Berkana Co.

Some years ago, I resigned as General Manager of the Universe. It became obvious to me that people didn't appreciate my efforts to control everything to make everything just right. Everyone would have to handle their stuff the best way they could, and I would take care of my stuff the best way I could.  […]

Every day leadership is a balancing act. You are always trying to keep the appropriate tension between building for the future and serving clients today. Focusing on the future while meeting the demands of the day can be challenging. The opportunity lies in knowing what people want, understanding how much they are willing to pay […]

The prevailing male leadership style of take charge, be decisive and save the day presents a problem for the workplace today. This masculine way of leading represents black or white thinking that leaves a lot of options on the sidelines. Thankfully, this authoritarian leadership style is not as valued as it was at one time. […]

The shared assumptions, values and beliefs in your business, are the culture producing your results. How people in your organization dress, behave and execute their jobs is influenced significantly by this system. It’s everywhere. It permeates everything. It’s an invisible yet powerful force. It’s the corporate personality. The cost of a toxic culture can be […]

Entrepreneurs like to get things done quickly. They do not like to waste time because time is money. It is tempting to take a short cut because it seems faster initially. While a short cut works out occasionally, it most often takes longer and costs more. We think fast is better. I heard an Atlanta developer say “patience […]

Having an inspiring vision and well-crafted goals are no guarantee your business will achieve them. It is often the norm to put a vision and goals on the shelf so you can get back to work. This frustrates people, especially if they have been part of the process to craft the vision and define the […]

Lack of clarity at any level in your organization diminishes the possibility of success. Being unclear about the purpose of your business, for example, no one knows what strategies to pursue. If you do not know where you intend to go, any direction will do. Didn’t the Cheshire cat say this to Alice in Wonderland? […]

Why does a team of smart people produce poor results? It does not make sense when the people you hire cost more than they are worth and it is frustrating. There is a correlation between good business results and engaged employees. Unless employees feel connected to your business purpose as well as to others in […]

Change can be uncomfortable. People resist changing their behavior to meet a challenging situation even when change is beneficial to them. In November 2004 IBM sponsored the "Global Innovation Outlook" conference in New York.  They invited visionary thinkers from all over the world to assemble and propose solutions to some of the world's biggest problems.  […]

Did the current economic conditions catch you flat-footed? Whatever you call the prevailing business conditions-- a recession, a contraction or a downturn, your business is probably feeling the effects. In “Predicting Cycles in Economic Activity,” (April 2008), Jane Haltmaier, Adviser on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, states “Predicting cycles in economic […]