Greetings.  Have you ever wondered if your company or organization's business model is running out of energy?  If so, there's a simple way to spark fresh thinking about how to be successful in the work you do.

Go to the movies.  That's right.  Find two hours this week to take your team to see the new movie Moneyball based on Michael Lewis's acclaimed book with the same title.  It's a fascinating look at how the Oakland A's defied traditional "logic" about what it takes to be successful in the highly-competitive world of professional baseball.  And an equally fascinating look at innovation borne out of the need to win baseball games with a much smaller budget and much less star appeal than your competitors.  Innovation tied to a belief that numbers don't lie and that it is possible to "construct" a consistently winning (and affordable) baseball team through in-depth statistical analysis and an investment in players that no one else really wants.  So if you're not the big dog in your industry, this movie will quickly give you a cause for celebration or at least encouragement.  And if you are the big dog in your world, it will give you cause to rethink the way you do business and leverage your resources in our challenging economy.

All for the cost of a movie ticket.  Or the cost of enough movie tickets to take your entire team of budding geniuses.

And it's worth noting that the three most expensive baseball teams in the world–the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox–are finished for the season as the lower-paid Brewers, Cardinals, Tigers and Rangers battle for the championship.

We win in business and in life when we regularly rethink the way we do the things that matter most.

Cheers and have a great week ahead!