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- Leadership versus logorrhea
As CEO of industrial-equipment manufacturer Barry-Wehmiller, Bob Chapman has emphasized the American "crisis of leadership" and gives speeches touting his own, more caring and people-focused approach to leadership. That's ultimately just "saccharine prattle," writes Michael Hiltzik, as evidenced by Chapman's willingness to abruptly lay off workers and shutter a plant in Southern California to take advantage of tax breaks in Ohio. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model)
(12/26)      
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- McDonald's takes strategic tips from Ebenezer Scrooge
This year, McDonald's sought to boost sales by asking franchisees to stay open Christmas Day -- a Scrooge-worthy strategy that suggests the fast-food operator is running out of ideas, writes Adam Hartung. Real innovators find new ways to do business, rather than trying to wring profit out of an existing business model, Hartung explains. "Constantly focusing on efficiency, and beating on franchisees and employees to stay open longer, is a downward spiral," he warns. InnovationExcellence.com
(12/24)
- How hotels change brands
Hotels typically operate as franchises rather than being owned by major hotel chains -- and the most recent data show an increase in properties switching flags as franchise deals expire. Switching lets hoteliers trade up or down to meet shifting travel patterns, but also requires significant rebranding. Some rebranded hotels are undergoing yearlong renovation campaigns, including switching shampoo brands, swapping out potted plants and changing the scent of their lobbies. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(12/24)
| Innovation and Creativity |
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- Use random words to unlock your creative superpowers
A word plucked at random from a dictionary or newspaper is all you need to get your creative juices flowing, writes Chuck Frey. By forcing yourself to find connections between that word and the problem you're contemplating, he argues, you'll force your brain out of its rut and into unusual and innovative new lines of thought. InnovationManagement.se (Sweden)
(12/26)
- Eating Cinnabon in Tripoli
 Cinnabon opened its first Libyan franchise this year and is expanding throughout the Middle East, says President Kat Cole. The region is hungry for Cinnabon because consumers there have a very sweet tooth, Cole explains. "If I showed you a picture of how they eat their cinnamon rolls, you would get a cavity just looking at it. They cover it in caramel and chocolate," she says. The Wall Street Journal
(12/25)
| Engage. Innovate. Discuss. |
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- Schadenfreude, anyone?
Some of the world's top business leaders saw their net worth plummet in 2012, writes Simon Goodley. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg lost about $5 billion as his company's shares went south, while Mexican mogul Carlos Slim lost $1.7 billion as a number of key investments were hit by Europe's economic malaise. "The poor lamb is now only worth north of [$70 billion]," Goodley writes. The Guardian (London)
(12/25)
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 | No company can hope to succeed by simply doing more of the same forever."
--Adam Hartung, a faculty member of the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, writing at Innovation Excellence
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Recent SmartBrief on Leadership Issues:
- Monday, December 24, 2012
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- Thursday, December 20, 2012
- Wednesday, December 19, 2012
- Tuesday, December 18, 2012
| | | Lead Editor: James daSilva
Contributing Editor: Ben Whitford
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