Digital Transformation

The Consumer Electronics Show has evolved so far beyond its consumer electronics roots that it is now just called CES. Over the years, the show has grown into the world’s most important annual technology trade event, featuring close to 4,000 exhibitors and attracting over 170,000 attendees. But times have changed. Due to the pandemic, CES 2021 will be “all-digital.” Which raises the question, does CES still matter? Continue Reading →

Want to spend less time on your computer during the pandemic and beyond? Here are five productivity tools I use every day along with some tips on how to get the most out of them. Continue Reading →

A vice president at a very large company just sent me a purchase order for a "blue disco ball." That's my metaphoric name for a specific kind of middle management error that most vendors, suppliers and even solutions providers love most. What is a "blue disco ball?" It's every senior executive's worst nightmare and every vendor's holiday bonus all rolled into a budget-busting good time. Continue Reading →

If you need a new iPhone and can afford it, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the best iPhone ever made. As every Apple Fanperson knows, iPhones are not phones; they are fashion accessories. As such, iPhone purchases are not business decisions; they are lifestyle choices. Will I get one? Let me explain... No, there is too much. Let me sum up. Continue Reading →

The velocity of data is increasing and will always increase. Therefore, the need for data literacy is increasing and will always increase. All other things being equal, there is a significant difference between being literate and being fluent. To create value for your business you need to think strategically about sources and uses of data and understand how data is turned into action. Let’s review. Continue Reading →

On August 6, 2020, the president of the United States signed two virtually identical executive orders banning the use of both TikTok and WeChat. TikTok will survive due to a partnership deal with Oracle that, at this writing, the president has approved. But, unless a federal judge issues a stay, by the time you read this WeChat will be officially banned. Continue Reading →

The latest information about both the TikTok and WeChat bans. Continue Reading →

Want to be a better strategic thinker? For most businesspeople, the time-tested P&G (Procter & Gamble) Memo is a great place to start. At its core, the format of a classic P&G recommendation memo forces you to sequentially structure your thoughts, which in turn forces you to sequentially structure your communication. The clarity provided by this disciplined approach to thinking is invaluable, and its ability to help scrutinize ideas is unmatched. Here's the variation I use to begin packaging my ideas to sell. Continue Reading →

If we were in a business meeting and someone said something was “future-proof,” I’d reach for my banned words money jar and fine them $20. “Future-proof” is on my banned words list because it conveys the idea that there is a state of being or condition that will automatically adapt to the future. That’s just wrong. When it comes to making a living, the world we live in requires you to continuously, consciously, dynamically adapt. With our new definition in mind, here’s how to think about future-proofing your ability to earn. Continue Reading →

The New York Times did a wonderful set of articles last week titled OOO. The articles cover the spectrum of issues we are all facing working from home (WFH). Some of the writings were based on a survey they took of 1,123 remote workers. And because of the polling methodology, the results were unsurprising, so much so that I decided to do our own poll so we could compare responses. The results of our poll were surprising, to say the least. Continue Reading →