The Corner Office

Make the Holidays Work for You

Steve Tobak — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:40:37 +0000

It happens every year: Thanksgiving, holiday parties, Christmas - 6 weeks and nothing gets done. If you're resigned to lost productivity during the holidays, may as well hand market share to your competitor. The holidays are actually the best time to initiate or plan new programs. Here are five:

The Boss From Hell

Steve Tobak — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:15:33 +0000

Early in my career I had a boss from hell. Sure, I've had lots of dysfunctional bosses - I was one myself. But this guy was different. I'm talking serious lunatic stuff here. Still, tragedy and comedy often go hand in hand, and this story is no exception. Can you top it?

The 5-Step Career Turnaround

Steve Tobak — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:47:58 +0000

Everybody hits snags in their career. You think you're on the right path, something changes, and suddenly your plan is drailed. Unfortunately, accomplished professionals often lack objectivity when reinventing themselves. The solution is to think of career change like a business turnaround.

How to Balance the Federal Budget

Steve Tobak — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:33:48 +0000

In 1998, tax income from the unprecedented bull market run of the 90s resulted in the first balanced budget in 30 years. While I don't advocate bubble and bust-fueled economic cycles, economic expansion - big and small business growth - is indeed the only way to end the federal deficit.

The Sad State of CEO Replacement: Scapegoating and Savior Chasing

Jeffrey Pfeffer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:15:09 +0000

On November 9, the CEO of the Innovation Group, a $200 million U.K. insurance software company, was unexpectedly fired by his board, who also announced they’d retained an executive search firm to find his outside successor. The company had consistently increased sales, cash, its average deal size, and its reputation in the marketplace even during [...]

The 10 Rules of Great Groups

Steve Tobak — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:51:52 +0000

Leadership is often seen as an inherently individual phenomenon, when in reality, "groups" are more likely to achieve greatness. There's an exceptional book called "Organizing Genius: The Secrets of Creative Collaboration" that chronicles the conditions by which Great Groups occur.

Feeling Overwhelmed by Social Media? You're Not Alone

Steve Tobak — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:40:11 +0000

As a full-time executive, my work life was completely consumed working 60 hour weeks and traveling. These days, the lure of social media and comm. gadgets loom like an ever-growing mountain of unmet expectations. I wonder how anyone can have time for it all and be productive.

It's a Jungle Out There

Steve Tobak — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:05:28 +0000

It's a jungle out there - a crazy, random, stressful, risky environment for an executive in corporate America. I much prefer my safe little controlled cocoon where I get to call the shots, the only metric is revenue, and I have no boss and only one peer. Still, I paid my dues in the jungle.

Want to Move Up? Learn to Manage Like a CEO

Steve Tobak — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:06:51 +0000

If you really want to learn how to move up in the business world, you've got few sources of expert information. And when you're done with all the MBA BS, the business self-help books, and God help us - the life coaches - ask somebody who's done it in the real world. Why look anywhere else?

Why Subway's $5 Footlong Dominates Fast-Food Market

Steve Tobak — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:37:11 +0000

Subway's $5 foot-long promotion - the idea of a small-time franchise owner - generated $3.8 billion in sales last year and made Subway #2 in fast-food, behind McDonald's. So, is the $5 footlong just a flash-in-the-pan, a fast-food prime number, or price elasticity that works in all markets?