by Mark O'Brien | May 28, 2015
At risk of having you think I doth protest too much, I’m not prudish, at least as far as language is concerned. Truth be told, my language is, on occasion, salty enough to float rocks. But I, nevertheless, do try to maintain a modicum of linguistic decorum in...
by Mark O'Brien | May 26, 2015
We’ve expressed our concern for the brain trust at HBR in previous posts. That concern is in no way ameliorated by a missive that floated through our consciousness last week. In a tract of some 1,016 words — “Let’s Stop Arguing About Whether...
by Mark O'Brien | May 22, 2015
One of my favorite recreational activities is to surf the web for mission statements. (I lead a very sheltered existence.) I find mission statements to be some of the most stunning examples of inexplicable gibberish imaginable. And I love to try to put myself in the...
by Mark O'Brien | May 21, 2015
I had a meeting with a prospect last week. He was eager to brand and launch his start-up. And he was excited for the opportunity to discuss its positioning and promotion. He was so enthusiastic when we spoke on the phone that I was as fired up as he was on my way to...
by Mark O'Brien | May 20, 2015
Here’s a partial list of the things most companies say they want on the pages of their websites: Sizzle. Fashion Shows. Popularity contests. Pizzazz. Things that make the boss happy. The kitchen sink and all the attendant plumbing. Cool stuff. And here’s...