Tag: leadership

My Secret Life on the McJob: Book Review

May 6, 2013 • Book Reviews • 2 comments

Jerry Newman of University of Buffalo (courtesy of UB Faculty Experts)

Imagine a 57 year old management professor donning the uniform of an undercover fast food worker for 14 months. Opting for this “hardship” research project during his sabbatical, he goes through seven jobs in burger chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s.

Along the way, the professor discovers “powerful truths about what makes businesses great” and provides lessons from behind the counter “guaranteed to supersize any management style”.

Heart, Smarts, Guts, and Luck: Book Review

April 15, 2013 • Book Reviews • no comments

What are entrepreneurs and business builders made of? Who should you bring to your team at different stages of growth, and why?

The answers, according to venture capitalists and business leaders Anthony K. Tjan, Richard J. Harrington and Tsun-Yan Hsieh, are contained their book Heart, Smarts, Guts, and Luck (HSGL). Tackling the human aspect of entrepreneurship, leadership and management, the book surmised that each of us are biased towards one of four traits – namely heart, smarts, guts, or luck – in our decision-making processes.

The Innovator’s Dilemma: Book Review

GrabCar and Uber has disrupted taxis in Singapore and around the world (Courtesy of GrabCar)

Have you wondered how innovations can be “disruptive”? Or why entire industries can be wiped out with new entrants?

Last night, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke about the impact of disruptive innovations during the National Day Rally Speech.

The E-Myth Revisited – Book Review

March 5, 2013 • Business and Management • no comments

Are you a struggling entrepreneur trying to juggle it all, but find it a tremendous challenge?

Well, perhaps it’s time for you to stop, take a step back, critically evaluate where your business is going, and read The E-Myth Revisited.

7 Management Lessons from Shackleton

February 26, 2013 • Business and Management • no comments

Shackleton’s ship Endurance (source of image)

Imagine being stranded on ice for 19 months in the world’s harshest climate, often without light for months on end.

Imagine being cut off from the outside world without any forms of communication. No smartphones, tablets, laptops, telephones or faxes. Heck, not even a telegraph machine or carrier pigeon!

Leadership Lessons from Ah Boys to Men 2

February 20, 2013 • Blog, Business and Management • 1 comment

Following the box office success of Ah Boys to Men, local filmmaker Jack Neo’s Ah Boys to Men 2 has scaled new heights as the top grossing local film of all time. Based on the exploits of Recruit Ken Chow (Joshua Tan) and his platoon mates Wayang King (Maxi Lim), Lobang (Wang Weiliang) and I P Man (Noah Yap), the movie is filled with laugh-a-minute moments infused with patriotic messages about what it means to defend our country.

Enchantment: A Book Review

February 5, 2013 • Book Reviews • no comments

Keen to change the world? Want to transform your “caterpillars” into “butterflies”?

Well, former Apple chief evangelist Guy Kawasaki’s Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions may show you a trick or two.

The Power of Diplomacy

February 3, 2013 • Personal Branding • no comments

Jesus was the ultimate example of diplomacy (courtesy of Jesus Good Father)

Difficult people are the bane of our professional and personal lives. You meet them everywhere.

On the buses. At the neighbourhood coffee shops. In the office. At a family gathering. Heck, even in the peaceful surrounds of a park.

Rework: A Book Review

January 30, 2013 • Book Reviews • 1 comment

“Policies are organisational scar tissue. They are codified overreactions to situations that are unlikely to happen again. They are collective punishment for the misdeeds of an individual”

With excerpts like that, you can be sure that Rework by founders of 37Signals Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson isn’t an ordinary book on entrepreneurship. Divided into 12 short chapters on various aspects of business – from progress to productivity and competitors to culture – Rework is a compelling read.

The Rise of Creative Leaders

January 17, 2013 • Business and Management • 1 comment

John Maeda – creative leader par excellence (courtesy of Wired.com)

In the age of rapidly changing consumer tastes, ubiquitous digital connectivity and ever changing socio-cultural dynamics, the old ways of leadership will no longer work.

To survive and thrive in this tumultuous age, organisations need to be innovative, open, collaborative and flexible.