I love Crazy Cartoons! For decades, companies have used college degrees as a shortcut for determining whether someone is qualified. Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree preferred. But here's the problem: a four-year degree doesn't automatically make someone more qualified to lead a team, sell a product, build a business, manage an operation, market to a customer/consumer, or understand a customer. In many cases, requiring a degree may actually eliminate some of the bes

Marketing teams, leaders, and the Board of Directors all love metrics. Dashboards are filled with colorful charts, trend lines, percentages, and engagement numbers. Weekly meetings often center on reporting these figures, and executives are bombarded with data points intended to show progress. The problem? Many organizations spend more time measuring activity than measuring business impact. While marketing metrics are important, they only have value when they help us understa

Every successful company has goals. Great companies, however, have strategic initiatives. A strategic initiative is a focused, measurable effort designed to move an organization toward a long-term objective. Unlike day-to-day tasks or routine operational activities, strategic initiatives are intended to create meaningful change, improve performance, solve major business challenges, or capitalize on opportunities. They serve as the bridge between a company's vision and the act