http://www.tracycorley.com/Conversations Focused on Change and Growth.ennoreply@blogger.com (Tracy A. Corley)Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:29:23 PDTBlogger http://www.blogger.com90125noreply@blogger.comnoConversations Focused on Change and Growth.Tsuluviewshttp://feedburner.google.comhttp://www.tracycorley.com/2012/10/is-dead-sea-about-to-become-dead-salt.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tracy A. Corley)Sat, 27 Oct 2012 16:39:01 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-312352306656441304Hi, everyone. It's been a while since I've posted a blog. I've been around, just retooling my communications channels as I prepare for the next step in my career. Expect this blog to feature more urban and economic development information in the upcoming years. I haven't been idle since my last post. I've been doing a lot of research and reading. I recently finished reading The End of Growth by 2012-10-27T16:39:01.843-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2012/07/change-your-attitude-by-switching-hands.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tracy A. Corley)Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:06:41 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-6323477492587399542Before I completed my undergraduate studies at Clemson University, I met the wife of one of my professors, who ran a design studio. After seeing the great work they were doing, I decided to ask her for a job. "We don't have any jobs available," she said. That didn't stop me though. After weeks of gentle harassment, the woman finally relented and brought me on to do graphic design, design 2012-07-10T13:06:41.466-07:001http://www.tracycorley.com/2011/09/change-is-in-air-you-can-help-by.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Tue, 06 Sep 2011 21:52:48 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-4719060264142455970Image by McBeth via FlickrHi everyone, There is a lot of change happening in our world. That's why I have made a personal change to spark systemic change. In a new role as chief innovation agent and president at Verinnovation, I have the privilege of working with companies, organizations and communities to bring better understanding of human behavior and its impact on change and innovation. We do2011-09-06T21:52:48.466-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2011/07/why-cant-starbucks-customers-read.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Tracy A. Corley)Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:53:31 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-5941394335619998788I don't drink a lot of coffee, but I visit a lot of Starbucks coffee shops. It's a great "third place" to meet colleagues especially now that they have free WiFi. In recent months, I have noticed their new compost and recycle bins. This two-part design is very hip (see photo) but as you can see, it doesn't work. Every time I peer into one of these bins, the contents of the recycle side 2011-07-20T17:53:31.649-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2011/06/robert-reich-delivers-truth-about.htmlEconomic DevelopmentBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:33:43 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-8487552181831728932With all the political posturing and dodginof real solutions about our economy coming from D.C., this video short brings to light the drastic measures that are needed to pull us out of economic freefall. As professionals, I hope you can leverage this information in your decision making and strategic planning. 2011-06-22T17:33:43.051-07:002http://www.tracycorley.com/2011/04/making-harsh-decisions-brought.htmlManagementLeadershipBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:08:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-6732892345782338841On 7 April 2011, I attended a lunch event at which Howard Schultz (CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company) discussed his new book, Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul. For those of you who don't recall, Starbucks found itself with an identity crisis in 2007. It's passion for coffee and customer experience had gotten lost behind a subconcious appeasement of Wall Street. By 2011-04-11T14:08:00.699-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2011/03/when-leaders-fail-to-mentor-they-fail.htmlLeadershipnoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:16:12 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-7719371096343459451Last week, I had the honor of attending a presentation by Jack Smalley. Jack did a great job of breaking down the top 10 qualities of a great leader. At the top of his list was Mentorship. Mentorship is one of those things that business leaders forget about if they get caught up in the roles and accountability of leading an organization, large and small. Sometimes, they use the mantra "do as I 2011-03-29T21:16:12.147-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2011/02/could-shortsighted-futurists-cripple.htmlBusiness StrategyBook Reviewnoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Wed, 09 Feb 2011 14:44:21 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-2413699283055280647The new year is in full swing and everyone is full of hope. I read the articles and see that everyone is making their new year's predictions on when the economy will return to "pre-2007 levels." What these shortsighted futurists fail to realize is that the economic standards of 2007 no longer apply. For decades, our economic models and measures of prosperity used derivatives of industrial age 2011-02-09T14:44:21.100-08:001http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/12/take-plunge-with-your-strategy-string.htmlStrategy StringBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Tue, 07 Dec 2010 14:00:04 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-2201165586814934091Happy holidays, everyone! As we bustle about getting last minute gifts and attending the myriad of get-togethers, many entrepreneurs, business leaders, and managers find themselves consumed with year end planning. The start of 2011 is looming. Many organizations have faced immense challenges in the past three years that are shuttering doors and sending hardworking employees into the streets. Yet2010-12-07T14:00:04.283-08:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/11/keep-eager-beavers-from-damming.htmlManagementLeadershipBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Wed, 03 Nov 2010 23:25:10 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-1174453775414718099 Image via Wikipedia Great new team member or a potential source of terror and rabies? Talent reigns supreme in an economy that has shifted from goods-dominated to service-based. Organizations need enthusiastic, bright people with great ideas and the ability to communicate those ideas effectively. But if you're not careful, these bright-eyed, bushy tailed talents can turn into rabid 2010-11-03T23:25:10.408-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/10/manual-high-schools-strategy-string.htmlStrategy StringBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Wed, 13 Oct 2010 22:48:51 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-3967637671575621264As Rob Stein completed his third year as principal of Manual High School in Denver, Colorado, he knew that he had done what he set out to do. Stein managed to perform a turnaround that would make turnaround consultants jealous. In just three years, Stein converted a failing inner city high school into the third highest performer in the Denver Public School system. So how did he do it? Stein 2010-10-13T22:48:51.866-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/09/why-clean-tech-is-like-newer-model.htmlEconomic DevelopmentBusiness StrategyClean Tech/Sustainabilitynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:37:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-1328142265766191933In a recent business conversation, I was asked to share my thoughts on what the future of the clean tech industry looks like. The question: are there specific clean tec sectors that our region should focus on developing for the future? Traditional business practices and economic development focus on key industry sectors to nurture and grow for regional prosperity. Businesses were encouraged to 2010-09-15T14:37:00.380-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/09/join-us-for-focus-on-tying-strategy-to.htmlEventsBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:31:45 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-1696558814856206007Strategy as we knew it in the 20th century is dead. Even the Wall Street Journal reported in early 2010 that organizations must change they way they think about strategy and use strategic direction to drive performance from all stakeholders. So what does strategy look like today and how can you use it to drive performance? Strategist, author, and entrepreneur Tracy A. Corley shows you in 2010-09-15T15:31:45.923-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/08/mckinstry-uses-strategy-string-to.htmlBusiness StrategyClean Tech/Sustainabilitynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:51:45 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-5230332266206911581Image by djwudi via FlickrWho would have thought that an HVAC supplier in the sleepy city of Seattle, Wash., would lead the nation in facilities management services and environmentally responsible policies? The team at McKinstry surely didn’t have that in mind when they launched in 1960. But they knew that two things would keep them relevant to the future of the building industry: holistic2010-08-04T22:51:45.572-07:001http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/07/kill-hourly-wage.htmlEconomic DevelopmentBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:06:36 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-924072887346379904In a previous post, I discussed why CEO compensation should be in the millions. However, the article did not address the disparity between executive and worker pay. Well, here's how to bridge and narrow the gap: kill the hourly wage. Hourly wages worked well for a manufacturing economy. They allowed organizations to break productivity into easily measurable units. To measure productivity in a 2010-07-16T13:06:36.896-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/07/product-failures-are-communications.htmlBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:31:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-7526647877787756540When the customer is the last one to be consulted, product development is doomed to fail. Just ask Microsoft. I'm not 100% tapped into their market research process when they design new products, but it seems like the 48-day market lifespan of the mis-aligned Kin device forgot product development 101: Respond to the needs of your customers. Nancy Xiao did a great job weighing the pros and cons 2010-07-07T14:31:00.215-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/06/never-say-never-about-future.htmlManagementLeadershipBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:38:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-4281121631921425940Not so long ago, in a client strategy session, the management team expressed great concern about the lack of diversity in revenue sources. The CEO asked the management team why they were so worried. Their organization offers a highly specialized service