Josh Linkner's Blog, page 17
October 22, 2018
Metrics That That Matter
With our national focus on productivity and financial gain, we carefully measure Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and other metrics related to our economic outputs. Yet as our economy remains strong, our nation suffers greatly in other categories.
Suicide rates have skyrocketed in recent years, while the opioid crisis has torn apart families and communities. Venom spews from politicians on both sides of the aisle, with our citizens more divided than ever. Divorce rates are up. Life expectancy is...
October 14, 2018
We’ve Been Banksy’d
The demure art world felt shockwaves over the last week as the dramatic news broke. The mysterious street artist known as Banksy made history when his painted work self-destructed minutes after being purchased for $1.4 million at a Sotheby’s auction. Immediately following the thud of the closing gavel, the audience stood in bewilderment as the painting appeared to sink through its frame into shreds of canvas.
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March 13, 2016
The 7 Sins of Mediocrity
Since ancient times, we’ve been fascinated with the seven deadly sins that lead people astray. Gluttony, greed, and lust (among others) have certainly been the downfall of many. But lurking in the shadows lie traps just as sinister. While less overtly treacherous, these sins befall most of us at various times in our lives. They may not bring us to the ground, but they lead us to the dark place of mediocrity. Instead of succumbing, we can rise above to the rarified air of champions. Let’s keep...
March 6, 2016
21 Creativity Quotes
This week, I decided to share the wisdom of others. Here are 21 hand-picked quotes on creativity:
1. “Children are happy because they don’t have a file in their minds called ‘All the Things That Could Go Wrong.’”
Marianne Williamson
2. “If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.”
General Erick Shinseki
3. “Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction.”
Picasso
4. “Out there is an entrepreneur who’s forging a bullet with your company’s name on it. You’...
February 28, 2016
Overpromise
We’ve heard it a hundred times. “Under-promise, and over-deliver.” It’s one of those truisms that appears indisputable, right up with “the customer is always right” and “the early bird gets the worm.” But as one who enjoys balking traditional approaches, I respectfully disagree.
To me, this false wisdom encourages mediocrity. It grants permission to make small, flaccid commitments and then gleefully celebrate delivering them. The very nature of the argument suggests holding back on achievemen...
February 21, 2016
Fighting Fires
The blaring shrill from the station bell startles the team into action. Within minutes, the crew is speeding down the road, racing to challenge a raging blaze to a fistfight. Adrenaline pumps through the veins of both veteran and newly minted firefighters as they summon the courage to strut face-first into danger. The stakes couldn’t be higher. This is no drill, no warm up, no dry run. Within minutes, the team will be staring into the abyss of uncertainty. Lives hang in the balance as split s...
February 14, 2016
Can Innovation Save 1.3 Million Lives Each Year?
Rightfully so, the global community reacts in outrage when terrorists take the lives of innocent citizens. Millions walk in solidarity to stomp out breast cancer, while entire communities take to the streets in protest over deadly violence. But we seem to just accept the 1.3 million deaths – and 50 million injuries – related to auto accidents. In fact, car crashes claim more lives each year than war, malaria, terrorism, murder, breast cancer, suicide, or illegal drugs.
We attack these other g...
February 7, 2016
Mind The Gap
If you’ve ever travelled to London, the iconic phrase, “Mind the gap,” has been forever burned into your memory. The automated warning is heard thousands of times each day at every stop of the subway system. The London Underground, affectionately known as “the Tube”, is the oldest rapid transit system in the world. In 1968, over 100 years after the system opened, a recorded voice was installed to warn travellers to watch out for the space between the platform and train, instructing people to...
January 31, 2016
How Going Big Can Actually Reduce Risk
In our professional lives, we often find ourselves launching something new.It could be a new product, service, ad campaign, recipe, geographic expansion, process overhaul, sales contest or even an internal cultural shift.No matter what you’re launching, you have a choice to make: Dip your toe in the water slowly, or go big.
Instinctively, the bashful approach feels less risky. Embrace a little change and see how it goes, right? We’ve been taught the need to “walk before you run” so we’re prac...
January 24, 2016
What do Ford and Amazon Have In Common (And What Can You Learn From Them)?
While both are giants in their respective industries, Ford and Amazon are very different on the surface. One was the bellwether of the industrial era, while the other helped ring in the digital age over 90 years later. The automaker conjures up scenes of three-piece suits, while the tech firm evokes images of jeans and T-shirts. Midwest conservative versus West Coast progressive. Building things compared to selling other peoples’ stuff.
Yet surprisingly, these two distant companies are more...
