Josh Linkner's Blog, page 10

In Case of Emergency, Break Glass

As each day of economic free fall continues, many of us are struggling to figure out what to do next. Whole industries such as professional sports, corporate conventions, and vacation travel have been frozen in time with no full thaw in sight.

There are certainly some of us that need to embrace the most dramatic solution to break the glass in case of emergency. Lawmakers refer to it as the nuclear option when they make a legislative change that cant be undone and could come back to haunt...

How a Llama Could Conquer COVID-19

As frustration continues and economic fallout mounts, were all getting stir crazy. When will our normal lives resume? How will our economy recover? What will be the long-term fallout of coronavirus? How soon can we expect a vaccine?

World leaders and scientists scramble to answer these questions while billions of people wait, lives on hold. Nearly every laboratory on the planet is working around the clock to invent a treatment or vaccine, racing to demonstrate even the slightest...

Redefine These 8 Words to Reimagine Your Future

Too often, the words we use tell a hidden an incorrect story. Certain words are loaded with preconceptions that may inhibit our ability to win, grow, and thrive. Nine such words have long bothered me, having witnessed their ability to block potential and dampen enthusiasm.

Lets look at these eight trigger words, and explore how a redefinition of each can be liberating:

Incremental. In business settings, this word is scoffed at. Its the Diet Coke of breakthrough, some puny change that falls...

The Ultimate Customer Experience

With glimpses of hope that our economy will reopen in the coming months, its time to start thinking about our businesses in a post-pandemic landscape. How will the world change? How will your industry be different? How will you adapt to the new circumstances?

The sheer volume of unknowns can feel overwhelming, making it difficult to even know where to begin planning your next move. With so much in flux, an ideal starting point is your customer. Ideally, the customer is at the center of any...

How One Musician Used a Quarantine to Become a Legend

When first hitting the scene, the now legendary Charlie Yardbird Parker was described as mediocre at best. His music seemed undisciplined, out of control, and fraught with mistakes. Like most musicians, Parker practiced regularly but was struggling to achieve major improvements in his playing.

How, then, did Charlie Parker become the master that we celebrate today? The change happened during a 10-month period, when Parker essentially dropped out of the scene and worked deeply on his craft. He...

How to Avoid Negative Thoughts During a Crisis

Stuck in COVID-19 isolation, its easy to veer into the deep end of negative thoughts. Many of us are dealing with profound, real-world challenges such as job loss, health crises, and protecting our children. The reality of the situation is difficult enough, but when we allow widespread fear and negativity to enter the picture, the emotional toll can be crippling.

Psychiatrist and author Dr. Daniel G. Amen describes this natural gravitational pull as ANTs, or automatic negative thoughts....

How Innovation is Becoming the Cure for COVID-19

These days, I often wake up thinking it was all a dream. But by the first scan of the mornings headlines, I realize were still in the zombie horror movie known as coronavirus. Just like in most low-budget cult flicks, an unlikely hero is emerging who will conquer the threat and safe the day. Her name: human creativity.

As politicians pick fights and scrabble over turf, creative minds around the world are getting down to business. Their north star question: how can we defeat the virus with our...

Can Quarantines be Productive? What to do During a Crisis.

Just before every flight departs, the safety announcement offers a specific instruction: In the event of an emergency, please secure your own oxygen mask before helping others.

Weve heard it so many times that we tend to tune it out, but this advice can be helpful to us all during the COVID-19 crisis. We must first take care of ourselves if we want to optimize the way we care for others. We simply cant be effective helping those around us if were sick, gasping for air, and in a panic.

As the...

A 3-Step Formula to Perfectly Communicate Your Value to Customers

As business leaders, we’re often faced with the challenge of explaining what we do.It could be in a casual setting like a dinner party, or a more formal sales presentation to that big new potential account. The problem is, most of us get it all wrong.

We tend to explain what we do in the context of our product or service.We tell people we manufacture industrial drill presses, or sell variable life insurance, or perform massage therapy. While factually accurate, there is a far better way to...

Don’t Be Afraid to Get a Little Crazy

We’re often told to follow the rules, do what we’re told, and for goodness sake, don’t make waves. But in today’s hyper-competitive economy, isn’t that a surefire path to mediocrity?

Look at those that we celebrate – from Thomas Edison to Elon Musk; from Sheryl Sandberg to Tony Robbins. The ones that make history have one thing in common: they’re not afraid to get a little crazy.

The breakaway musical success of Billie Eilish is a recent example. Her style and singing are instantly...