“All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face-to-face with another problem.”

          Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

  1929-1968

GRADUALLY, THEN SUDDENLY (OR HOW WE REALLY FAIL)

In Ernest Hemmingway’s novel “The Sun Also Rises”, two men have the following interchange regarding the financial calamity that has befallen one of them:

“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked.

“Two ways….” Mike said. “Gradually, then suddenly.”

Marketing guru Seth Godin points out that this is how businesses falter as well. Spend one minute absorbing his thoughts on how our companies really fail.

PRAISE, PROPERLY UNDERSTOOD

Which of the two following statements reflects the proper way to praise a someone?

 1.    “Wow, you did a great job!

2.    “Wow, you’re great!”

You’ll find the answer in a New Yorker article summarizing research that suggests that a subtle change in how we praise can have a significant impact on subsequent performance. In an age where every kid gets a trophy and every employee wants feedback, this two page overview on the art of praising properly  is required reading for parents and managers.

TECH PREDICTIONS FOR 2014

Most people are more comfortable making predictions about the weather than what will happen in the technology world over the coming year. Technology watcher Robert X. Cringely has no such reluctance and recently published his Ten Technology Predictions for 2014 on his blog….plus his thoughts on  The End of the PC As We Knew It.  

DANIEL PINK”S FAVORITE TED TALKS

Daniel Pink has become one of the world’s most influential writers on motivation (“Drive”) and  sales (“To Sell is Human”). Ever wonder what influences your favorite authors? The TED site started asking their speakers which TED talks they would recommend. What would Daniel Pink suggest? Click here for his favorite TED Talks!   FYI,  Pink’s TED Talk on Motivation is worth an investment of 19 minutes in itself).

ECON RECON

Ho Ho Hum:  Retail sales results for the recent holiday season are in and they are not exciting. Vistage Staff Economist Alan Beaulieu says December Retail Sales were Ho Ho Hum and shares what this portends for the 2014 economy.

Another Bubble:  Mainstream economists are warning of another housing bubble. Are they right? Brian Wesbury shares some hard data about the recovery of this sector and provides his answers to the question of is there another bubble coming?