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…

Hi. Thanks for coming to this article. It’s a pleasure to have you. Settle in. Grab a dram of your favorite whiskey, a glass of wine, or that other thing you drink, and let’s get going. At Rule No. 1, our work is about helping leaders, teams, brands, and companies…

Rivers of ink have been spilled over important business debates such as the distinction between management and leadership, or what exactly culture eats for breakfast. And that was just yesterday on LinkedIn! Yet, one of the most important debates we ought to be having as a business community is simply…

I recently lost a project I was really excited about with a leader I really wanted to work with. I lost it not because they didn’t like our thinking. Not because we weren’t a good fit. Not because of price. …