Depending on the perspective, there are good streets and not-so-good streets.  And then there are great streets.  This writer has a bias toward streets that are canopied. In Mississippi, that means streets that have treetops over them. Some streets in Ocean Springs, Jackson and Laurel come to mind. This column is about great streets as defined by the Project for ...

Amazon’s method of inviting cities to bid for its second headquarters is the top story in economic development news these days. It is fascinating to see cities responding with expensive and sometimes wild offers to be the one that is selected. I suppose you can’t blame them. Every public official wants more good job in their communities. So much so ...

Ask members of a group to name the characteristics of a good leader, and don’t be surprised when the usual descriptions come up: visionary, listener, communicator, ethical, trustworthy, etc. I’ve been doing such an exercise with groups for a long time. Lately, I’ve noticed that a certain characteristic has moved from the middle of the list to near the top. ...

Dear Mayor: I’m writing to let you know that my spouse and I have recently decided to relocate to another community. We are in our mid-50’s and have income over $200,000 per year. We plan on buying a house in the city. It will be in the $600,000 range. We are in excellent health and have no children. We travel ...

How much did you tip the server the last time you had a good meal in a restaurant? Who do you think gets to keep that tip? Would you change the amount you tip if the server did not get it all? The answer to these questions depends on several things, not the least of which is a U.S. Labor ...

  Mayors of just about all small towns are part-time individuals interested and willing to serve their communities. They do not get paid very much and most are not holders of college degrees in economic or community development. They learn quickly that there is a lot to learn about being the CEO of a small town. One of the many ...

It’s been a while since I had a chance to visit with former Pelahatchie Mayor Knox Ross so I reached out to him online. Here’s my interview with the personable and accomplished Ross. What are you doing these days? I am completing an 11-month assignment as the CEO of the Coordinating and Development Corporation in Shreveport. The CDC is an ...

Last week I was in a restaurant in Fayetteville, Arkansas and noticed something. It was the third restaurant in three different cities in three days that made a contribution to some type of charity. I’m seeing this more and more, not only in restaurants, but other businesses as well. What do they know that Milton Friedman did not know? You ...

In fact, leaders of companies that go from good to great start not with “where” but with “who.” They start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats. – Jim Collins, author of Good to Great – Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t   ...

Sooner or later, successful business persons will be asked to serve on a nonprofit board of directors.  Such service can be rewarding, but the outcome can be miserable if there is a bad match between board member and organization. To help avoid a potential bad experience and to help you evaluate whether you and the organization are a good match, the ...