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Fear and the Sloth
Each year the International College of Businessry and Managering holds a contest to see who can condense the combined wisdom of former GE CEO Jack Welch, turn-around magician “Chainsaw” Al Dunlap, and business scion Carly Fiorino. This year’s winning essay combined the heart and soul of true leadership and motivation into a light-hearted homily. Once…
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The Unbreakable Truth: Iron Does Indeed Sharpen Iron
In a world teeming with sharp opinions and pointed metaphors, there is one adage that stands as unyielding as a freshly forged blade: “Iron sharpens iron.” Buckle up, dear readers, as we embark on a journey, cutting down to the undeniable truth that this proverb, both literal and metaphorical, is no mere clanging of words—it’s…
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Does Iron Sharpen Iron?
While attending a cocktail reception hosted by a local business incubator I overheard the founder of a startup repeat the saying “Iron Sharpens Iron”. This was the third time that week I was presented with the that old trope. Following the theory that once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, but three times is…
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From SLOMO to FOGHO: Unleashing the Power of Enthusiasm
In the dynamic realm of business, the attitudes and approaches of individuals play a crucial role in determining success. Introducing FOGHO, an acronym derived from “Full On, Gung – HO,” which symbolizes an infectious level of enthusiasm and unwavering dedication to the mission. On the flip side, we have SLOMOs, the employees who seem to…
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Inflation or WINflation?!
Economic inflation is running at the highest level in over a generation, but should this concern you as a manager? YES, most definitely. Ignore inflation and you might be ignoring the greatest motivational tool of a lifetime. A typical definition of inflation is when too much money is chasing too few goods causing prices to…
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Agony or Ecstasy?
If you are of a certain age you might remember the opening sequence of ABC’s Wide World of Sports. Specifically the image of Slovenian ski jumper Vinko Bogataj crashing in spectacular fashion to a voiceover saying “The agony of defeat”. Watching that video most people tend to focus on the horrific limb-shattering, life-altering, skull-crushing, concussion-inducing,…
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How to Master Public Speaking
For most of us, the art and skill of public speaking are difficult to master. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld famously said “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing…
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The Squirrel and the Drainpipe (an allegory)
Recently our grounds staff was performing routine maintenance at the ICBM Institute Mountain Campus Buildings (ICBMIMCB )in preparation for our yearly International Leading Conference. One of the tasks included repairing a downspout (drainpipe) that had become detached from a rain gutter. It was a simple enough repair for our experienced crews; get a ladder, find…
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The Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back
Deconstructing American sayings is admittedly one of my favorite past times. Our Americanized English offers some very colorful sayings which give our dialect a lot of historically referenced character. Often, the more interesting American sayings can also have deep roots in prehistoric Americana. Today’s saying is one that goes back more than 5,000 years. Here…
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Shhh! I am trying to Quiet-Quit Over here
Contrary to what you might expect, here at ICBM, we are actually fans of Quiet-Quitting. This relatively new phenomenon is causing quite a stir in the corporate world. Once the dust settles, it will become evident that Quiet-Quitting is the inevitable response to several passive-aggressive practices which have been in use by managers for years.…