4 ways silos destroy brands
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
A problem for many high growth companies is that their operations are changing at such a rapid rate that their culture and intentional strategies fall by the wayside. At the same time, they probably have a strong external marketing campaign adding fuel to the growth.
Are we there yet?
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Someone just asked me when I knew MB Piland was "there," or that our company had made it. It surprised me. I believe a high-growth company is never "there." But without an intentional plan, it's easy to get trapped in a roundabout. Here are three things to help you keep driving your brand forward.
Bulletin board as canary in a coal mine?
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Obligatory rules and regs and a so-called motivational poster in a company break area make me think of something Despair.Inc. lampoons. The other stuff that's posted (or not) can signal an alarm about the health of the internal brand.
How bow ties and pocket protectors build a genius internal brand
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
H&R Block has been under fire for its recent foul ups on electronic filings. But that aside, they make me feel like they're real people who love what they do—and they'll take care of me. I bet their employees feel the same way, too.
Choose your customers first
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Another thought-provoking read from Seth Godin's daily blog: Choose your customers first. In this post, Seth talks about how we often rush to the end: creating a product, and then trying to shoehorn in our brand and customers. This is especially dangerous for rapidly growing companies.
What the Marines and Argo teach us about powerful internal culture
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Separating the "real" from the "Hollywood" is always tough for a movie based on a true story. Wonder about details and characters in the film Argo? A recent interview on Huffington Post says one thing's certain: the famous, "Argo f*** yourself" was real.
Straight up: how Maker's Mark almost put its brand on the rocks
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
There's been a dizzying amount of talk about the Maker's Mark decision to cut the alcohol content in its bourbon—then reversing the decision because of the public outcry.
Hospitality: an inside-out brand builder
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Famed restauranteur Danny Meyer's book Setting the Table: The transforming power of hospitality in business should be on your nightstand if you want a powerful internal culture.
Turning intense leadership into a high powered internal brand
- Written by: Alexandra Reilly
A good read from Art Petty's Leadership Caffeine: We've all worked for intense people. Maybe you're an intense person who's had to lead a team.
A crazy (branded) orientation that works!
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
A good read from Bloomberg Business Week: Welcome to Rackspace: A Frenetic Orientation
Venessa Wong reports on the crazy orientation program at Rackspace that puts new employess in some pretty crazy team building situations. (Photograph by Chris Godfrey for Rackspace)
