- Treat everyone fairly, regardless of gender, race, age, or position.
- Ideas are the most valuable thing any business can generate.
- A good idea is a good idea, regardless of who suggests it.
- One should always give credit to those who deserve it.
- In life, as in business, money comes as a result of living one’s values in an authentic way.
- Most (if not all) brands can compete on things other than price, features, and benefits–and in doing so, stand out from the pack.
- Storytelling is the ultimate way to engage, educate, inspire, and endear.
- Strategic messaging and positioning are central to every business initiative across branding, marketing, communications, sales, people strategy, and executive leadership… and should be consistent across all of these.
- The best ideas come from beyond the box; outside perspectives should be welcomed.
- The most effective business strategies align with a larger purpose. They give consumers, partners, and employees something bigger than a specific product, service, or project to believe in… and that purpose motivates.
- The most profound experiences are realized when technology and creativity join forces.
- Empathy is an incredibly valuable skill. The ability to inhabit another’s perspective allows one to provide true value, to motivate, and to build relationships. When customers and employees feel listened to, understood, and respected, they engage on a deeper level.
- One must learn from mistakes, modify, and keep pushing; this builds resilience.
- Being full of ideas is not the same as being able to forge the right idea, at the right time, for the right budget, and for the right audience.
- Processes should be constantly refined. Assumptions should be questioned. Just because something has always been done in a certain way doesn’t make it the right way to proceed.
- Quantity without quality adds up to a whole lot of junk.
- Experience is not about skills; everyone picks up skills by solving unique problems over time. Experience is about how you see the chess game… it’s about having many frames of reference to inform your instincts when you are taking a risk. Experience, in this way, is the real game changer.
- Lastly, a favorite of mine from Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception:
“What is the most resilient parasite?
A bacteria?
A virus?
An intestinal worm? …
An idea. Resilient, highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain, it’s almost impossible to eradicate.”
How true!