sheermbd

By the time an organization says, “We need a new/updated strategic plan,” the environment has often already changed. Technology, funding, customer expectations, staffing, and competition don’t wait for your planning cycle.

As we wrap up another year of creative ingenuity, the marketing landscape continues to evolve, producing campaigns that captivated audiences and redefined brand-consumer relationships.

This past Spring, as part of my Entrepreneurship class, I invited several guest speakers (mostly small business owners) to share their experiences, wit, and wisdom with my students. In all, we had eight incredible speakers across 16 exciting weeks. One morning in particular, our guest asked the class, "How many of you have worked in foodservice to make a little money?" Not a single hand went up. Zero. Zip. No one. Of my thirty-three students, none of them had ever worked in a restaurant or convenience store establishment. We had to pause in that moment to explore why - and what the consequences of that reality might be. Unexpectedly enlightening, it may have been one of the most telling moments I have experienced in two years as a university professor.

Between teaching classes and consulting for clients, its nice to take a moment every now and then and take a deep(ish) dive into the world that informs and sometimes motivates our own behavior. If nothing else, the end of a calendar year gives us all the opportunity to look back and reflect on that which moved us to act, react, or simply marvel at how much things have changed - or stayed the same - in the year that was. Read on and please comment or share this inaugural issue, and I will aim to publish one each quarter in 2023.

How are the differing needs of these distinct cohorts manifesting in the workplace? What kinds of challenges does this present for today’s workers and employers? And how does one of the most iconic movies of the 80s teach us how to grapple with these questions?

How did we get here? Where are we going? The past 21 months have been a blur for so many people.

This article is dedicated to the memory of Canadian prog-rock band Rush's dearly departed Neil Peart - the greatest rock drummer and lyricist of my (and arguably any) time.

A close friend recently shared with me his thoughts regarding our LinkedIn activity. He believed that what we post and share here may ultimately serve as the best portal into who we are/were as professionals for decades to come.

In a few days, the latest installment of the top grossing movie franchise in history will make its debut. Star Wars has delighted millions across generations since it first bowed 40 years ago in 1977.

My predilection for linking 80's pop culture to business strategy and leadership is well established. And so, with the recent release of Blade Runner 2049