Doing Both

You're probably aware that Oprah Winfrey signs off this week as the host of TV's top-rated daytime talk show. As her show wraps, it's worth taking a moment to consider what made Oprah so successful and how it applies leaders like you.

What do Mitt Romney, Big Oil and Nintendo have in common? Each is trying to sell a story that few seem willing to buy.

Here's a question sure to stump your dinner guests and water-cooler colleagues: when was the first ATM put into use? Hint: John F. Kennedy was in the White House.

If you haven't achieved the success you thought you would by now, blame failure -- or, rather, the lack of it. The surprising truth about success is this: it often is the byproduct of repeated failures.

Contrary to promises, SEO technology will not provide you a sustainable, competitive advantage. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Borders failed to develop a new business model while trying to perfect its traditional one. Doing both helped Barnes & Noble hold its ground against Amazon.com, WalMart and others.

Think about the last time your organization faced a crisis: did it anticipate it before hand? Was it slow to implement change? Did your leaders vow afterward to react differently next time?

When you sit to watch the game this weekend, enjoy the spectacle of the cheesehead, but remember this: the guy with the "D" and the fence may not be as entertaining, but he know how to win.

Tired of shoveling where you work? Maybe Punxsutawney Phil will lift your mood. But if frustrations linger after spring comes, then it may be time to reassess your career.

Some business leaders simply can't handle a gamble like investing in China. To them, the ambiguities add too much stress or create too many distractions. Yet others thrive in this situation. How?

It's a burden to satisfy customers and please partners simultaneously. But it is one that Southwest gladly shoulders. The reason? The relationships that Southwest maintains help it deliver more love to customers.

Here's a sobering thought for the new year: most business strategies are woefully incomplete. But with the new year just beginning, it's not too late to put your own business strategy to the test.

First it took phosphates out of detergents, now Proctor & Gamble is taking money out of soap operas.

There's a movement under way in India that has led to some dancing in the streets. No, I am not talking about some up-and-coming political revolution...

Major medical breakthroughs like the proton beam accelerator are helping to save lives. But are they better than other, less-expensive forms of technology that are more widely available?

Despite the global economic downturn and ongoing issues related to currency fluctuation, Heinz has stayed healthy and strong. One of the most important reasons why is the company's ongoing efforts to pursue reinvention and optimization simultaneously.

it's time to rethink Black Friday, which even retailers no longer view as the official beginning of the holiday shopping season.

To survive its bankruptcy, Blockbuster must move quickly and optimize its workforce and store count. It also needs to reduce its debt. Most importantly, Blockbuster must also reinvent how Americans consume media.

When you think Walgreens, you probably think of Omega vitamins or Crest Whitestrips sold in convenient retail settings--many open 24 hours a day. But...

"Misfits and castoffs." That's what some are calling San Francisco's surprise World Series contenders, the Giants. After defeating the Philadelphia P...

No time to shop for tonight's dinner? It's not a problem if you live in the Mid-Atlantic or Southeastern part of the United States. Now you can order...