“You don’t have a network. We all exist inside of one network—7.4 billion people strong and counting. The game is not about collecting connections, the game is about figuring out your network to figure out how you can provide value for them and draw that value out.” For many people, the word “networking” sends chills down their spines. Luckily, David Burkus’ Friend of a Friend is not a networking advice book—instead, it examines the complexity of the networks that already […]

“If you try to keep brand and culture separate, there’s a big gulf that emerges, and that gulf can be problematic.” For many years, we have discussed brand and culture as two separate things. Brand represents the reputation and perception of an organization, while culture refers to the way that people experience working at an organization. However, in our increasingly digital, and therefore transparent world, the alignment between brand and culture is becoming a competitive advantage. We were delighted to […]

“You can’t write a symphony when you’re drowning.” Change is perhaps the only constant we can count on. Whether you call it “disruption” or prefer, as author Carolyn Swora does, to use the more positive word, “evolution,” it’s no secret that we live in a world that demands adaptability. And yet, most organizations are structured based on outdated hierarchies, rigid decision making processes, and an industrial-era emphasis on process and productivity. We were delighted to host Carolyn Swora on the […]

“Knowledge upon which you cannot take action is barely worth having at all.” Full disclosure: here at Actionable, we are huge fans of Roger Martin’s work. Not only has he been named the #1 management thinker by Thinkers50, but his work has helped to frame many of our internal project and strategy discussions. We are delighted to host Roger for a conversation about his latest book, Creating Great Choices: A Leader’s Guide to Integrative Thinking. Roger shared his thoughts on […]

Phil Jones noticed that in large groups of people, particularly in commercial scenarios, with all things being equal (skill, capabilities, resources), some people are just way more successful. He realized that the key differentiator was that top performers knew exactly what to say, how to say it, and how to make it count. These “magic words” of influence are the basis of his new book, Exactly What to Say