Moving your company to a more sustainable, "carbon neutral," or "green" policy is a bold, cost-saving, and difficult shift for your firm and employees.  Several factors can throw your plan awry, including:

 

- Unengaged employees resisting such a change.

- A misguided or inefficient allocation of resources.

- Poor communication throughout your organization.

 

If you and your company are serious about implementing a more sustainable business approach, you should treat this shift as a change in your company's strategy.  View this changing dynamic as an opportunity to build value for your company--not as some austere measure that comes across as a punitive or limiting to your staff. (more...)

I realize that defending Toyota in February 2010 is like defending Richard Nixon in August 1974, but I'm about to do something that will make me about as popular at a Green Drinks gathering as a big juicy Costco steak.

 

I'm going to cut Toyota some slack.

 

I have not followed this story as closely as all the automobile bloggers out there.  It seems to me that they knew of all these problems and either at least, underestimated the problem, or at worst, tried to sweep them under the floor mats.  That was a mistake.  (more...)

It's the end of a year--and decade--so I wanted to discuss some tasks your firm should undertake for year-end housekeeping.  Some may not want to rehash 2009, a difficult year for many of us--but I am hearing optimism for 2010 from many corners . . . and these lean times can offer learning opportunities that can make us even better next year.  I realize the following suggestions are general--whether you are a freelancer, small company owner, or leading a division of a large firm, these suggestions can apply . . . even if your fiscal year-end is not December 31. (more...)