We live in the Information Age. For the first time in recorded history, vast numbers of people have access to more information than they can absorb or apply. There was a time in history when knowing a little about many subjects was something to be admired. Today, it seems, those people who get ahead know a lot about a very narrow field of thought or endeavor.

People succeed based on performing well within a very narrow niche; however, all niches are not created equal. If you attend a Major League baseball game, you might simultaneously be enjoying the professional pursuits of the world’s best hotdog vendor and the world’s best pitcher. Both of these individuals may be recognized as the best within their professions, but the pitcher will receive applause, fame, recognition, and hundreds of times more compensation than the hotdog vendor.

We must pick our own niche and not be judged by someone else’s standard. Read More→

In 1968, a scientist for the multi-national conglomerate 3M Company named Dr. Spencer Silver, created a reusable and pressure sensitive adhesive. He actually had been working on developing a super-strong adhesive, but inadvertently created the “low-tack” formula in the process.

For several years, Silver tried to pitch his accidental discovery within 3M, but failed to demonstrate any real applications for the new adhesive. Then, in 1974, a 3M colleague had the idea to use Silver’s adhesive to anchor a bookmark in his choir hymnal. A few years of development later, Post-It Notes were born. Read More→

What do some of the most innovative business leaders know about company culture? Quite a bit actually. Check out this short video for some key insight into the driving force behind many of the world’s most successful companies.

How does your company culture help drive your success? Let us know in the comments section below. Read More→

What is at the root of any workplace issue? According to author, speaker, and personal performance expert, Marlene Chism, it’s a pattern; or “the mindset, attitudes, and beliefs that contribute to the expression of the problem at hand.”

Check out this article on Chism’s Stop Workplace Drama blog for some insight into the “patterns” that exist among peers in the workplace and how they can affect overall teamwork.

It’s Not My Job: Attitudes that Inhibit Teamwork and Effectiveness

Do “patterns” exist in your workplace? How do you address them? Let us know in the comments section below. Read More→