The Main Thing:

I screwed up. Yes, I made a mistake. Have you ever said this at work or with your partner or spouse? It can be challenging, but it can also be liberating. Admitting your mistakes is honorable and gives people you work with confidence that they too can make a mistake.

I have made a large pile of mistakes. There are too many to count. Yet, through it all, I have had a successful career and a fulfilling life. Reflecting on my mistakes, I am careful not to beat myself up too much. I identify the error and then ask myself what I can learn from that mistake.

Then, I try not to make the same mistake again, which is the hardest part. As the old saying goes, “Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.” (Did Lincoln or Einstein say that?)

​Read this week's blog post about my illustrious sales career and mistakes.

Focus on Leadership

The Hidden Costs of Getting Things Done Too Early

I have fought my tendency to procrastinate my entire life. Procrastination is easy today with everything we can find on the internet and social media. Now, I have to deal with the opposite of procrastination: precrastination.

In the article Don't Procrastinate Important Tasks. But Don't Precrastinate, Either by Sammi Caramela (VICE); the author describes Precrastination, a term coined by psychologist David Rosenbaum. Procrastination describes our tendency to complete tasks immediately, even when doing so requires more effort than waiting.

Precrastination, conversely, drives people to tackle work immediately due to anxiety about future demands. In experiments involving bucket-carrying and other tasks, researchers discovered that many people spend more energy upfront to quickly clear their mental to-do lists. While this immediate-action approach might seem productive, studies show that precrastination can be just as problematic as procrastination. It can lead to rushed decisions and unnecessary strain, cautioning us to be mindful of our immediate impulses.

Why this Matters: This research has significant implications for economic development practitioners' organizational management and business attraction efforts. Understanding procrastination can improve how economic development organizations structure their project management approaches, potentially leading to better outcomes in complex, long-term initiatives like business recruitment or workforce development programs.

By recognizing when immediate action is counterproductive, practitioners can develop more strategic approaches to their work, ultimately creating more sustainable and effective economic development programs.

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​Leading in 2025: What Got You Here Won't Get You There

What does being a leader in today's business and political environment mean? The rules are changing faster than we can sometimes comprehend them.

In today's increasingly complex business environment, CEOs grapple with twice as many critical issues as they did a decade ago. The article, The Art of 21st-century Leadership: From Succession Planning to Building a Leadership Factory, (By Bob Sternfels, Daniel Pacthod, Kurt Strovink, and Wyman Howard -- McKinsey & Company) explores how modern leaders must adapt to navigate multiple disruptions, including generative AI, energy transition, and workforce demands for greater autonomy.

The Authors identify six essential leadership traits for today's uncertain environment: positive energy, servant leadership, continuous learning, grit, levity, and stewardship. The article emphasizes that organizations must shift from traditional command-and-control approaches to more collaborative, authentic leadership styles that engage with all stakeholders and build trust.

Why this Matters: For economic development professionals, this article provides valuable insights into how business leadership needs to evolve and directly affect workforce development and talent attraction strategies. Understanding these emerging leadership requirements will help economic developers better align their programs with the needs of modern businesses, particularly in areas such as talent development, business retention, and attraction efforts.

Creating "leadership factories" within organizations also suggests opportunities for economic developers to facilitate partnerships between educational institutions and businesses to develop leadership training programs that meet these evolving needs. This can create more effective ecosystem support for businesses in their communities, ultimately contributing to stronger, more resilient local economies.

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Nice Jerks: The New Workplace Menace

We have all experienced someone looking at their phone while we are talking, whether in a meeting or, unbelievably, one-on-one. I always think about what could be more important than what I am saying or the interaction we are having right now. I've worked with a few people like that, and it wasn't pleasant.

In the article Are You Being a Nice Jerk? by Jim Detert (MIT Sloan Management Review), we learn about extensive workplace behavior studies by Stanford professor Robert Sutton and Ohio State professor Ben Teppe. These studies reveal that while overt workplace aggression may have decreased, a new category of "nice jerks" has emerged.

These individuals engage in subtle disrespect like multitasking during meetings, showing up late, interrupting others, or displaying disinterest through body language. Through surveys of hundreds of working professionals, the research uncovered that these seemingly minor acts of disrespect trigger significant emotional responses, with 81% of respondents reporting anger and more than 25% feeling insignificant or anxious. The impact manifests in fight-or-flight responses where employees become combative or completely disengage from their work relationships.

Why this Matters: For economic developers and other leaders, this research has significant implications for organizational effectiveness and talent retention. In the competitive economic development landscape, where relationships and collaboration are crucial, fostering a respectful workplace culture can become a key differentiator in attracting and retaining businesses and talent.

Economic development organizations that implement these suggested practices can create more productive environments, leading to better outcomes in their community development efforts and stronger partnerships with stakeholders. Additionally, they can better advise local businesses on creating workplace cultures that will help them attract and retain talent in an increasingly competitive market.

Other Articles of Interest this week:

Technology -- Inside the Rise of 7,000 Starlink Satellites – and Their Inevitable Downfall by Joe Supan | CNET -- Elon Musk's internet satellites have been a game changer for people in rural areas, but scientists are alarmed that plans to launch thousands more will be perilous for our skies.

