Metrics. A topic near and dear to everyone’s heart. Well, maybe not so dear. I suppose businesses need metrics. If we don’t measure anything, then we’re probably left with nothing more than our subjective impressions. Which benefits a few lucky people to the detriment of everyone else. But the problem…

As companies continue to make choices about whether to require workers to come back into the office and, if so, how often, a robust discussion is unfolding at dinner tables, in social media, and in the executive suite about the merits — if any — of in-person work. There are…

—Yogi Berra 1973 We’re given lots of advice in business about how to pursue success. Even how to define success. But I’m interested in when you know you’ve succeeded or failed. For example, there are two schools of thought in the innovation world about how much time to devote to…

At Rule No. 1, we talk quite a bit about humanity at work. But frankly, we haven’t explained ourselves well enough. Too often, when we say “humanity” it’s taken to mean that people should extend basic kindness and respect to each other at work. But we’re making a larger point…

I recently wrote an article in which I argued that the frame or category of “business” like all frames and categories, was invented by humans and can be — should be, actually — reinvented or uninvented. …

Ladies and gentlemen and children of some ages, At Rule No. 1, we take great pride in the bespoke work we do for our clients. …

How the magic of human cognition is blocking progress The human cognitive system is a marvel. It enables us to make sense of a highly complex world and navigate effectively through our day while our senses are constantly assaulted by a rich and voluminous stream of data. Wherever you are…

We live in an age of mass production and mass consumption. Quite possibly our economies are built on this. Lots of cheap shit we don’t need sold by mega corporations who care more about hitting their quarterly targets than they do about the joy of making and using great products…

There are many objections we see out in the world to the growing movement for more purpose-driven businesses. Those objections come in several flavors. Here are a few: The silly “Well purpose can’t solve every problem.” As if anyone ever said it could. The grumpy “I’ve worked for 30 years, and…