Dear Moyo, Anjola and Reni,

It’s 10:15pm Central Time, Tuesday November four, 2008 and history has been made. Barack Obama has just been declared the first African American President of the United States.  Frankly, I never thought this day would come.  They say more people voted in this election than any other in U.S. history.  Today was an affirmation that America values ideas over fear.  And tonight marks the emergence of the Obama Generation. Read more »

I am convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that the results of the 2008 presidential election will be determined by the level of participation of the I.P.O.D. Generation. The candidate of their choice will have a significant opportunity of becoming our next president. Here is why. The I.P.O.D.ers are a growing yet significant population that is Internet savvy, Phone-addicted, Opportunistic and Digitally conscious. They arrived after the awareness revolution between 1982 and 2000 and were the spark that ignited all those “Baby on Board” signs that were hanging in the rear windows of cars across the country in the late 1980s and early 1990’s. Read more »

This is indeed the hurricane season; over the past weeks the world has watched a huge financial storm drive the grandest financial vessels in the U.S. fleet on the rocks. In response, the government has in effect nationalized Fannie and Freddie and AIG. We watched Lehman Brothers sink. A terrified Merrill Lynch ran into the arms of Bank of America. The storm battered mighty Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs; and Wachovia, with Citigroup for a couple of days, is now with Wells Fargo. The U.S. Congress hastily put together a $700 billion care package, but no one really knows if it’s a Band-Aid or a real cure. One thing is certain: This storm is far from over. What we have seen in recent days points to a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel. We are not certain what is coming, but based on recent developments, we are due some good news.

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I think it’s time we embraced a new gold standard.  My recommendation is not to revert to the gold standard of the 1970s.  The one I’m referring to is highlighted by author Joseph A. Michelli in his latest book “The New Gold Standard.” 

The New Gold Standard chronicles the success of one of the world’s best-known hospitality name brands, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., and why what the iconic luxury hotel does every day to be the best can be embraced by any business seeking the same gold standard for which the Ritz is known.

The New Gold Standard is a behind-the-scenes look at the “Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.” This reference to the Ritz-Carlton motto, penned years ago and still used today, drives home the unique connection between the workers at the Ritz and the ­clients they attend to every day.

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iPod, Red Bull, Google. Just the mention of these seemingly overnight sensations make most marketers shake their heads and mutter “why didn’t I think of that?” The truth is, according to authors Craig Stull, Phil Myers and David Meerman Scott, they could have. Coming up with the world’s next best MP3 player, energy drink or search engine doesn’t need to be a monumental task. You only need to be “Tuned In”.

“Tuned In” written by this trio of marketers, promises to “uncover the extraordinary opportunities that lead to business breakthroughs.” By following the authors’ six-step approach to identifying exactly what buyers really want, we can then produce products and offer services that resonate with consumers. It’s these resonators that separate the successful from the strike outs.

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There is no magic pill we can take, book we can read, or seminar we can attend that will instantly transform us into the greatest business leaders of all time. But according to Robert Rosen, chairman and CEO of Healthy Companies International, we all have something inside that once harnessed, will make the difference between success and significance. It makes our palms sweat, our heads ache and our hearts pound. It’s anxiety. And according to Rosen’s new book, “Just Enough Anxiety,” it’s the hidden driver of success. You just have to know how to steer it.

Rosen calls anxiety an energy that propels us forward. And, if it is controlled in ourselves and for those who work with us, it is the most important quality a leader can possess. Having just enough anxiety prepares you for change and the challenges that it brings. Change is what business is about. It keeps companies going and businesses viable. Good leaders, says Rosen, understand this. Even though change might make them feel uneasy, they know that anxiety can be directed into productive and creative energy. Great leadership, Rosen believes, is all about mastering the “human side of business.” Those leaders who rise to the top of their fields are the ones who know the level of anxiety their organization can handle and can still be able to mobilize human energy to get the job done.

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Author Peter Senge isn’t staging a rebellion but this management expert says he knows one when he sees it.  In his latest book, “The Necessary Revolution”, the author who gave us “The Fifth Discipline” says the time is now for companies to lead by recognizing the world in which they operate.  Senge isn’t talking about market niches here.  His view is broader with the premise that healthy environment, social and economic systems are core components to long term business success and sustainability. After this revolution, surplus power from one business will be used to heat another and a “green” product will be a company’s smartest buy.  According to Senge, businesses can no longer expect to compete in the future without taking into account the big issues that come between now and then.

Senge’s “The Necessary Revolution” is about the end of the Industrial Age bubble and the challenges we all face in energy and transportation, food and water, material waste and toxicity.  Like the Industrial Age, the Necessary Revolution will not be planned.  It will evolve as more businesses endorse new ways to manage and lead that create value for today as well as tomorrow.

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Chris Matthews makes his living dissecting issues and grilling politicians.  But before becoming a pundit on “Hardball” and “The Chris Matthews Show”, Matthews made his mark on Capitol Hill as a legislative-assistant, a speech writer for President Jimmy Carter and a right hand man to the legendary Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill.  His backroom insight sparked Matthews to pen “Life’s A Campaign”, a great common sense read for anyone interested in politics and anyone who needs a refresher course on how to succeed in the most difficult arena - life.

Matthews uses his straight style combined with years of experience and vivid memories to drive home lessons we can embrace. According to Matthews, his book outlines what politics has taught him about friendship, rivalry, reputation and success.  What he’s learned about the power of passion, the need to network and the drive to succeed is information any working adult should embrace.

First you have to want to make it whether it is in politics or business.  Matthews fills his book with stories of triumph but reminds us that most successful leaders have more than talent lifting them to the heights of their profession.  Never-ending ambition sets them apart from competitors, rivals and opposing opinions.  Matthews contends that  “ambition won’t guarantee victory but few triumph without it.”  One of the greatest lessons in life is that we learn more from our failures than we do from our success.

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Anyone who has tried to break a bad habit knows how hard it can be. Every New Year’s Day millions resolve to lose weight, quit smoking or get better organized. And every January 2nd, those making the resolutions are resolved to try it again another day.

In his latest book “Strategy and the Fat Smoker” author David Maister equates business achievement with the struggle a smoker has when trying to quit the habit. Many try but not all will succeed. With business, as it is with smoking, Maister surmises some essential questions of strategy are not being asked and answered despite a plethora of practical wisdom that is well disseminated, publicized and understood. Smokers who want to quit know that doing so will benefit their health and their wallets. Executives know a well designed business approach will add to their bottom line. There are a million good reasons for doing both. But, turning reason into reality means thinking differently about strategy. Without answering some tough questions, the smoker lights up again or the business fails because of the pursuit of the same old failed strategy in hopes of a better result.

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