Innovation

Nov 21, 2011

Innovation Insight: If I Wanted to Be a Lawyer, I Would’ve Gone to Law School

One of a series by Ken Tencer, Spyder Works CEO

Once every quarter, I receive a beautiful invitation from my company’s law firm to attend a seminar to learn some important new fact about changes in the law. I never go.

Once every quarter, I receive a beautiful invitation from my accounting firm to learn something new about sales, marketing or motivation. I almost never miss it.

I applaud both firms’ efforts to engage their clients, but in this world of information overload, it’s more important than ever to engage in meaningful conversation with your customers. Service providers add value by enhancing the customer’s skill-set, not by telling them how they’ve improved their own.

Innovation isn’t about what interests you; it’s about what fascinates your customers.

By Ken Tencer Blog, business, business strategy, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurial Thinking, entrepreneurship, Innovation, strategy, The 90% Rule No comments Tags: business, business strategy, Entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, Innovation, Ken Tencer, strategy, The 90 percent rule, The 90% Rule

Nov 16, 2011

Innovation Insight: “Smooth, uninterrupted airflow with no unpleasant buffeting”

One of a series by Ken Tencer, Spyder Works CEO

With Dyson’s new bladeless fans, generation of kids will be denied the chance to stick pencils through the screen of the household fan to see what happens when they touch the spinning blades. Otherwise, you have to love U.K.-based Dyson, because its innovations are so obvious, yet so breakthrough: safe, bladeless fans that move air without the rumbling and rattling, using technology patterned after jet engines; dual-cyclonic vacuums that suck up more dirt, more efficiently; and airport hand driers that really work.

By Ken Tencer Blog, business, business strategy, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurial Thinking, entrepreneurship, Innovation, Spyder Works, strategy, The 90% Rule No comments Tags: business, business strategy, Entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, Innovation, Ken Tencer, Profit, social media, strategy, The 90 percent rule, The 90% Rule

Nov 9, 2011

The 5 Types Of Employees That Are Destroying Your Business

Elaine Pofeldt, originally published on The American Express Open Forum Blog on October 31, 2011

Some people are easy to avoid hiring because they give glaring hints that they’re unprofessional by doing things like treating your receptionist rudely or showing up an hour late to the interview.

But many experienced entrepreneurs find that there are other folks, who, while polished, can eventually undermine a company culture. Some of these folks provide subtle signs that many bosses miss during the interview process. Others may essentially be good employees, but react poorly to changing circumstances at a company.

Here are five types of employees that can undermine your company—and what you can do to stop them.

More

By Ken Tencer Blog, business strategy, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurial Thinking, entrepreneurship, Innovation, marketing, optimzing innovation, The 90% Rule No comments