Why do you buy a specific product? More often, it’s the personal contact that defines the relationship. You can often blow off a defective product. It’s a thing that can be fixed or replaced. But what about the clueless service rep, the rude sales person, the ‘it’s your fault’ repairman, or the endless phone wait …
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Working for the best companies is like getting into the hardest college, fraternity/sorority, or country club. It isn’t easy. For example, Southwest Airlines, one of the best companies for which to work accepts only 5,000 people out of 150,000 applications each year. What separates those accepted from the also-rans is a sense of humor. What …
You’ve been doing the same things the same way for most of your life and being rewarded for them. Then, there’s a change. It could be a paradigm shift or it may be a milder tap on the shoulder. Whatever the stimulus, the result is a behavioral change. Sometimes, the stimulus is life threatening and …
When there is a gap between an organization’s word and deed, problems can arise such as with the IRS’s new mission statement: ‘provide America’s taxpayers top quality service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and by applying the tax law with integrity and fairness to all.’ This mouthful has caused problems when …
Finding meaning at work is hot! Brand U values do matter. Silicon Graphics gives ‘spirit’ awards to employees who embody the company’s ideals in a poem. Lotus Development Corporation has a ‘soul’ committee to find ways to improve employee morale. Are these serious efforts or are they the latest fad? As more power shifts to …
So, you’ve developed a new e-commerce business model and want to do your own thing, to commercialize your great idea. It may be a killer application, a new process, or an artificial intelligence search engine. Whatever it is, you’ve learned that it’s much easier to start from a clean slate to create a Brand U …
Brand U’s believe in change. They use change to position their ideas, career, projects, or themselves. By definition, each Brand U is a personal change agent. Or sometimes, Brand U’s are tapped to become organizational change agents. The challenge is that change management is a tough organizational assignment. So often, the CEO delegates it to …
If senior management mandates or imposes a phony value system on an organization, people know and feel it. They perceive this as another mandate or fad from above. And management fads come and go. Fads are seldom around long enough to be internalized. There’s little time for the initiative to be evaluated before something else …
Brand U core values are often distilled in myths, symbols, metaphors, and rituals. At first glance, they don’t seem to have much place in a business organization. However, they play a conscious or unconscious role in many organizations. Corporate images and reputations are evolving into core competencies for success. Reputation and image stimulate positive associations …
“We don’t have time for this stuff.” “This too shall pass.” “We have no help.” “This stuff isn’t relevant.” “I’m a short termer.” “They’re not walking the talk!” “This stuff is …” “Don’t bother me with small stuff.” “This stuff isn’t working.” “They’re acting like a cult.” “I’m a temp, so it doesn’t affect …