It was great to be in Lisbon last week and to spend an enjoyable day with members of YPO Portugal. During our workshop session at the majestic The One Palacio da Anunciada hotel, we explored how to lean into uncertainty, master creative transformation, and continuously re-imagine boundaries in business and in our personal lives.

This mindset and accompanying step by step approach is critical for navigating high volatility and enabling us to be among the future shapers.

#ypo #leadership #strategy #changemanagement #innovation #transformation

In his State of the Union address earlier this year, U.S. President Biden launched an initiative forcing airlines to eliminate ‘junk fees’ – hidden, punitive charges added to basic airfare. He is proposing the Junk Fee Prevention Act, saying “We’ll prohibit airlines from charging $50 round-trip for a family just to be able to sit together, baggage fees are bad enough. Airlines can’t treat your child like a piece of baggage.”

Such action on the part of the President should be a wakeup call for all businesses to reexamine their customers’ experience, in search of major pain points. And there is no shortage of them in any industry. According to the recently published annual Customer Rage Survey, a record number of Americans are finding faults with companies’ products and services – 74% of respondents experienced a product or service problem in the past year.

So why not seize the opportunity and be the first to remove or transform the most bothersome aspects of your industry’s customer experience? Alternatively, you can wait until your customers flee in search of more pleasant experiences and a presidential intervention forces you to do so.

#customerexperience #innovation #presidentBiden #junkfees #markettransformation

I am pleased to be the guest of the upcoming Global Innovation Institute Webinar.  The session, hosted by GInI's Executive Director Anthony Mills, will air on March 23rd at 11 am EDT, and focus on practical steps for turning crisis into opportunity.

Join us by registering here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUudeuhpzoqHdIwgmdUuYZbF4II5KqhUHpB

#innovation #transformation #creativity #strategy #crisismanagement

Imagine an experience like no other. One that awakens the very best of intellectual, emotional and physical wellness. Your classroom? The most stunning, handpicked locations around the world.

I am pleased to partner with Georgia St John-Smith to co-host the ‘Re-Imagine Success’ Total Wellness retreats. Our sessions will provide the singular opportunity to immerse yourself in deeply meaningful learning, recalibration, and mindfulness, while exploring how to systematically overstep perceived boundaries.

This isn't just about getting away. This is about unlocking your full potential in business and all aspects of your life.

#wellness #transformation #execuitveretreat #leadership #lifelonglearning

The Farce is Back!

Being able to laugh at the absurdity of extreme situations is healing, empowering, and provides a strong bond among us. It’s no wonder that companies all around the world re-emerged in 2022 to embrace humor to get through the pandemic and to communicate empathy, encouragement and cheerfulness to both internal and external audiences.

As humor returned to the stage in 2022, so did the global trend to leverage corporate April Fools campaigns to connect brands and businesses with all stakeholders. And Stand-Up Strategist was there to capture the excitement and the meaning behind it. Without further ado, in response to overwhelming worldwide anticipation, the SUS Top 23 Global Rankings of the best April Fools campaigns is now public! The quality and diversity of the campaigns (geographically and conceptionally) were excellent, especially given the circumstances.

At the top of the rankings is the humorous campaign by Westjet offering space travel, followed by T-Mobile’s tweaking of its signature magenta color, and Emirates Airlines’ venture into home food delivery. Witness and laugh with all the campaigns that made this year’s rankings here:

https://standupstrategist.com/2022-rankings/ 

Learn how the rankings were compiled and how you can leverage humor:

https://standupstrategist.com/#about

May your organization aspire to make this prestigious list in 2023, and may the farce be with you.

#humor #globalrankings #strategy #creativity #corporateculture #customerexperience #aprilfools