Perhaps you can relate. Imagine my surprise when I showed up in corporate life with a burning desire to contribute, bundles of energy to get things done, and an never-ending flow of ideas (at least some of which were even feasible), only to realize the company just wasn’t willing to let me work to my potential. It felt like I was a salmon throwing myself on the rocks time and time again trying to get the company to let me make the contribution of which I was capable! I finall

Many years ago at our five year anniversary in business, I met with a dear friend who gave me sage advice and said; "write a forward looking vision of what you desire for the next phase of your business journey." So I did that and found my notes to share now. Written in 2005 as an aspirational guide for 2015 and beyond: "I am laughing a lot more these days – not taking myself so seriously! I can step away and have perspective and total trust in a great team. They bring light,

We launched our second HRoundtable this past week with the help of my long-time friend and wonderful consultant, business owner Sonya Kemp. Sonya believes in the notion that giving to others and allowing a group to learn from each other strengthens the outcome for everyone.  Adam Grant talks about this in his giving book, "Give and Take."  We have eight wonderful managers in this group from premier companies and they are already demonstrating their passion to give to each oth

Erik Benjamins: How did you choose the path of entrepreneurship? Ryan Sheffer: Up until I was applying for college, I thought that “becoming a business person” was the thing you did as a career. I didn’t know that becoming a filmmaker—or doing your own thing—could be a job. In my head, it seemed like something that others did. When I started to get into the technology industry about ten years later to start my own company, I didn’t know what venture capital was. I didn’t use

Are we over it yet?  Half of the workers in  your organizations will be under 30 and by 2025, everyone under 25 will be a digital native.  They grew up with all things tech. Innovation inside our companies will come from the digital natives.  So, why are we hanging on to old structures and ways of thinking about work?  Do we have leaders who just don't see this coming or chose to stick to models they grew up in? It was great to see an LA Business Journal article last week abo

Don't we all want to work with amazing people? There is plenty of research and real life experience that says investing in who decisions pays off.  Finding the one for your company means achieving success or just getting by. Enlightened CEO's place the importance of people decisions at the top of their list of important skills to develop and invest in. I grew up as an HR professional at American Hospital Supply (AHSC) - later acquired by Baxter Healthcare.  From the first int

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to speak with Chip about leadership and what fuels his passion within Airbnb. SB: I just read your book Emotional Equations and immediately saw the power of practical strategies for leadership. Tell me more about your view on leadership today. CC: Leaders are the emotional thermostats for the business. Whoever is the top dog conveys mood and tone. How they talk is amplified across the organization. It is contagious and sensed by emplo

S. Benjamins & Company is excited to announce our new podcast, Talent Talk! We hope you will tune in as we talk to innovative practitioners about issues facing organizations today. http://traffic.libsyn.com/sbcompany/Welcome_to_Talent_Talk.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed Subscribe: Android | RSS #Leadership #Communication #Culture #HR #Innovation #HumanResources

We hosted a learning event this past week and enjoyed a provocative discussion with Dr. Gustavo Grodnitsky.  I invited our clients and a few really smart and engaging millennials who bring amazing honesty and refreshing energy to our discussions.  This is written by Derek Kozaites, a recent graduate is interested in International Studies and business.  Read what he had to say; "I had the pleasure of attending a “Great Starts Breakfast Series” hosted by S.Benjamins & Co. The s

The Wall Street Journal published an article this week, "I don't have a Job: I have a Higher Calling."  It was in the February 25th Business & Tech section (love their provocative stories) and it is about employers stepping up to talk about how their company is changing the world.  This is the quest for engaging and attracting talent. Frankly, it is about time we are asking the question "what matters to our employees and what matters to us?" I understand the perspective this

Patricia has an extensive background in new product commercialization involving technology, healthcare, and start-ups. Her passion to “enhance the value and accessibility of innovations in the field of life sciences for our communities” is evident when you speak with her.  Shortly after our introduction to Patricia, she became the Executive Director of the Innovation Lab at The Innovation Institute. We were lucky enough to sit down with her and discuss what the first five mon

There is a lot of talk recently about Mindfulness - it makes me feel hopeful and with curious about how this will take shape and change conversations at work and between individuals.  Jeremy is finding significant success in his EMBA classes at the Drucker School when focusing on the individual.  Rarely do we speak about "how it feels in the body" when we are in tense situations or dealing with people we don't trust yet but must work with on a daily basis.  He is teaching how

Innovation has become the “buzzword” of the day! There is so much talk about how to foster creative workforces, re-invent customer experiences or take smarter risks to grow your business. My friend and trusted colleague Rob Reindl, VP Coaching at Edwards and now l Sherry Benjamins: What is it that led you to innovation and helping organizations look at things in new ways? Stan Rowe: I’ve always had a bit of an entrepreneurial and creative side when it came to new products. Ea

Mobile technology is changing the face of our daily routines. We access information that changes minute by minute, locate a new restaurant, or even better, discover that a friend happens to be a terminal away at a coinciding layover. We sat down to learn more from Jason and a key strategic resource, John Halloran, CEO of Mobile Health Consumer, Inc, who has partnered with WDC to pilot a mobile application that provides a decision tool for employees as they take action in impr

It could not be a better time to highlight our friends at JPL and their success. A successful landing of Curiosity, incredible Mars photos, a discovery of ancient streams (just last week) and even a song dedicated by Black Eyed Peas member, Will.I.am, which played on the red planet. While the Mars successes of JPL continue to be anxiously watched and celebrated, there are great take-aways for all of us leading a people function. I had the pleasure of speaking with our client

Why not ask younger accomplished CEO's of tech companies and new services models to share what it's like to build business.  It is not always about what we know.  I love this blog.  check it out, specific mentoring labs established for sharing ideas with the newer generation of leaders who are fearless about starting something on their own.  http://www.humbledmba.com/ #Innovation #Leadership #Management

I met Peter over a year ago and every time we talk, he has me realizing that I have a greater capacity for “ideation” than I imagined. We were lucky to capture him for this interview last month, following a long term assignment in Asia, helping senior managers of a Fortune 50 company transform culture. Only recently has innovation become a top concern for CEO’s today and Peter Mulford, Executive Vice President and Head of Strategic Alignment and Business Acumen at BTS, passio