The Associated Press (AP) today released information about the seventh and final Harry Potter book. Here's an interesting tidbit. The article reports the author, J.K. Rowling, as saying:
"The last book is not finished. But I'm well into it now. I wrote the final chapter in something like 1990, so I've known exactly how the series is going to end," she said."
the author also said,
"In her Monday interview on the "Richard and Judy" show, Rowling said people are sometimes shocked to hear that she wrote the end of book seven before she had a publisher for the first book in the series.
"The final chapter is hidden away, although it's now changed very slightly. One character got a reprieve. But I have to say two die that I didn't intend to die," she said. "A price has to be paid. We are dealing with pure evil here. They don't target extras do they? They go for the main characters. Well, I do."
Shocked?
Those folks must not be very creative.
People who work with creativity understand that creativity can express itself in ways that might seem bizarre or unorthodox in everyday life (such as writing the last chapter of book seven before the first book is even sold).
Creativity marches to the beat of a different drummer (and that drummer is not always tame!).
BOTTOM LINE:Strong leaders support unorthodox creativity--the fast track to success.
tags:
Harry Potter
J.K. Rowling
creativity
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Monday, June 26, 2006
Wanna Sweeten Your Business? Do like Hershey's does.....
Took my family on vacation last week. One of our stops was Hershey Amusement Park near Hershey PA. I'm not a big rollercoaster fan myself, but my wife and kids love 'em, so off we went.
Hershey is doing a very clever thing for business.
The park offers a "preview" - anyone who purchases a full-fare ticket for entrance the next day can come to the park for 2.5 hours the night before.
A VERY sweet idea! Why?
Because....
1. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. Customers feel like they get more bang for the buck....and it costs Hershey's nothing (zero, zip, nada) to provide this extra perk (they're paying the staff already....)
2. IMPROVES THE BOTTOM LINE. A small (but probably significant) number of customers pay the whole ticket price but do not return the next day. Other customers might cut their second day shorter. Either way, Hershey wins because they are either: (1) increasing profits; or (2) decreasing the # of people in the park (which increases the customer satisfaction of people who DO stay at the park).
BOTTOM LINE: THINK LIKE HERSHEY: What can you provide your customers with that will be experienced as a value-added perk, while costing your company $0.0?
tags:
Hershey
chocolate
value-added
Hershey is doing a very clever thing for business.
The park offers a "preview" - anyone who purchases a full-fare ticket for entrance the next day can come to the park for 2.5 hours the night before.
A VERY sweet idea! Why?
Because....
1. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. Customers feel like they get more bang for the buck....and it costs Hershey's nothing (zero, zip, nada) to provide this extra perk (they're paying the staff already....)
2. IMPROVES THE BOTTOM LINE. A small (but probably significant) number of customers pay the whole ticket price but do not return the next day. Other customers might cut their second day shorter. Either way, Hershey wins because they are either: (1) increasing profits; or (2) decreasing the # of people in the park (which increases the customer satisfaction of people who DO stay at the park).
BOTTOM LINE: THINK LIKE HERSHEY: What can you provide your customers with that will be experienced as a value-added perk, while costing your company $0.0?
tags:
Hershey
chocolate
value-added
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
AMA takes a "significant shift"...in the WRONG direction
In what they described as a "significant shift", the American Medical Association today announced their support for a tax penalty for individuals and families who make enough to buy medical coverage but choose not to. (Read the Chicago Tribune article here).
WHAT A MISTAKE!
Medical doctors have been underfire for the past several years for accepting rewards (financial and otherwise) from the pharmaceutical companies. Now the AMA is showing their allegiance to the insurance industry by supporting a tax on people who "choose not to" buy health insurnace.
WHAT ARROGANCE!
The criteria for deciding who "chooses" to buy insurance is based solely on income, and completely ignores any possible extenuating circumstances that might arise.
The AMA blew it. Everyone knows that the American health care system is in shambles. Rather than taking a leadership role in fixing the problem, the AMA has simply chosen to dump the responsibility onto individual Americans.
