Who is the Hero In Your Story?
Great leaders and businesses have a story to tell. The best understand who the hero should be.
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Many men have lost their place in the bigger story. We bought into one narrative that has not worked out and are now struggling to find a new one as the world rapidly shifts underneath us. Some are looking for a hero, and some are seeking to become one again. We […]
The Bold Will Master the 3 Aspects of Value for Growth
The Numbers Are Not Pretty
“I’ve never been much of a fighter, apologies for what you’re about to see” ~ Ser Davos, Game of Thrones
What is the normal price of oil?
When looking at this chart, it is evident that, just like the weather, there is no normal. We can talk about […]
Attempting to Control Disasters in a Random World
We can’t anticipate or control everything, but we can prepare our businesses and lives for dealing with crisis with a little less stress.
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This past Saturday (in April 2016), a neighbor was cutting their long grass with a lawn tractor. It has been a dry winter and spring here, and the parched grass caught fire under the mower. The young man sat on the tractor trying to swat the growing flames out […]
The Future is Coming and There Is No Going Back to the Past
The past is gone. It is only an illusion that we can get it back. Good men must make the future great instead.
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Have you ever had one of those experiences with other people where the moment was spontaneous, fun, and memorable? Then you try to make it happen the next year again, but it doesn’t seem to be quite as good? There is only one first time. The older you get, the more you are likely to want to hold onto the […]
How Having Momentum Behind Money and Ego Can Suck Out Your Life
Sometimes you can take a path in your business that isn’t right for you. Your choices matter.
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I know more than a few men who’ve started what they thought was the perfect business for themselves. Once momentum kicks in it can get hard to change direction. The biggest trap ends up being the one we make in our heads.
One example is the expert industry. There are variations, but the formula is pretty straight forward. You start […]
Finding Balance On The Road To Competitive Advantage
Businesses must walk a fine balance between innovation and standardization.
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I don’t usually mention this, but I initially studied to be an engineer before circumstances sent me off on a different path. Maybe that training causes me to notice things or maybe seeing patterns is just a part of me.
Quite a few years ago, I observed something about Calgary road designs. It seems like every major intersection project was an […]
Need More Money? Take a Close Look at How You’re Creating Value
When times are tough it is tempting to play a safe game. You might want to reconsider that strategy to win in business.
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In tough times, it is tempting to tighten the belt and keep doing what you do.
Our natural inclination is to reduce the bigger risk by taking fewer risks at all; to seemingly play it safe. If you are the sole breadwinner it feels like every business mistake is taking food out of your family’s mouth.
So we get paralyzed with […]
The Secret to Great Leadership is Letting Others Win
Being competitive can be good or it can be dysfunctional. Effective entrepreneurs learn the difference.
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Most entrepreneurs are competitive by nature. Being a competitive man isn’t a bad thing.
Sometimes, we watch some men take competition to the extreme. Every interaction is a death match to prove they are winners, and everyone else is a loser. I watched a documentary about well-known billionaire developer who always had to win, even against other accomplished businessmen. In making […]
Be Careful What You Ask For On the Internet
You probably wouldn’t let the Internet name your baby. So what could go wrong in naming your $289 million polar research vessel?
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What happens when you are building an expensive new polar research vessel, and you want to generate some visibility for the project? Why of course, you hold a public naming contest on the Internet.
This is exactly what the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) did.
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The new ship, […]
Your Relationship with Time and Money Is Hurting You
Your ability to invest and leverage resources determines your success in business. How do you measure up?
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The Internet has taught us we can be experts in anything we choose. So we try to be experts in everything. Or worse, we learn just enough to fool ourselves into thinking we are experts because we don’t have the time or passion for achieving mastery.
I see this a lot with small business owners.
For example, they figure out how to build their website and do online marketing because […]