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Steve Tobak is a management consultant, executive coach, and former senior executive of the technology industry. He's managing partner of Invisor Consulting, a Silicon Valley-based strategy consulting firm. Contact Tobak; follow him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn@SteveTobak


If You Haven't Worked for a Failing Company, Here's What You're Missing

Want to gain confidence, wisdom, and leadership skills in record time? Go to work for a floundering company.  Read story

9 Traits of Companies That Beat the Odds

What distinguishes perennially great companies from the pack? Innovative business strategies that work over the long haul.  Read story

When Good Isn't Good Enough

Leadership lessons from BlackBerry's demise -- a cautionary tale for companies big and small.  Read story

Why Your Vision Must Be Grounded in Reality

Don't roll your eyes. Awareness of what's going on inside and around you can help you to visualize and influence your future.  Read story

4 Smarter Ways to Work Your Connections

Success in business is all about relationships. Your network is your most important asset. Treat it that way.  Read story

Getting That Big Break

Inc.com columnist Steve Tobak recalls a big break moment. Are you open to change?  Read story

7 Signs You're Ready to Be Your Own Boss

Before they were great leaders, they were great employees. Most accomplished entrepreneurs and executives built their success on a solid foundation.  Read story

9 Sentences That Could Ruin Your Career

More people shoot themselves in the foot, get fired, or destroy promising careers by saying, emailing, texting, or posting things they shouldn't.  Read story

World's Simplest Ways to Stay Energized

Sometimes motivation comes from the most basic things--like a good cup of coffee or walk outside. Or some wine.  Read story

Feeling Sidetracked? 10 Biggest Time-Wasters

If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you've got to have a laser-like focus, something that's harder to do now than ever before.  Read story

Think For Yourself--Best Leadership Tip Ever

Here's how one famous consultant changed the face of leadership and what you can learn from him.  Read story

Lance Armstrong: What You Can Learn From His Failure

Lying, denial, cheating: There have been plenty of Lance Armstrongs in the business world. But are these situations really as black and white as they seem?  Read story

Crushing Defeat and Epic Failure: Get Used to It

Show me a great entrepreneur or business leader, and I'll show you someone who has experienced disaster. It comes with the territory.  Read story

10 Leadership Lessons for Gen-Y

It might be a brave new world, but an old-school approach to leadership still works. Take notes.  Read story

Why the 4-Hour Workweek Is a Myth

Working less means you get less done. But that doesn't mean you need to work 24/7 either. Here's some real world advice.  Read story

Does Social Media Content Have Any Credibility?

High-tech innovation either works or it doesn't -- you can't fake it or dress it up. One big exception: social media content.  Read story

Why Success Is Never an Accident

Successful people always seem to make their own luck and find opportunities, but it has more to do with their state of mind than anything else.  Read story

7 Ways to Be a Stress-Free Workaholic

The complexity, competitiveness, rate of change, and communication overload of modern business life mean one thing: If you want to win, you've got to learn t...  Read story

Are Power Seekers Good or Evil?

Does power motivate successful executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders and, if so, is that a good thing?  Read story

9 Ways You're Ruining Your Online Reputation

Everything you do on the Internet is like a tattoo you get late at night that can never, ever be erased.  Read story

Be as Sharp as Your Lawyer: 10 Legal Myths

I've never met a successful businessperson who couldn't negotiate a solid agreement and didn't know how to protect his company's intellectual property.  Read story

Top 10 Traits of an Exceptional Boss

The first lesson in business is figuring out who you should listen to and who you shouldn't.  Read story

Why New Year's Resolutions Don't Work

Making warm and fuzzy promises to yourself doesn't work. Here's what does.  Read story

Why Perks Aren't Company Culture

Just because you let your employees have dogs in the office, doesn't mean you have a great company culture. Here's why.  Read story

Your Worst Enemy? You (& That's a Good Thing)

This entrepreneur talks about how being his own worst enemy actually worked to his benefit--and it still does.  Read story

5 Lessons From the Apple vs. Google Battle

Take a look at what happened between Apple and Google recently. There are lessons you can learn about dealing with rivals in your industry.  Read story

7 Things That Make Great Entrepreneurs Tick

All the greats--Mayer, Page, Zuckerberg--have these things in common, and this list is what makes them better than all the rest.  Read story

10 Biggest, Most Offensive Holiday Party Faux Pas

There's only one rule of office parties: Enjoy the entertainment; just don't be the entertainment. Check out the worst offenses.  Read story

Why Employee Engagement Is Not Important (Yes, Really)

This is not a joke--it's every executive's dirty little secret. Here is the real list of priorities within successful companies.  Read story

5 Leadership Fads to Ignore

Forget the self-help books. If you want to be a leader, use common sense. Here are a few of the so-called trendy tactics you should ignore.  Read story

8 Reasons You Feel Stuck (& Why)

Sometimes, you get stuck. But knowing why could give you an edge in getting out of the rut faster.  Read story

Imagine a World Without Your iPhone

No, really. Try to. Or better yet, why not actually put down your phone and live in the real world?  Read story

Top 5 Skills Every Leader Must Have

The world moves fast and if you can't keep up, your company is doomed. Here are five skills that every leader must have to run a company in today's culture.  Read story

5 Surefire Ways to Piss Off Customers

Frankly, there's no excuse for these offenses. If you want to succeed in business, you should take notes.  Read story

7 Ways to Cool Down a Heated Debate

Why can't we all just get along? Because, sometimes, we can't. But there are a few smart ways to get your debate back on track when folks disagree.  Read story

Get Real: Venture Capitalists Are Awesome

Yeah, yeah. You've heard why VCs are awful, greedy people. But, really, when you think about it, they aren't that bad.  Read story

Change Your Ways? 3 Things You Must Do First

Even for the most seasoned leader, change is possible. Just sit down and have a frank conversation with yourself. Here's how to start.  Read story

Why Gen Y Should Get a Real Job

If being an entrepreneur is your dream, do yourself a favor and get a job in corporate America first. You'll be a better founder and manager.  Read story