Author Archives: Kate Purmal
On Biking & Business: The Nail in my Tire
The other morning I was riding through Portola Valley when a nail pierced my tire. It was quite impressive. I must have hit the nail at just the right angle for it to enter the tire and exit next to … Continue reading
On Biking & Business: The Hill Climbing Gear
When I booked my Backroads bike trip to Alaska I had just two months to train. I dusted off my road bike and started riding. I knew it would be important to up my mileage and to get in a … Continue reading
Do You Avoid Giving Feedback? Here’s a Formula that Works
For many people, just hearing the phrase “I’d like to give you some feedback” triggers a flight or fight response. They’re on high alert before you even start the conversation. This conversation can be just as difficult for the person … Continue reading
5 Keys to Managing Your Team Effectiveness and Efficiency
(Originally published on AlleyPost) We’ve been fortunate to work on some extraordinary teams and I’ve learned countless lessons about how high performing teams function. But I’ve learned just as much, if not more, from the teams that weren’t so hot … Continue reading
Backroads Biking Trip in Alaska Reveals Valuable Business Insights
I just returned from a six-day bike trip in Alaska with the active travel company Backroads. The trip was superb. Jaw-dropping natural beauty, fantastic food, unbelievable guides, great equipment and routes, 17 new friends from the US and Brazil, and … Continue reading
The Moonshot Effect Podcast on Emergingwomen.com
(Original post by Chantal Pierrat on Emergingwomen.com. Listen here) I recently learned a new word that I LOVE: moonshot. It sounds so feminine, but with this deep undercurrent of disruption of the status quo. Inspired by President Kennedy’s massive efforts … Continue reading
Three Practices That Keep Critical Projects On Track
by Kate Purmal and Lisa Goldman Here’s a common lament we hear from senior executives: “My team left the off-site planning meeting fully energized, but when it came to getting the initiative off the ground, we stalled. If we can’t … Continue reading
Strategy: Invest Aggressively in Three Areas
This must-read article by Chris Zook in Harvard Business Review argues that the best way to invest is not to spread your money around evenly, but instead invest aggressively – 10x the typical investment – in three areas:
Why Even Bad Innovation is Good
Andrew Hargadon’s article in Strategy+Business, Bad Innovation is Just What Your Company Needs, makes a case for innovation regardless of whether or not it results in a new hit product or market disruption. This argument is similar to our assertion … Continue reading
Why Go the Extra Mile to Recruit Talented Female Board Directors? Not for the Reasons We’ve Been Told.
When I started reading Kim Elsesser’s Forbes article, The Truth About Women’s Impact on Corporate Boards (It’s Not Good News), the “not good news” part gave me pause – until I read the article. Elsesser debunks three widely promoted arguments … Continue reading
Kate Purmal 