Direct Ideas on AI, Sales Teams and More

1. Direct from Dell
2. The Man?Behind the Curtain
3. The IdeaLab Guy on?Start Up Success
4. “My” Quota or “Our” Quota
5. C-Level Trends (Part 4):? Economic Trends for 2025 and Beyond
6. Econ Recon

Direct from Michael Dell: Leadership lessons & the future of AI

There are only a handful?of people who have taken a start-up from zero to $88 billion in revenue and continue to lead it today. Michael Dell, the founder, CEO, and chairman of Dell Technologies has steered his company through wave after wave of technology trends. ?From his college dorm room his company is a giant with remarkable staying power.

Michael Dell is uniquely positioned to give a clear picture of the potential of AI and generative AI. In this McKinsey interview Dell discusses the ever-increasing power of data, the resilience of the personal computer, and the leadership lessons that come from building a technology company over 40 years of technological change. To learn more about how your company can succeed in the face of digital disruption, read McKinsey senior partner Tarek Elmasry’s interview with Dell.

“The Man Behind the Curtain “

I grew up watching The Wizard of Oz on Thanksgiving Day. If entrepreneurship is about filling an unmet need, L. Frank Baum is an entrepreneur. His book, “The Wizard of Oz” found lasting fame in the 1939 movie starring Judy Garland and more recently as a blockbuster musical, and the soon to be released (and highly anticipated) movie “Wicked.”

Like many entrepreneurs, Baum endure numerous failures before finding success. He ran a bazaar, managed a baseball club, was a reporter for a frontier newspaper and buyer of dishware for a department store before striking it big with his first book.

But Baum’s success was not limited to the book alone.?“When?The Wizard of Oz?was published in 1900 with illustrations by the Chicago-based artist William Wallace Denslow, Baum became not only the best-selling children’s book author in the country,?but also the founder of a genre.”

The mark of a great entrepreneur is an enduring offering.?It’s been over a century since the book’s publication, 70 years after its debut on the big screen, inspiration for 13 book sequels and incredible success on Broadway and no doubt again on big screen. Very few companies last so long.

It’s easy for the entrepreneur to become obscured in the light of the success of his offering.?I hope you’ll take a few minutes to learn more about the life of Frank Baum, the Man Behind the Curtain.

The IdeaLab Guy on Startup Success

Bill Gross, Founder of IdeaLab

That many startups fail is no secret. But the?reasons why are not always clear. Venture Capitalist and IdeaLab Founder Bill Gross looked at 100 IdeaLab Companies and 100 non-IdeaLab Companies in terms of?5 essential elements that lead to success:? Ideas, Team, Business Model, Funding and Timing.

One of these clearly dominated the others in terms of importance. Take 6 1/2minutes to watch Gross’ TED Talk to learn?The Single Biggest Reason Why Start-ups Succeed.?Very important information to have before you launch any “startup,” whether a company, a product , a new location or any new venture or project.

“My” Quota or “Our” Quota

A key responsibility of CEOs is to create and a foster a culture of teamwork,?but this objective often breaks down when it comes to the sales?force.

CEOs understand that salespeople are competitive and will naturally encourage that trait, but often without thinking about?the downside of a lack of cooperation among superstars. Vistage Speaker, nationally known sales coach and President of Sales Leadership, Inc., Colleen Stanley, CEO suggests that?you can’t scale your company if your team has an “I’m hitting quota” mentality instead?of a “We’re Hitting Quota” mentality. She offers a few questions you should asking when hiring salespeople to assure new hires have the right “team” mindset.

Maybe you can start tomorrow by calling your “sales force”?by a new name -?“Sales Team.”

C -Level Trends (Part 4 of 4)

Economic Trends for 2025 and Beyond

The economy is the water we all swim in.?Having a point of view as to how its waves will roll is essential to forming a coherent strategy. Vistage speaker and strategy consultant Marc Emmer 's ?Economic Trends for 2025 and Beyond?will provide you with a solid basis for your strategy formulation.

The links to the other 3 trends are also included in the article.

Econ Recon

The Long and Short of it - Not Led by the Fed:??So many in the business and financial community watch the Fed for clue on interest rates, but central bank can only direct influence short term rates…and many businesspeople ’s decisions are more a function of long-term rates.?In his most recent Fed Watch, ITR Economics Brian Beaulieu looks at the near-term behavior of short rates and why long rates aren’t following Fed’s lead.

“Ignore the Noise” advises ITR Economics economist Taylor St. Germain in his latest Trend Talks episode?Economic Outlook following US Presidential Election.?

Thanks for reading the Make A Difference (MAD) newsletter. Take time to relax and enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday. Give thanks. "Gratitude is the sign of noble minds." Aesop, author of Aesop’s’ Fables.

Sue Tinnish, PhD,?Vistage Chair, Facilitator, & Executive Coach

Find me easily at: 847.404.7325, [email protected], LinkedIn: www.dhirubhai.net/in/suetinnish, Website: https://vistage.com/chairs/sue.tinnish