Entrepreneurs get started in business with a great idea and the energy to bring it to reality. Then they grow the business based on hard work. Hopefully that hard work translates into a growing team of exceptional team players around them. But at some point the outcomes of raw desire and entrepreneurial energy start to […]
Author Archive: Tim Empringham, MBA
I Am Canadian – Canadian Values
Today, as my neighbours to the south celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day to celebrate the life of one of the greatest spokesmen for Civil Rights we have ever seen, I have found myself bombarded with messages in the news and in social feeds that scare me as a Canadian. This is a unique MLK […]
ROI Comes From Customer Value Creation
I read a post the other day looking at the ROI (Return On Investment) in immediate payment systems (banking speak for instant payments) and one particular statement made by the author made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. In fact, the real driver may not be the ROI but just keeping […]
Fail Forward
I was reading today about a number of the biggest product failures of all time (kind of a fun read actually). One of the things that jumped out at me was the number of companies that are known for being really innovative that made the list of failures. Normally if you were to put together […]
Curiosity Killed the Cat (But Satisfaction Brought It Back)
I was doing my morning reading today and I came across a few posts and thoughts the value of opposing ideas, disagreement, and controversy and it reminded me of the value of curiosity when we are going about our daily lives. Increasingly we see leaders just “speaking louder”, believing that by talking louder they will convince […]
How Did You Do In 2016?
As we wrap up another year and start to think about our real plans and goals in 2017 I have been doing a lot of reading of year end “best of” lists, looking forward “trendspotting” lists, and a few “remember our goals last year” lists and the last category made me really think… mainly because […]
Flawless Execution In Innovation
I’ve had many bosses who spoke about the need for “flawless execution” in our organization. They spoke of delivering with excellence, achieving plan, and a relentless pursuit of productivity in our work. Then they spoke about how innovative we were going to be. How we were going to try new things, adapt and increase our […]
Empathy Mapping – A Versatile Tool for your Toolbox
One of my favourite tools, when I’m working on innovation, strategic planning, marketing, or even just preparing for an important meeting where a key decision is needed, is Empathy Mapping. Empathy Mapping is a way to discover new insights into people, customer segments, or personas you have developed for your new product or marketing campaign. […]
Addressing Your Leadership Blind Spots (Yes You Have Them)
We would all like to think that we are completely aware as leaders of what is happening around us and completely self-aware of how we are contributing to it but here is a harsh reality: You probably are missing a lot… you have blind spots. No matter how much time we invest in personal development, […]
Life Begins at the End of your Comfort Zone
Your comfort zone is the behavioural space where your patterns and routines minimize your stress and risk with a situation. It provides you with mental security and provides you with the obvious benefits of basic happiness, reduced anxiety, and lower stress. It is also one of the most important challenges to your success and enjoyment […]