Thomas Butta

One of the biggest obstacles for marketers today is finding impactful and lasting ways to rise above the noise. Everywhere you turn there is a relentless stream of content delivered through an unending variety of channels. No brand, company, or individual voice is immune...

Have you ever wondered why some company cultures are stronger than others, or why some brand stories are crystal clear? Certainly there are many factors that contribute to the clarity of your company’s culture and brand, but one of the most important is how well you onboard people during their first critical days, weeks, and months.

Do you ever notice how good it feels when you experience the power of simplicity? It’s clarifying, even freeing. On the other hand, do you notice how heavy it feels when you’re experiencing complexity? It has a certain weight to it.

If you were a fan of the band, The Police, you certainly remember the haunting song that featured the lyrics, “Every breath you take, every move you make, every step you take, I’ll be watching you.” That’s as good a way as any to explain why Big Data is such a big deal.

Last Wednesday was one of those rare days where everything lined up. 12/12/12. It doesn’t get more symmetrical than that. Everything did line up, didn’t it?

I recently dined at a ‘West Coast fish house’ in San Francisco called Anchor & Hope. It’s in a renovated turn-of-the-century artist’s warehouse. The food and ambiance were terrific, but the name of the place is what keeps me remembering it.

Have you seen Lincoln, Steven Spielberg’s epic movie staring Daniel Day-Lewis? Run — don’t walk — to your nearest theater. It’s a great film for all the reasons movie critics will tell you. I was particularly pulled in by the way Abraham Lincoln led during such a critical moment in American history.

Did you ever wonder where ideas come from? Did you ever wonder how ideas get started? Did you ever wonder why ideas seem to come out of nowhere?

Which of the following potential outcomes do you believe is most damaging - failure, rejection or indifference?

What is the only force capable of standing up to inertia? What underlies a great organizational culture? What is the backbone of momentum? I believe that is belief.

Which of the following potential outcomes do you believe is most damaging - failure, rejection or indifference?

Do you embrace uncertainty or run from it? Does ambiguity motivate you or cause you frustration and discomfort?

It was a gathering of contrarians, a few hundred radicals hand-selected to come together to mash it up inside an inspiring art studio. These weren’t painters or sculptors. These were protagonists in the business world, protestors of the status quo — demonstrators, if you will, of a better way to build and run organizations. This was a gathering of change agents who drive new agendas all over the world — in big organizations and small, established ones and newbie’s. This event was called the MIX… Show more

It was a gathering of contrarians, a few hundred radicals hand-selected to come together to mash it up inside an inspiring art studio. These weren’t painters or sculptors. These were protagonists in the business world, protestors of the status quo — demonstrators, if you will, of a better way to build and run organizations. This was a gathering of change agents who drive new agendas all over the world — in big organizations and small, established ones and newbie’s. This event was called the MIX Mashup. Its stories can be found here. Show less

You’re probably familiar with Get Smart, the television series subsequently made into a movie. Its plot pitted the intelligence agency, CONTROL, against the terrorist forces of KAOS. It was set in a make-believe, make-me-laugh world that didn’t much resemble reality other than the contextual framing of good versus evil.

Name the tallest building in New York City? For the past 10½ years it was the iconic Empire State Building. No more. As of last week, that honor belongs to the new One World Trade Center, now more simply known as 1WTC and previously known as Freedom Tower. It was a big news story here in New York. Did you hear about it?

I recently had the good fortune of spending time in Shanghai, China through the lens of a new, US-based venture. We were afforded an insightful peek into China at work, China at play, new China, old China. It was a fascinating experience that offered a variety of learnings.

I recently read an article in The Economist about Jim Collins, the author of Built to Last, Good to Great, and, most recently, Great by Choice. The piece reviewed the merits of Collins’s overarching point of view — that greatness is largely a matter of choice and discipline — relative to other approaches including a transformative one. What surprised me wasn’t the comparison of disciplined and steady versus an aggressive agenda, but rather that transformation was painted with a ‘trash and burn’… Show more

I recently read an article in The Economist about Jim Collins, the author of Built to Last, Good to Great, and, most recently, Great by Choice. The piece reviewed the merits of Collins’s overarching point of view — that greatness is largely a matter of choice and discipline — relative to other approaches including a transformative one. What surprised me wasn’t the comparison of disciplined and steady versus an aggressive agenda, but rather that transformation was painted with a ‘trash and burn’ brush. It got me thinking: What do we know about transformation. Show less

In “The Road to Value (Part 1)“ I revealed a powerful way to lead a changing or emerging industry by developing a roadmap that delineates the way to create and capture value in that industry. The post showcased market-based benefits to doing this leading work. It also referenced the internal value that could be gained inside the company designing the roadmap. Internal value is the focus of this post.

Much is written about value. Even more is said about it. Value just might be the most overused word in business today.

Do you remember the popular book, Dress for Success? It sold millions of copies based on a simple concept: If you want to get ahead you need to look the part. And that starts with what you wear. Wardrobes were updated everywhere.