The relationships between organizations and individuals are always interesting. The balance of power between an employee and the corporation. Or the duty of a citizen to her country. Where do the responsibilities of the individual end – or do they – and where do they conflict or mesh with the larger entities they belong to. […]
Alfred P Sloan – a onetime GM chairman – once ended a board meeting shortly after it had begun saying: “I take it we are all in complete agreement on the decision….Then I propose we postpone further discussion of this matter until our next meeting to give ourselves time to develop disagreement and perhaps gain […]
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard my clients tell me they feel like they’re faking it, that some day they will be found out and it will all be over. My response is: “Excellent. We all feel that way. This is a good thing.” I explain that if you are not sure you […]
I’ve just read, and strongly recommend, a massive book about CAA – the upstart agency turned powerhouse that had such a disruptive effect on the entertainment business through the 80s and 90s and survives today to represent many of the most important and influential talents and teams in the sports and entertainment world. They are rightly proud of […]
The following is excerpted from Matthew J. Bruccoli’s preface to Fitzgerald’s last and unfinished novel The Love of the Last Tycoon. Monroe Stahr, he principal character in this Hollywood story, was based clearly on Irving Thalberg, the Boy Wonder movie producer, and main architect of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Fitzgerald did not know Thalberg well, having worked for him […]
This article by Michael Pollock was first published on Forbes.com You know your organization has to change to keep its edge. Whether it’s swifter product innovation, welding together silos, or restructuring to take advantage of new technology and changing distribution models, your bottom line tells you that you need to see movement sooner rather […]
So you’ve decided that for bringing your organization (or career) up to date, incremental organic change is the way to go. It’s so much easier that way. No big decisions have to get made. People can be allowed to stay in their comfort zones. No sudden movements will startle the horses or upset any apple […]
This article by Michael Pollock first appeared in forbes.com The rapid changes in media, distribution techniques, platforms and fickle consumer tastes have put the marketing communications hiring market into a state of turmoil. Companies want to hire leaders who are proven and experienced in the exact thing they need. And since that thing is […]
Here’s part 2: more of what I learned at Northside Innovation Festival Uh oh. Your pitch is too good Investors told us that incubators and the like have gotten so good at helping startups polish their pitches that they are all becoming indistinguishably great. They all hit the same metrics, the same themes. They’re becoming […]
Should we fear change? Change is hard – but designing change can be fun. Organizational change or transition is particularly hard, and its success is rooted firmly on having a coherent and collaborative management team that shares a clear vision. One of the cycles that is being addressed in creative businesses – once again – is […]
I am no longer accepting coaching clients. Now under the name Peter Pollock, I narrate and record audiobooks – spies, FBI agents, LBGTQ teens, science futures, London gangs, Cockney rhyming slang – and stay tuned for vampires, werewolves and other beasties! Check out books narrated by Peter Pollock on Audible and visit peterpollockvoice.com
