One of my early mentors inspired me to restart after each painful management lesson by paraphrasing the following excerpt from Teddy Roosevelt’s 1915 speech at the Sorbonne, "if one fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that one’s place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Thomas Edison is reported to have once said, “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” Personally, I would rather my staff ask for forgiveness than permission, and I actively promote this decision-making model throughout the organization. Very few decisions should be made with the flip of a coin. As long as a logical methodology is used for the decision, I want the team to collectively make as many decisions as possible and at the lowest level of the o

Most companies, must grow or the competition will leave them behind. In order to grow faster they must also make changes in their processes. The key to effectively managing change is to create a culture that is willing to embrace change as the new norm.

We visited a cooperative run by five local women called Conservas Santa Rosa. This company was founded in 1998 with support from the government, which sought to exploit natural resources such as wild fruit produced without fertilizers.

Interim Executives deliver real results, in real time, very quickly. An Interim is unique in the depth and breadth of experience they bring to bear. This allows an Interim to see hidden value in existing products/processes/systems, implement actionable strategies, and gain true alignment necessary to optimize the business.

Interim Executives are becoming a popular alternative to using a consultant or leaving a position vacant while a search for the right person is conducted. An Interim Executive also brings a fresh, unbiased review of the factors driving operational results. The Interim Executive does not waste time or company resources trying to secure a full time job, but is driven by the opportunity to make changes which lead to a sustainable value increase for all the stakeholders of the bu

Once the executive staff has agreed on the Vision and Mission, it is beneficial to develop a short list of values to be embraced by all members of the staff. These value statements will guide the team and provide checks and balances on the development of a healthy corporate culture.