to call him a dear friend. As I was preparing for the launch of my next book, I found this gem of a video from 2013. I can’t believe I lost this. In what is either a serendipitous or coincidental discovery, this video was shot as part of the official debut of CreativeLIVE‘s studio in San Francisco at the same time I was introducing What’s the Future of…
Curiosity Didn’t Kill the Cat, It Unleashed a Lion: Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders Today
Guest post by social impact journalist and filmmaker Melissa Jun Rowley (@MelissaRowley), creator of the upcoming series “Magic Makers.” Earlier this week, I was talking with a friend of mine who sold a fashion tech company in the early 2000s — before social media spawned copycat startups left and right, before TechCrunch made rockstars out of hot, young founders, and before corporations were seeking new ways to engage customers as forever faithful, digital brand ambassadors. “There are times when I…
