Apple made a great leap forward in communications and mobile computing in 2007 when it launched the iPhone. It couldn’t have done this by sticking to all the things that made it a pioneer in desktop computing. The company tried to launch the Newton handheld computer in 1993. The product failed and this setback stung. […]
About RiShawn Biddle
RiShawn Biddle is an award-winning writer, communications consultant, and education policy advisor. Founder of Dropout Nation, the leading commentary site on education reform, he previously was an editorial writer for the Indianapolis Star, covering education and urban affairs and reported for Forbes. His work has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, National Review, and The Los Angeles Daily News.
Deliver Tough News the Right Way
3 Things to Remember When Things Go Wrong
Former BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward could have immediately and swiftly announced that the explosion of the British oil giant’s rig, Deepwater Horizon, had led to an environmental disaster that dumped 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010. But he didn’t. Over a 10-day period, Hayward would go from […]
Deadline Power
Use Time Pressure to Your Advantage
Legendary jazz composer Duke Ellington once said, “I don’t need time. I need a deadline.” If that was true for Sir Duke, it is also true for you. When you have set deadlines, you are more likely to stay on task, make the most of your time, and achieve success in every facet of your […]
But Will It Sell?
When to Discard Bad Product Ideas
Will this idea that you are considering lead to a product that sells? This is the hardest question you and your colleagues will ask yourselves every day. There isn’t always an easy answer. Certainly you can easily dismiss the most outlandish product concepts, say a restaurant chain selling freshly-prepared pizza that people then take and […]
Stop Being Your Own Worst Critic
The Benefits of Going Positive
Does this one ring a bell? You, reader, are your own worst critic. Your penchant for nitpicking every detail and harshly critiquing your accomplishments makes it difficult for you to make progress or sometimes even get simple work done. If it doesn’t apply to you or someone close to you, then you have a great […]
Fire Drama Queens
And Other Ways to Improve Team Morale
Drama queens (and kings!) are bad for business. They disrupt your workplace by gossiping, backbiting, exaggerating every situation, justifying their bad behavior, and blaming others for their failures. Their behavior and their very presence compromises the teamwork that you and your colleagues need to succeed. Seventy-eight percent of respondents said that they spend 3-to-6 hours […]