AI -- Trump signs AI executive order -- by By Frank Konkel, Alexandra Kelley and Natalie Alms |

RouteFifty -- The order calls for the development of an AI action plan. It sets up a process for revoking actions taken under President Biden’s previous AI executive order signed in October 2023.

Economic Development -- Sauerkraut giant relocates to Wisconsin, plans $13 million expansion by Indiana Schilz | NewsNation-- One of the world’s leading sauerkraut producers is moving its headquarters to Wisconsin, with plans to expand operations and add 60 high-paying jobs.

Green Economy -- A 16-year-old helms this new regenerative farming startup by Tricia Crimmins | TechBrew -- Carbonzero.eco is run by Harper Moss with a team of entrepreneurs and a scientist.

Mentoring -- How Small Talk Unlocks Big Potential in Mentoring by Andy Lopata | Psychology Today -- Small talk plays a crucial role in mentoring by helping to establish personal connection and trust.

Something You Should Read:

"Public Spaces: The Secret Sauce of City Success"

One of the things I loved about Indianapolis when I worked and lived there was a “Civic Commons” called the Cultural Trail. This trail was more than a bike and pedestrian path. It was a place that tied different parts of the community together through one giant common space that was miles long and weaved its way through neighborhoods.

While it wasn’t “transit” traditionally, it was a way for people to move about the city and spurred some “transit”-oriented development.

Now, like in Indianapolis, cities across America are discovering that transforming public spaces is more than just beautification - building trust, fostering connections, and creating resilient communities is critical in these spaces design.

A groundbreaking initiative called Reimagining the Civic Commons has invested nearly $10 million in ten U.S. cities to revolutionize how public spaces are designed, managed, and used. From Akron's canal-side transformations to Detroit's neighborhood renaissance, these cities prove that thoughtfully designed public spaces can bridge social divides and create economic opportunity. The initiative represents a fundamental shift in urban planning, treating public spaces as interconnected assets rather than isolated locations while measuring success through civic engagement, socioeconomic mixing, environmental sustainability, and value creation.

Traditional approaches to public space management often result in disconnected, underutilized areas that fail to effectively serve their communities. The Reimagining the Civic Commons model demonstrates how intentional design and collaborative management can transform public spaces into catalysts for community connection, economic vitality, and environmental resilience.
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For economic development practitioners, this initiative offers valuable insights into how public spaces can drive economic growth and community vitality. The success stories from cities like Cincinnati, Memphis, and San José provide practical examples of how public space investments can attract businesses, increase property values, and create vibrant neighborhoods that retain and attract talent.

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Read more about this effort and examples from across the country in the article, How U.S. cities are innovating in public space found in Medium.

Overheard :

“My personal assessment is I’m not sure the American consumer is necessarily aware of what those risks are, or where that data goes and why that could be a concern.”

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—Andrew Borene, executive director at Flashpoint, a private provider of threat data and intelligence, to CNET about the potential security risks of using AI tools

Rabbit Hole:

It's the Little Things That Count

The other day, as my alarm went off (I rarely use my alarm), I was startled and swung my legs on the floor, tested my weak right knee, and stumbled off the bathroom. I asked myself what I was doing up so early. However, it was my recommitment to getting up early before the crack of dawn to get some reading, writing, and thinking done.

I told myself not to think about it, just do the things I promised myself to do, and after a while the momentum of the moment will carry me through. Over time, as I do this every morning, I will have created a new habit and become more productive.

Creating habits, especially good ones, can be broken down into steps, as James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, the best-selling book on how to do this, clarifies. If you have read the book, you know what I mean.

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Now, in this substack newsletter, Doublethink, Lewis O’Brien breaks down the steps to creating habits in easy-to-read charts and graphics. If you enjoyed the book, you will enjoy this short article and graphics.

BREAKING EGG NEWS: Local Man Discovers Why His Breakfast Now Requires a Small Bank Loan

In a world where eggs have become the new luxury item (move over, caviar), former professional egg-cracker and quiche whisperer (me) reveals all. As a veteran of the Great Quiche Wars, where I personally dispatched thousands of eggs in the line of duty for my partner's food business, I share insights into the current egg-onomic crisis.

While some regions of America are now considering eggs acceptable collateral for mortgage payments, Northern Illinois remains a bastion of hope. Here, citizens can still indulge in the decadent lifestyle of occasional omelets and cake-making without having to sell their firstborn.

For those of you lying awake at night, tossing and turning over the mysterious forces driving egg inflation, salvation arrives in the form of Jason Chun's CNET exposé "Do Economists Think Egg Prices Will Drop Soon? We Asked Them." Finally, a piece that answers the age-old question: Why does my breakfast now cost more than my car payment?