and, in the past, faced little to no competition. In spite of market bumps during the past 25+ years, their revenue has remained consistent or 2010-06-28T15:38:00.187-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/06/bps-and-other-ceos-should-be.htmlManagementLeadershipBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:32:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-3909282304527237371The gulf coast oil rig explosion and BP's slow response to the spill has brought many conversations about CEO compensation in recent months. Suddenly, every major CEO of for public, private, and nonprofit organizations have found themselves under the microscope. People all over are asking: should CEOs be paid millions for running organizations? I say yes. It's takes a talented, unique individual2010-06-21T15:32:00.198-07:002http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/06/thirteen-ways-washington-state-can-help.htmlEconomic DevelopmentSmall Business Advocacynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:04:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-5017533024529408237To continue our conversation about how to grow small businesses and create jobs in the US, below are a list of topics that were important to the participants in our February 9th, 2010 Council for Small Business meeting. Many thanks to Karen Pemerl of the Washington State Department of Commerce for compiling these notes. I have edited them to elaborate on the content of the conversation. 2010-06-16T14:04:00.611-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/06/ways-to-help-build-small-business.htmlEconomic DevelopmentSmall Business Advocacynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:24:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-1338366817248456581Last year at this time, we were discussing access to capital as the number one barrier to success for small businesses. Since then, it seems that small businesses have grown used to the lack of capital resources from traditional financial services institutions and have gotten creative in finding ways to finance growth and development. Access to capital still leaves a gaping hole in success for 2010-06-08T16:24:00.442-07:001http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/05/big-short-exposes-deception-and.htmlEconomic DevelopmentBook Reviewnoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Wed, 05 May 2010 14:15:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-4510073806137425344Book Review Lewis, Michael. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. , Hardbound: 264 pp. $27.95 I missed author Michael Lewis during his recent book tour stop in Seattle. He has lately received national recognition as author of the book that turned into the film, The Blind Side. After receiving his new book, The Big Short, it took me just a few pages to see how 2010-05-05T14:15:00.091-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/04/consider-requirements-of-mind-driven.htmlEconomic DevelopmentPolicyOur Global CommunityBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:45:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-8007017351972446188On 4/20/2010, I reported on how the Great Restructuring that we have been experiencing over the past two years reflects the adolescence of a mind-driven, mentis-facturing economy. But exactly what does that mean? Like the industrial revolution, we are undergoing a major shift in global economic drivers. I can only imagine how all the farmers of the 1800s felt as they watched their children leave2010-04-27T14:45:00.516-07:001http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/04/leading-way-to-recovery-and-tips-for.htmlEconomic DevelopmentPolicyMarketing StrategySmall Business Advocacynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:26:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-8960954348918529399 I lead conversations on small business growth and competitiveness as the Chair of the Council for Small Business at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. On 4/13/2010, Carl Gipson, Small Business Director at the Washington Policy Center, joined me to lead a discussion on recently passed Washington State legislation and its impact on the small business community's ability to lead our economic 2010-04-22T14:26:00.582-07:000http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/04/how-should-we-drive-economic-shift-from.htmlEconomic DevelopmentPolicyOur Global CommunityBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Tue, 20 Apr 2010 14:12:20 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-2261450222642728215We all know that we've entered a new economy. The Great Recession of 2008/2009 has been renamed The Great Restructuring, and we're all starting to feel the effects. With the demise of the Industrial Age, our economic systems, business practices, and social structures are absorbing the realities of the Information Age. The western world's economy has shifted from producing goods with our hands to 2010-04-20T14:12:20.425-07:004http://www.tracycorley.com/2010/04/courageous-conversations-require-strong.htmlBusiness Strategynoreply@blogger.com (Tracy Corley)Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:32:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361423437420591465.post-5813808923397038021Douglas Conant, CEO & President of Campbell Soup Company, spoke at the White House Workplace Flexibility Conference on Wednesday. Conant was proud to see that his employees felt comfortable enough to have courageous conversations with their manager. These courageous conversations helped them shape an attractive workplace flexibility program. The Campbell Soup approach to workplace flexibility 2010-04-05T14:32:00.364-07:000nonadult