IN THIS ISSUE: …First Rate Thinkers and Second Order Thinking; Is Your HR Department Profitable?; “Sensation, Presence and Connection”; Econ Recon

December 2025 WSJ/Vistage Small Business Confidence Index Climbs into the New Year

IN THIS ISSUE: …First Rate Thinkers and Second Order Thinking; Is Your HR Department Profitable?; “Sensation, Presence and Connection”; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE: …Is Gen Z Unemployable?; B2C Disruption; Workforce Trends for 2026 and Beyond; Econ Recon

July 2025 WSJ/Vistage Small Business Confidence Index Ticks Up Amid Ripple Effects

IN THIS ISSUE: …Five Leadership Lessons from a Marine; “The Hidden Cost of Standing Still”; Is Your HR Department A Profit Center?; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE: …Offense or Defense?; GenZ's REAL Competition; The Biggest C-Suite Risk: Failure to Delegate; Econ Recon; A Note From Scott

“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”...

"No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they'd die for.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1929-1968 Civil Rights Pioneer...

The WSJ/Vistage Small Business CEO Confidence Index rose to 109.5 in November, the highest level in 3-1/2 years. Expectations for the...

IN THIS ISSUE: Stop Reading Business Books; Are These Trends Your Friends?; A “Force Multiplier” for the CEO; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE: ...The 7-38-55 Rule, Properly Understood; 15 Tech Trends; Tech-Enabled Marketing; Econ Recon; A Note From Scott

IN THIS ISSUE: …The Water We Swim In; AI and Your Kid’s Career; Hybrid Hell; Econ Recon

“The dangers of life are infinite, and among them is safety.” Johann Wolfgang Goethe 1749-1832 German philosopher The “Zamboni”...

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” Sun Tzu 544 BC-496 BC Chinese Military General, Strategist, Philosopher. Author, “The Art of...

A short selection of leadership insights from leading periodicals to inspire, challenge and create advantage for business CEOs and owners

“Most geniuses—especially those who lead others—prosper not by deconstructing intricate complexities but by exploiting unrecognized...

“Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it’s the only one you have.” Emile Chartier 1868-1951 French Philosopher and Journalist...

“A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader. A great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.”...

IN THIS ISSUE: ...CHAT Room; Opportunity in Losing; The Performance Trap; Econ Recon; A Note From Scott

IN THIS ISSUE: …Boost Your Powers of Persuasion; AI : The Next Generation; What Fortune Favors; The Top HR Opportunities and Challenges

IN THIS ISSUE: …“Prepare to be Amazed” (ChatGPT); A Goal or a Mission?; Too Many or Not Enough?; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE..Innovation Primer; End of Non-Competes?; Judgment and Decision-Making Traps; Best Interview Answers (To THEIR Questions)

The WSJ/Vistage Small Business CEO Confidence Index reached 84.3 in December, posting the largest monthly increase in nearly 2 years....

IN THIS ISSUE... Blocking the Exits; Has AI Arrived?; The Existential Threat to Every Business; Do Talk to Strangers; Ecco Recon

IN THIS ISSUE:..How to “Just do it.”; Private Funding; “A Good Ball to Hit”; Econ Recon; A Note From Scott

IN THIS ISSUE:..14 Famous Pivots; Collins on Chaos; Debrief Yourself; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE: The Right and Wrong Ways to Fail; When You Get That Call to Buy Your Business; A “Quiet Quiet Quitting” Sampler; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE:..Input on Output; How Ike Prioritized; “Here Comes the Fun”; Econ Recon; A Note From Scott

IN THIS ISSUE..Inflation: Laughs and Strategies; Gone for now, or Gone for Good?; A Feedback Primer; Zelensky Leadership; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE..Collaboration Overload; A Four Day Workweek Primer; The Once and Future Supply Chain; Zelensky Leadership Sampler; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE:...The Great Resignation (No. 13); Cyber Security and Current Events; Remotely Accountable; Real Friends or Deal Friends?

IN THIS ISSUE:...The Single Best Interview Question; The Arc of Tragedy; ‘No Regrets’ is No Way to Live; The 5 Best Super Bowl Ads

IN THIS ISSUE: ...The New Weapon in the War for Talent; Five Easy IT Security Pieces; Dr. Galloway’s 2022; Count Your Blessings Differently;

The anticipated surge and unexpected spikes of 2021 have left CEOs unsure about the economy and marketplace in 2022 but quite certain...

IN THIS ISSUE: ... Accelerating a Trend; The Amazon Sidestep; The Last Last Mile; Econ Recon; A Message From Scott

IN THIS ISSUE…Love the One(s) You’re With; The Folly of ‘Family’; A Life Well Lived - General Colin Powell; Econ Recon; A Message From Scott

IN THIS ISSUE: ...“The Great Resignation”: A War, not a Battle; “The Great Resignation”: Retention; Delayed, not Decided; Econ Recon

After peaking at 108.8 in Q2, the CEO Confidence Index backed off to 97.1 in Q3. This moderation in confidence is driven mostly by the...

IN THIS ISSUE...Lasso’s Lessons; “Pride and Delusion”; Are You Backable?; 17 Words on Succession; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE: …Getting Your B2B Pricing “Right”; The Family Business Curse?; The CEO's Infinite Job: Mindsets and Methods; Econ Recon

Small businesses continue to have favorable views of the economy compared to last year. However, looking ahead, fewer small businesses...

IN THIS ISSUE:...Self-Efficacy 101; Knowing the Knowledge Worker; How to Get WFH Right; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE:...A Buffett Buffet; The Humor Cliff; Workforce Post -Pandemic Personas; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE:...Crypto Trust and Scarcity; The Faster Horse Fallacy; How biased is the information you rely on?; Econ Recon

Highlights: The Vistage CEO Confidence Index jumped 14 points, reaching 102.4, the highest level since September 2018. 44% of CEOs plan...

IN THIS ISSUE...Leaders’ Reading; Vulnerability in 6 Words; Executive Presence, A Tutorial; Econ Recon

IN THIS ISSUE:...Mid-Size Company Pandemic Future; Something Ventured…..; Security Begins at Home; Econ Recon

This timely HBR article by business psychologist and executive coach Dr. Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg provides valuable guidance on...

Highlights: Hiring plans increase significantly over last month; 67% of small businesses report plans to increase their workforce in the...