In almost 23 years in the management consulting biz, and more in industry before that, I've seen a lot of failure. (I suppose I've actually caused some of that failure, but you're not supposed to admit that.) Since a large fraction of what I do relates to new products, launch time is when I see much of that failure - or at least less-than-stellar success - occur. There are some great lessons to be learned from launch failures and disappointments.

     Many of the lessons I've learned are summarized in my whitepaper: 9 Mistakes That Will Kill Your New-Product Launch. Check it out. Can you offer more ways to fail?

     Failure can be educational, but it sure hurts.

     Do you recall the hype and mystery associated with the then-unnamed Segway scooter about ten years ago? It really got everyone curious and excited. Even when the wraps came off, it was quite intriguing. Then we all came to realize what it was good for and, more importantly, what it was not good for. (Think everyone on a Segway on midtown Manhattan sidewalks!).

     With apologies to Dean Kamen, Segway was a failure in two ways: product concept and launch strategy. There's a nice piece that describes both. Check it out.

     Really, don't you want to just shake someone by the shoulders when they over-use jargon? (By the way, you cannot under-use jargon.) The situation has not improved over the years, and I'm sure jargon will not disappear - it will simply evolve. But it really is frustrating, especially when the jargon-issuer is just trying to sound important while not really saying anything.

     There's a classic Forbes article on the subject of business jargon. I recommend it to lighten your day. But don't expect anyone to change their behavior and "take it to the next level".