Pam Harper & Scott Harper’s News & Views

Why broadening your view of the world matters more than ever

This morning, when we were at our neighborhood sports club, we happened to notice that many of the monitors on the exercise equipment were tuned to different news channels. Some were on Fox; some were on CNN; some were on MSNBC, and some were on CNBC. Located no more than two feet apart, the rows of monitors displayed very different headlines that told different stories about the world from different points of view.

Now if you’re like us, you’ve grown accustomed to relying on particular media for news. What’s worth considering, however, is whether habitually relying only upon a narrow sample of channels could be limiting all of our views of the world. How could gaining an understanding of the same situation in new ways actually contribute to game-changing success? Our sports club offered clues…. Read More

The best way to distinguish between helpful and harmful assumptions

We were recently asked, “When is it most helpful for leaders to make assumptions?” Here’s our answer.

We believe there are definitely times when assumptions can be very helpful. The key is to recognize when you’re making assumptions and to distinguish between those that can benefit you and those that can harm you.

It’s true that you can’t afford to take the time to question everything. In fact, research shows that our tendency to make assumptions is hard-wired into our brains and helps us function in the world. Consider the following scenarios: Read More

One More Way To Become The Employer Of Choice

In a tight labor market, every advantage counts. One of those advantages is a CEO’s credibility and trustworthiness. However, comparing the Edelman Trust Barometer surveys of 2017 and 2018 makes it clear that trust is a moving target. Continuously nurturing trust of top leadership is one of the best ways to attract and retain top talent.

In good news, the results of the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer show that CEO credibility has risen from 37% in 2017 to 44% in 2018 – a 7% increase. Why? Read More

Looking for ways to become more productive and less busy?

A holiday break can be the perfect time to catch up on reading. A book we highly recommend is Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and NY Times investigative reporter.

In a world that’s changing more rapidly than ever, all of us need to be even more mindful about the choices we make in every aspect of our life. Through rich story-telling and cutting edge science, Duhigg shows how the way we think about the world is critical to becoming more productive and less busy.

Listen to to the conversation we had with Charles Duhigg on Growth Igniters® Radio: How to Be More Productive And Less Busy [Episode 108]. Be sure to scroll down the episode page for links to the book and other related episodes.

The Key to Finding New Opportunities in the Face of Ambiguity

We were on our way to a meeting when an unusual sign caught our eyes (see photo). If you were the driver of a bus, would you turn left or drive straight ahead? Or would you respond in some other way?

This is a great message for every leader about the need to think flexibly when the signs aren’t clear.

The fact is, no matter where you are located and whether or not you believe the economy is going well, the signs are… ambiguous. We all need to deal with uncertainty from changing global agreements, tariffs, trade wars, and more.

At the same time, we need to take into account how these issues may differently impact our markets, customers, employees, strategic partners, vendors, and other stakeholders. Under these circumstances, what does it take to make smarter decisions and be ready to take detours into uncharted territory? Read More

Pam Harper & Scott Harper’s News & Views

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