Fortune Best Companies to Work For

Every year we wait for the Fortune Best Companies to Work for list, as one of our clients has made the list for the past 2 years. And, well deserved, they made the list again this year. Congrats to them!

Being a fan of numbers, and stats, I'm always looking for interesting figures that help The Beacon Group set the context for the work we do with our clients. In my travels this morning, I came across this great graphic about the job growth for the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For.

One of my favorite parts of the graphic is how they refer to these companies as "Engines of Employment". Great organizations attract great people, they get better, and attract even more great people. I'm reminded of the stat that in its early years, Google was receiving 1000 resumes a day... no wonder they are at the top of the Best Companies list, and also the fastest growing employer.

Click here to read the Fortune Best Companies to Work For, click here.

Twinkies Do Not Last Forever

Yesterday, privately held Hostess Brands Inc. filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. I guess this debunks the urban legend that Twinkies have an infinite shelf-life.

Regardless of legacy union and pension costs, it just goes to show us all that even deeply engrained organizations such as Hostess can fall.

In case you were wondering:

• Nearly 36 million packages of Twinkies were sold in the year ended Dec. 25, down almost 2% from a year earlier

Read "Twinkies Maker Hostess Files for Chapter 11 Protection" from the Wall Street Journal here.

Fire up your Flux Capacitor

It's been called everything, chaotic, relentless change, constant whitewater... now, according to FastCompany magazine, we are in a state of Flux.

In the latest edition of the magazine they highlight the many changes that are and have taken place, many of which are dizzying... and it's not slowing down.. in fact, it's quite the contrary...

For example here's a quote from Mashable CEO Pete Cashmore:

"I don't have any personal challenges about throwing away the past. If you're not changing, you're giving others a chance to catch up."

So, as we hurtle into the mess of 2012 and beyond... we are going back to the Future in a state of Flux.

To read This Is Generation Flux: Meet The Pioneers Of The New (And Chaotic) Frontier Of Business, click here.

1.2 Billion apps bought over Christmas week

In yet another sign that traditional price models and sales strategies are doomed, 1.2 billion mobile apps were purchased over the Christmas week, marking the first time over 1 billion apps were purchased in a single week, according to estimates from Flurry, the mobile analytics company.

Connectivity has certainly changed the game.

Read "Record 1.2 billion app downloads over Christmas" from globeandmail.com

The Disrupters

This is your year.

This is the year, this is when you, not your colleague, not the guy from the Chicago office, not the guy up the block, will do something great. Whether it is in your personal life, or professional life, 2012 is looking like a great year to start something remarkable.

If you need inspiration to see what it looks like, here is FastCompany magazine's list of what they are calling "The Disruptors."

See you on the list next year.

Conspiracy of Silence

Hey, there's a great new article at Knowledge@Wharton, about that...thing. You know, that um... you know... thing. Ok, lean in closer and I'll tell you about it.

It's been years since Jack Welch spoke of superficial congeniality, what he called the biggest problem in companies. Superficial congeniality is a lack of candour, a lack of truth telling. Being nice and getting along, regardless of your "real" feelings on a particular matter.

In Don't Mention It: How 'Undiscussables' Can Undermine an Organization, this topic is covered in light of the situation that has recently unfolded at Penn State, wherein silence was chosen instead of straight talk. The article captures the very essence of how this happens:

Most people do not want to jeopardize their own position in the company, and are more likely to remain quiet if there is no safe place to air concerns. 

 The key to preventing situations from arising in your organization, is to ensure that safety of straight talk and openness are woven into the fabric of the organization, at each and every level.

Make superficial congeniality a thing of the past in 2012.

To read the article, click here.

The Most Common Strategy Mistakes

I just found this great excerpt from Joan Magretta's new book Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy posted on Harvard Business School Working Knowledge.

I was certainly impressed with the opening line to her book:

 "Michael Porter didn't get to be a giant in the field of competition and strategy by hunting small game."

In the excerpt Ms. Magretta interviews Mr. Porter and asks him to explain what he feels are the most common strategy mistakes.

To read the excerpt, click here.

Is your organization guilty of any of them? If you are, please click on the Contact Us button above.

2012 - Leading in the Face of the End of the World

Be sure to read our latest white paper 2012 Leading in the Face of the End of the World.
The predictions state that one year from today will be the end of the world. What if the predictions are true?

This paper lists 10 things you might want to focus on in the event that you only have 1 year to make things right in your organization.

To read the paper, click here.

Quarterly Report :: Navigate the Future - The Not So Trivial Pursuit of Full Alignment

Check out our latest edition of Navigate the Future entitled "The Not So Trivial Pursuit of Full Alignment". It covers the hidden costs of misalignment, the importance of objectivity, and how candour can be a competitive advantage.

To read the report, click here.

Canada's Most Powerful Women : Top 100

As the year winds down, the number of lists starts to flow at an alarming pace. The most recent list of note was just published this morning, namely Canada's Most Powerful Women.

We are always excited to review this list, and learn about some of the great things these executives are accomplishing each and every year. We also enjoy celebrating the success of our clients, and contacts that end up making the list as well.

To read the full list form The Financial Post, click here.