Move over, Rocky Balboa - your raw egg protein protocol would today require a Hollywood star's salary to maintain. In these trying times, even Sylvester Stallone might have to switch to protein powder and dream of the good old days when eggs were merely the price of a small motorcycle.
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Remember folks, in these troubling times, the humble egg has transformed from a simple breakfast staple into the crown jewel of the refrigerator, guarded more carefully than the family silver. Keep your cartons close, and your egg suppliers closer.
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Want to know more about this eggs-istential crisis? Crack open the full article here.

(No eggs were harmed in the writing of this piece, mainly because we couldn't afford any.)

Hey Elon, Check Out What Andrew Did in His Spare Time (and his Money).

As a bibliophile, I am interested in books, libraries, bookstores, writing, and everything surrounding the idea of books. Anything you might want to learn, you can learn by reading (or watching on YouTube).

In several communities I have lived in, I have benefitted from excellent libraries; in one, the locals kept referring to their library as a “Carnegie Library.” I didn't know what that meant until someone explained the term's history to me.

It turns out that the industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie funded thousands of libraries in his lifetime. He started with libraries in communities for which he had an affinity to, such as his hometown in Scotland, and has adopted the community of Pittsburgh but soon expanded it to thousands of communities in the USA and across the globe. In all, he funded the construction of 2,509 Carnegie libraries between 1883 and 1929. At least 1,689 of those libraries were built in the United States.

​Carnegie Libraries Across America website links you to those built in the United States, many of which are still standing. Some are still used as libraries; others have been repurposed for other uses, including city offices, museums, and music halls.

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See if Carnegie initially funded the library in your community by perusing this website.

PODCAST REVIEW

Builders Live

In my effort to bring you not only great articles to read and peruse, I promised to bring you podcasts to listen to. I am a prodigious consumer of podcasts of all types and enjoy various subjects and ideas that emanate from those podcasts.

There are not many podcasts about economic development to choose from. Economic developers are a small group when measured as part of the national economy; frankly, most people don't understand the intricacies of attraction, business retention, and workforce development. While we can get excited about those topics, we must be honest and admit that most others wouldn't. Hence, the dearth of economic development podcasts.

The Builders Live podcast is brand new, and the hosts promise to bring information and news regarding the development and support of entrepreneurial ecosystems to the listener. From the website:

"Local economic development has entered a new era, where attracting human capital — innovative minds, researchers, and workers — matters more than physical infrastructure. And the key to standing out in this crowded field? Telling the story of those who are doing the building.

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Episode #1 --

As promised, the host, Chris Wink, initiated a discussion of entrepreneurial ecostructures as the lead topic. His guests included Victor Hwang of Right to Start, Brian Brackeen of Lightship Capital, and Maija Ehlinger of Hypepotamus.

This podcast has great promise, and if you carefully read any of the topics I write about, you will see why I think so. The discussion with the guests centered around ecosystem building and trends that the guests were seeing in that area of economic development.

I first read Victor Hwang's book The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley when it was first published in 2012. Over the past few years, I have given that book as a gift to various other economic development leaders and Mayors. Hwang's latest mission is called "Right to Start," a campaign to make starting a business easier across America.

Hwang opened the conversation early by saying, "Cities, Counties, and states can walk and chew gum at the same time. You can build your big companies, you can give them your subsidies and incentives, but you cannot have long-term sustainable prosperity without focusing on the little guy or gal trying to build something new…and you do that at scale, and you can transform any economy."

Other points that were brought forward were th idea that Cities with a significant corporate presence like Atlanta (Maija Ehlinger) or Cinncinati (Brian Brackeen), often have a diminished support system for small business startups. They have a large influence on the culture of startups
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In some communities, the big corporate or big money sponsor of an effort to create a stronger startup culture fails. Smaller efforts by multiple parties may look like they are siloed, but having multiple channels is a good thing. It means your community has energy for startups. (Discussion at 23:00 to 24:30).

Brackeen felt that a command-and-control culture from the bottom up does not work. Hwang agreed, saying that a sustainable startup culture must come from the bottom up.

Overall, I am looking forward to hearing more episodes of this podcast. The host, Chris Wink, is the CEO and founder of Technical.ly, a website and company that promotes small business startup culture, mainly in the Northeast (based on what I can see on his website).

I recommend listening to this first episode and hitting the follow button to hear future episodes.

Thanks for Reading

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Whenever you’re ready, there are several ways I can help you:

1. Economic Development: If you are looking to supercharge your economic development organization, I can help by strategizing and developing a roadmap to success. Set up a time to talk to me here.

2. Culture Change; Is your organization changing? Would you like to create an asset out of your culture? Do you know how to assess team strengths? Let me help you. I'm a certified culture change practitioner. Set up a time to talk to me here.

3. The Green Economy; The world is changing. Some of it is positive, and some of the change is not. Let me help you develop green economy opportunities for your community. Set up some time to talk about here.​

4. Mentoring Programs: Circles of Seven (C7) is a proven and award-winning model for mentoring. Whether it is for business or your community leadership program, I can develop a mentoring program for you. Let's talk about your situation. Set up a time here. ​

If you have any thoughts or comments regarding any articles in this newsletter please feel free to contact me through email at martin@martinkarlconsulting.com.​

You can review my services and offerings at www.martinkarlconsulting.com​

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