Posts by Michael Graber
Innovation: Don’t flirt if you don’t mean business
“This has been the most energized, inspired day in my long career here,†proclaimed a Senior Director of R&D of a durable goods company, “but it will be a complete waste of time if the company doesn’t launch any of these products or services.†His comments resounded with prophetic pomp, a sad vocal thunder. Everyone…
Read MoreThe Two Must-Have Keys to Innovation
Hello friends, It’s that time of year again: new year’s resolutions, hot cocoa, and a frantic pressure to put together a plan to somehow be innovative as the calendar starts anew. Let’s pause on the panic and look closer at innovation. It takes two factors to make innovation real at an organization: 1. Concepts 2. Culture…
Read MoreConscious Capitalism: Conversation with Raj Sisodia, Part Four
Raj Sisodia is the Professor of Global Business, Babson College, Co-founder & Co-Chairman, Conscious Capitalism, Inc. Raj has written ten books and over 100 academic articles. Q: How does short-term investment work with Conscious Capitalism? A: It doesn’t. Most speculators are shrewd masters. The biases toward quarterly bottom line stock price gains mean that…
Read MoreInterning at an Innovation and Strategy Firm
The Southern Growth Studio has on-going internships programs with Rhodes College, CBU, the University of Memphis Department of Anthropology, as well as the Temple Israel Fellowship program. This Summer my son, David Graber, also served as an intern. This is his story. This was my first summer wearing a collared shirt. More jarring, this was…
Read MoreConscious Innovation
Readers of this column understand how the role of business itself is morphing. Technology has met customer preference and disrupted many categories. Think of Airbnb, Lyft and Uber, as well as UberEats. Look at the unimaginable growth of Apple and Amazon. Examine, too the function of innovation as a formal discipline and the rise of…
Read MoreThree Phases of Embedding Innovation
Failure is real and should be feared. Ironically, fear of failure is the most potent saboteur. This is a fact proven time and time again in the world of innovation. Many expensive and time-consuming efforts to build innovation capability and capacity inside of organizations fail for a few simple reasons. Either they import a framework…
Read MoreStrategic Planning Rights and Wrongs
Strategic planning is one of those phrases like creativity or innovation. It means something different to each person who hears it based on his or her experiential application of the concept. In the broadest strokes there are three types of strategic planning. One: What strategy? Haven’t had one in too long and we’re doing okay.…
Read MoreDemystifying the Path of B Corp Certification
From the 2018 Conscious Capitalism Annual Conference, the largest gathering of Conscious Capitalists dedicated to elevating humanity through business. Practicum: B Corp 101 Led by Kim Coupounas, B Lab What if your company managed its impact with as much rigor as it manages its financials? Here are the areas of measurement: Governance. Workers.…
Read MoreConscious Business with Brian Schultz
Founder/Owner and CEO of Studio Movie Grill While working as an aid to Senator Arlen Specter Brian Shultz had a vision. Actually, he saw a movie and there he had a vision. The experience at the theater gave him an idea. This particular venue blended a theme restaurant and movie theater. They served “warm beer…
Read MoreConscious Capitalism: Conversation with Raj Sisodia, Part Three
Raj Sisodia is the Professor of Global Business, Babson College, Co-founder & Co-Chairman, Conscious Capitalism, Inc. Raj has written ten books and over 100 academic articles. Can you explain the Mother and Father archetypes in business in a little more depth? Capitalism had a mother and a father and they were both embodied in the…
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