What are fairy tales? Simple stories to keep children entertained in the nursery, perhaps—tales of giants and princesses spun out of simple fancy and wayward whimsy? Perhaps, they're something more.  Fairy tales are some of the oldest stories in existence.  These are tales that have been...

Leaders may struggle to create brands that are still relevant in today's culture due to the high but ambiguous expectations they must achieve. Consider the tried-and-true method of identifying and aligning around a compelling brand promise. This is critical when comparing your brand's performance to...

What do you know? It turns out you can buy happiness. Okay, I might be overstating the case—but only a little. Nearly a decade ago, researchers Scott Rick, Beatriz Pereira, and Katherine Burson found that retail therapy—going shopping specifically to lift the mood, a behavior typically...

"America is a vast conspiracy to make you happy," John Updike once said, and it was with this in mind that I took in an old debate between journalist Johnathan Kay and conspiracy theorist Webster Tarpley on the 9/11 attacks. I'm not particularly interested in the...

How grateful do you feel each day? To what degree do you express your gratitude and appreciation to others around the office? If the answer is “not a lot,” you’re not alone. The Blessings of Gratitude We’ve previously discussed negativity bias—the brain’s predisposition to favor negative experiences, thoughts, and...