BOTTOM LINE: Strong leaders don't pass the buck - they fix the problem.
tags:
AMA
American Medical Association
Health Care
WHAT A MISTAKE!
Medical doctors have been underfire for the past several years for accepting rewards (financial and otherwise) from the pharmaceutical companies. Now the AMA is showing their allegiance to the insurance industry by supporting a tax on people who "choose not to" buy health insurnace.
WHAT ARROGANCE!
The criteria for deciding who "chooses" to buy insurance is based solely on income, and completely ignores any possible extenuating circumstances that might arise.
The AMA blew it. Everyone knows that the American health care system is in shambles. Rather than taking a leadership role in fixing the problem, the AMA has simply chosen to dump the responsibility onto individual Americans.
BOTTOM LINE: Strong leaders don't pass the buck - they fix the problem.
tags:
AMA
American Medical Association
Health Care
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
All Work and No Play....
Summertime!
That time of year when many leaders will be spending time with friends, family and loved ones on vacation.
As a leader, do you put effort into scheduling your vacation or do you leave it to the last minute? Do you go places and do things on vacation that truly recharge your batteries, or do you fall prey to doing what you are 'supposed' to do or 'should' be doing?
Each and every leader is unique, and each and every one of us find ways to refresh and rejuvenate while on vacation. Planning a vacation that will top off your emotional tank takes as much care and planning as any effective business strategy.
Vacation is critical for leaders. Going without is an effective recipe for burnout - and a burned out leader is an ineffective leader.
BOTTOM LINE: Great Leaders devote as much attention to their down-time as they do their work.
tags:
vacation
burnout
summertime
That time of year when many leaders will be spending time with friends, family and loved ones on vacation.
As a leader, do you put effort into scheduling your vacation or do you leave it to the last minute? Do you go places and do things on vacation that truly recharge your batteries, or do you fall prey to doing what you are 'supposed' to do or 'should' be doing?
Each and every leader is unique, and each and every one of us find ways to refresh and rejuvenate while on vacation. Planning a vacation that will top off your emotional tank takes as much care and planning as any effective business strategy.
Vacation is critical for leaders. Going without is an effective recipe for burnout - and a burned out leader is an ineffective leader.
BOTTOM LINE: Great Leaders devote as much attention to their down-time as they do their work.
tags:
vacation
burnout
summertime
Monday, June 05, 2006
Stretching Your Edges
Panic! Fear! Uncertainty!
My first significant book signing is scheduled this week on Thursday (6/8/06) at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Legacy Village in Beachwood, Ohio.
Although I've given many speeches and presentations to countless people and have served in several trials as an expert witness, there is something about my first book signing that makes me very nervous and anxious.
Great leaders understand the importance of recognizing and respecting these more "negative" feelings. That's exactly what I wrote about in my book.
Negative emotions are very likely to occur whenever we begin stretching ourselves into new (and unfamiliar) territory. Great leaders understand this, and keep moving forward.
If you are in the Cleveland area this Thursday, I invite you to stop by and say hello at Joseph-Beth booksellers.
I would love to meet you.
BOTTOM LINE: Great leaders understand the power of respecting negative emotions, and to keep moving forward.
tags:
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
book signing
Tim Warneka
My first significant book signing is scheduled this week on Thursday (6/8/06) at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Legacy Village in Beachwood, Ohio.
Although I've given many speeches and presentations to countless people and have served in several trials as an expert witness, there is something about my first book signing that makes me very nervous and anxious.
Great leaders understand the importance of recognizing and respecting these more "negative" feelings. That's exactly what I wrote about in my book.
Negative emotions are very likely to occur whenever we begin stretching ourselves into new (and unfamiliar) territory. Great leaders understand this, and keep moving forward.
If you are in the Cleveland area this Thursday, I invite you to stop by and say hello at Joseph-Beth booksellers.
I would love to meet you.
BOTTOM LINE: Great leaders understand the power of respecting negative emotions, and to keep moving forward.
tags:
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
book signing
Tim Warneka
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