Auld Lang Syne
By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
As a business person this is absolutely my favorite time of the year. It’s the bittersweet time where one year draws to an end as a new year looms eminent. I’ve come to see something entrepreneurially sacred about time spent reflecting upon lessons learned, while also experiencing the great anticipation of implementing next year’s strategic plan. This is the time of year where an honest evaluation positions you for success, or where intellectually dishonest rationalizations and justifications can simply carry failures forward into the new year. My challenge to you as we move into 2010 is to make sure that you’ve been brutally honest about your performance in 2009. It is critical that you don’t carry mistakes forward, that you don’t extend failed initiatives which should have died long ago, and that you don’t allow your pride and ego to impede right thinking and right decisioning. Knowingly turning a blind eye toward rational thinking and reality is a fools gambit that will cost you dearly. I urge you not to participate in the folly of self-delusion. I encourage you to be sincere in your analysis and make the most of your opportunities in 2010. Happy New Year!
It’s clearly a tough call to sort through the myriad of leadership blogs and distill them down to a list of the “Top 10 Leadership Blogs of 2009.” While I’m sure there are those that will disagree with my choices, I spend a great deal of time keeping up with all things leadership, and have developed a list of personal favorites over time. They may not reflect the most politically correct thinkers, but they do in my opinion offer some of the best thinking on leadership you’ll find anywhere on the Blogosphere. If you’re interested in leadership, I would highly recommend you give my list of the Top 10 Leadership Blogs of 2009 a try:
As one year ends and another begins, I can think of no better time to ponder the difference between success and significance. Success vs. Significance…some would say that any discussion along this topic line is nothing more than a semantical debate. However, it is my opinion that those who hold this view truly don’t understand the difference between the two, and are simply attempting to blur lines in order to feel better about themselves. In today’s post I’ll attempt to clearly lay out the differences between success and significance, and where your sites should be set…
Bonus or no bonus? That is the question. This is the time of year where expectations are high, and so is the volume of chatter around the water cooler in anticipation of that great corporate tradition…The Christmas Bonus. So what’s it going to be this year…a turkey, an extra paid day off, a cash bonus, something creative or nothing at all? Complicating matters further for CEOs attempting to determine what to do about bonuses is all the recent media attention and public outrage in regard to what is perceived by many to be excessive, frivolos compensation. In today’s post I’ll take a look at the well intentioned but often misguided practice of year-end bonuses…
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Chris Brogan. Chris is the President of 
Batting cleanup in this week’s all-star lineup of guest bloggers is one of the most accomplished storytellers I know; Scott McKain. Not only is Scott brilliant in his ability to entertain you with wonderfully constructed word pictures, but he does so in a truly thought provoking fashion that leaves you both inspired and informed. Scott is the author of three #1 business bestsellers, including his latest: “Collapse of Distinction; Stand Out & Move Up While Your Competition Fails” — as well as “ALL Business is Show Business” and “What Customers REALLY Want.” Scott also has the distinction of being selected for membership in the legendary Speakers Roundtable and the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame, and he has appeared on platforms in all 50 states and 13 countries. I highly recommend 
Today’s guest post is written “for leaders only” by Steve Keating, a leader who definitely walks the talk. I have been following Steve on Twitter 
No, I didn’t just get better looking…I have a torrid travel schedule over the next few weeks and have enlisted a few friends to pinch hit with guest posts in my absence. First up is Wally Bock, the gentleman pictured to the left, who while being my senior looks 1o years younger. I really hate that, but I digress… For those of you not familiar with Wally, you’re in for a real treat. Wally is a seasoned pro well known for his keen insights on leadership and management. The hidden bonus is that Wally is also one of the best writers I know. Wally is the author of several books and 