Link: http://www.trendwatching.com/briefing/

Trendwatching.com has provided an elaborative overview of what’s going to be ‘hot’, here’s a quick list of five big trends/themes that are on their radar for 2007*. They deal with status, transparency and consumer power, the online revolution, more adventurous consumption, and a shift from consumption to participation. Enough to keep you busy!

Sure, there’s much, much more in 2007 that’s worthy of your attention. But for now, take any of these trends, sit down with your colleagues or team, and figure out how they may impact your business, your brand, your job:

Vision — Do they have the potential to influence or shape your company's vision?

New business concepts — Can they point you to new business concepts, or entirely new ventures?

New products, services, experiences — Can they inspire you to add ‘something’ new for a certain customer segment?

Marketing, advertising, PR — Will they help you to speak the language of those consumers that are already ‘living’ a trend?

And we would be very interested in hearing about how worthwhile the exercise was? and why?

Link: http://www.fastcompany.com/resources/talent/heffernan/012307.html

A belief -- and this is widespread --was that anyone from a large company will care a lot about the perks of corporate life: nice offices that have doors (we had fairly grotty offices and no doors), personal assistants (no one in my company had one), business class travel (even as CEO I flew steerage), and nice hotels. The corporate stereotype is as pronounced and pervasive as its counterpart. Entrepreneurs are routinely depicted as chaotic, adolescent rule-breakers who work through the night and live off of pizza, with little or no regard for thoroughness and process. The two images are so spectacularly polarized that never the twain shall meet.

Can they meet?
Is it really about what an individual has done in the past, or more about what they can do it the future?
One of my favourite sayings is to "never fall in love with potential" but don't you have to go there to some extent to truly understand what someone has to offer?
And the reasons they are changing tack, their choice or someone else's?
So many questions, so little time!!

Link: http://trax.fastcompany.com/k/w/mailman/fasttake/20070124/skills

Slideshow: | by Kevin Ohannessian
Business consultant Ram Charan lists the qualities of successful leaders in Know-How: The 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform From Those Who Don't. This is what Charan believes good leaders do.

Nothing new here really but worth revisiting, especially if 'life' is getting in the way of handling your Leadership duties.

Link: http://www.refresher.com/apdjskill.html

Peter de Jager teaches and preaches on the issue of Change Management. That's definitely a 'soft' skill, and as we shall see in the article, a 'superficial' skill set. Sooo... we guess this article will be described by some as 'self serving', so be it, now onto the article...

Over the years Peter has had many a discussion with prospective clients about the usefulness of training, specifically training in the change management skills area. Often in those discussions the client challenges the value of this type of training. The claim is that because you cannot measure the impact of the training, it is a waste of time to make this type of investment. According to the client, "soft skills" are superficial skills and therefore not worth their time.

Is change management training a waste of time?

Link: http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5449.html

Leadership talent is enjoying a perceived "seller's market," says Jim Heskett. As we select and train future leaders for all levels of our organizations, how much effort do we really spend assessing executive intelligence as opposed to personality and style?

In your experience, what is the relative importance of executive intelligence, style, and personality in effective leaders? What importance do these findings have for the selection of candidates for, and the design and execution of, formal (MBA) and on-the-job programs for developing leaders? Will they eventually help relieve the perceived "seller's market" in leadership talent? What do you think?