Great thought this morning from Nicholas Bate:

Clear objectives for the quarter-rewarded by bonuses/or not-do tend to get individuals to focus on the quarter. But what's getting them to give attention to the longer term, the neglect of which has been the demise of all once robust, thriving and great firms?

Yesterday, Hugh MacLeod took a shot at high quota as a de-motivator. "when it comes to leading a team, you have to set achievable goals. Build your momentum. ... Lower quotas equal more success. More success equals better morale. Better morale equals more success."

To build great companies you need a vision, mission, culture designed around more than quarterly profit (unless you share it with everyone).

Otherwise you end with a Duopoly with 70% customer dissatisfaction and businesses all over NYC wondering why the FCC, PUC and state's Attorney General isn't making VZ keeps its promise of FiOS to all -- a promise made in 2008!!! (Read more at Fred Wilson's blog including the comments).