When I saw a poster for Groupon in a Shanghai subway this summer, my first reaction was, “What a perfect match!” I love buying Groupons on my iPhone and I thought that the cost-conscious, cellphone-toting Chinese public would too.
And they do. But Groupon has proven that it’s not ready for them. Read more
BY FC Expert Blogger Michelle Randall
I was walking across my university campus 20 years ago when it hit me. My bulky Walkman was piping my favorite tunes through muff-like headphones when I noticed just how many other students were also plugged into their own music. We were ensconced in our own customized micro-environments with no need to interact with any sounds we hadn’t selected for ourselves, or even with each other. Read more
It took a few months for Bill to learn to rely on his own opinions more than the opinions of others. Doing so required developing trust in himself, the ability to listen to feedback, both good and bad, with healthy skepticism, and an exterior that was less pervious to the slings and arrows of executive life. Read More
When Daimler and Chrysler merged in 1998, the combined company was expected to become the largest car manufacturer in the world. What was supposed to be a marriage of equals, instead became a cautionary tale for international acquisitions.
While a number of factors derailed the alliance, there’s a general belief that the cultural differences between the two companies – one German, the other American; one a high-end brand, the other perceived as blue collar – played a huge role in working relationships that grew increasingly toxic.
As a counter example, the merger between Renault and Nissan is a text book case of two companies whose merger surpassed all expectations.
Read more
Have you ever had a political conversation where you felt like the person you’re talking with was living on a different planet? Read more
By FC Expert Blogger Michelle Randall:
Not having broadcast TV, my husband and I just discovered The Tudors.
Beyond the fun of religion, sex, and beheadings; at its heart, the series is a fascinating depiction of how a young Henry VIII transforms into an infamous tyrant, to whom no one who dares speak the truth or else find themselves on the chopping block–quite literally.
There is only one exception, Henry’s Fool, Will Sommers, who speaks the truth that no one else dares, with equal parts searing wit and jaw-dropping directness. He could do this because absolute monarchs grated relative immunity only to their court jesters. Thinking about my own role as an executive coach, I realized that I am indeed a Fool. Read more
by Michelle Randall
Imagine a basketball team, split over passionate differences in strategy, refusing to work together, even taunting each other during a big game. This team would be stealing the ball from its own players who would be blocking shots made by their own teammates, fouling and pushing each other out-of-bounds. In short, it would be a game of perplexing alliances or, even worse, a game of one-on-one-on-one-on-one. Would a team like this have a chance of winning a game? Most likely not. In fact in a game with fractured teams scoring on their own teammates, how would you even determine the winner? Would fans (if there were any) buy tickets? Would they show up for the game? With this as a political reality would voters actually show up at the polls? Read more
by Michelle Randall, CPCC
“We believe in co-active relationships, partnerships and community, knowing that our impact will be much greater than if we acted alone.”
Imagine that Co-Active principles replaced partisanship in government. “We operate from a foundation of respect and trust that each individual has inherent value to add. We listen with deep curiosity and intent to discover and build on each other’s ideas and intentions.”
What would be different in our legislatures? Read more