The resolution was agreed on by leading democracies and Russia in Cologne, Germany, as a path to ending the 77-day-old Kosovo war and allowing the return of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanian refugees.

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More importantly, he worried about management culture as the path to product culture, where innovation means never-ending creativity, not tossing the dice and getting lucky on a good roll.

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In my more than two decades of experience dealing with executives and organizations facing similar lose-lose scenarios, I think Lance knew that whatever path he chose would inevitably result in a career-ending, painful finish.

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And it just might be the answer to ending the year on a high note and starting 2012 on the path to a happier, healthier, more motivated career.

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