Innovation

Innovation

If You Are Worried or Anxious, Shift Your Focus

If You Are Worried or Anxious, Shift Your Focusby Chris Banescu –

In times of uncertainty, in times of trials and tribulations, and in times of worldwide crisis—like the current one caused by the coronavius pandemic which spread from communist China—we become worried and fearful. The uncertainty and danger cause us to be anxious and stressed, or more anxious and stressed than normal.

For many of us, prayer, meditation, attending religious services, and fellowship with friends and family can help reduce the worry and anxiety we feel. But what if prayer and meditation are not enough? What if their effects are only temporary? What if, as we experience presently, churches and other houses of worship are closed by government fiat and we’re unable to worship and have fellowship with our brethren? What else can we do? [Read more…]

Esri: Solid Revenues, Conservative and Systematic Growth, No Layoffs, No Downsizing

Esri: Solid Revenues, Conservative and Systematic Growth, No Layoffs, No Downsizingby Chris Banescu –
“We have 9,000 employees worldwide and $912 million n revenue. In our 43 years, we have never missed a quarter. We’ve never had any layoffs; we’ve never had any downsizing. It’s just been very conservative, systematic growth.” ~ Jack Dangermond

A few years ago Inc.com magazine interviewed Jack Dangermond the co-founder of Esri, a global corporation that supplies geographic information system software, web GIS, and geodatabase management applications. Dangermond highlighted the company’s stellar and systematic growth despite its conservative management style and lack of any layoffs in its 43 years of operation. [Read more…]

Classic Shell Rescues Microsoft Windows Dreadful User Interface

Classic Shell Rescues Microsoft Windows Dreadful User Interfaceby Chris Banescu –

Classic Shell, a free desktop-enhancement and customizing software program, has rescued the dreadful new user interfaces in Microsoft Windows 8, 8.1, and 10. Created by a handful of developers, this program does what thousands of Microsoft programmers and clueless executives at a multi-hundred billion dollar corporation failed to do: deliver an intuitive and user-friendly software interface that meets their current customer’s expectations, rather than frustrate and confuse them!

Like tens of millions of other Windows XP users, back in 2014 I had to abandon Microsoft’s most stable and best designed operating system. Microsoft intentionally ended all support and updates for Windows XP on April 8, 2014, forcing its users to needlessly upgrade to the latest version of Windows. Since the bloated Windows 8 requires more system resources, much faster CPUs, and a lot more memory, Microsoft essentially strong-armed its customers into buying newer hardware [Read more…]

Empirical Creativity – An Important Tool for Successful Innovation

Empirical Creativity – An Important Tool for Successful Innovationby Chris Banescu –

In the book Great by Choice, authors Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen set out to discover why some companies thrive in uncertain and chaotic times while others do not. Their extensive research identified what they named “10Xers“, businesses that didn’t just get by or became successful, but “truly thrived” beating other companies in their industry by “at least 10 times.”

Collins and Hansen set out to find enterprises that (1) sustained spectacular results for 15+ years relative to their industries and the market, (2) achieved results in turbulent and uncertain times, and (3) began their rise to greatness while being in a position of vulnerability.

Out of the 20,400 companies they initially began reviewing, they discovered just seven 10Xers (10X businesses) who fit their stringent performance characteristics.

The authors’ found that all 10Xers displayed the following behaviors: fanatic discipline, empirical creativity, and productive paranoia, all animated by “Level 5 ambition.” [Read more…]

Ten Success Principles to Remember

Ten Success Principles to Remember - Believe in Yourselfby Chris Banescu –
Listed below are ten principles of success to always remember. These are ideas many of us already know or have seen elsewhere. We often need to be reminded of important lessons we’ve already discovered but quickly forget.

  1. There is no progress without action. What’s not started today will never be finished tomorrow. Some of the greatest ideas never made it. Why? Because the genius behind the idea failed to take action. So take action now and begin to move in the right direction. Once you get started every step afterwards gets easier and easier. Eventually, what had once been invisible, starts to become visible, and what once felt unattainable, starts to become a reality.
  2. You must believe you can. It all starts with a dream. Add confidence, and it becomes a belief. Add commitment, and it becomes a goal in sight. Add action, and it becomes a part of your life. Add determination and time, and your dream gradually becomes a reality. [Read more…]

Why Most Ideas are Worthless

Most Ideas are Worthless By focusing less on your next “big idea” and more on the actual execution, you’ll have a better chance of building a successful new business.

by Karl Stark and Bill Stewart –
Maybe it’s the Facebook craze, or the warped view of entrepreneurialism that Hollywood and mainstream media have created. For ages, young and hopeful entrepreneurs have embraced the fallacy that great ideas are the root of entrepreneurial success and instant wealth. People say, “If only I would have thought of that, I’d be rich!”

Those of us who have built businesses know that success is rarely about the breakthrough idea. Clearly, a good idea is important, but it’s just not the source of limitless riches. Real entrepreneurial success most often comes from hard work, risk-taking, and developing a product or solution that creates real value for customers. [Read more…]

The Secret to Mastering Patience

Patience Mastering Patience by John Baldoni –
Having trouble mastering patience?

Well, to combat that, you could try standing in the longest line at the supermarket. Or, when driving on the freeway, get behind someone observing the speed limit—and stay there. Or, if someone yells at you because you are not paying attention, turn and give him or her a big compliment.

The above suggestions were made by callers to an episode of NPR’s Talk of the Nation that featured author Allan Lokos speaking about his new book, Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living. Allan’s book is filled with many practical suggestions for how you can master patience.

Patience is a matter of control. I certainly do not possess it, but I do admire those who do.  And as someone who likes to be in control, as do most executives with whom I work, control may open the window to developing greater levels of patience. [Read more…]