The 5 questions to ask before taking on any major strategic initiative:
1. What’s in it for the customer?
Every decision your organization makes should consider your customer first. At the start of one engagement years ago, a Vice President actually said, “Let’s face it, the customer is going to hate this.” Well, that sent us back to […]
In his book, “The Goal”, Eliyahu M. Goldratt discusses how every process is eventually governed by the theory of constraints. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_constraints) Simply put, to maximize throughput, you need to identify the key constraint in your process and do everything in your power to alleviate that constraint.
While the approach is most commonly applied to manufacturing, it is […]
Making Purpose your pathway to Profits. Some call it “Corporate Responsibility.” We call it just good business. Defining your Corporate Purpose (What does your company stand for?) can serve as a beacon for your customers, for your employees, and for your leadership when tough decisions need to be made. Customers employee voices are heard, cross-functional concerns are weighed, and […]
“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry,” Steinbeck waxed poetic. But there’s little poetic about the countless hours business leaders invest in building, tracking, and adjusting their strategic plans every year if their plans go unfulfilled. The difference between success and failure often depends on execution. Strategic Programs focus on execution – they put your Strategic […]
When leaders have good news to share, the important points are front and center. In the subject line of the email. On the title of the slide. On the tip of everyone’s tongue.
But, when the news isn’t bright, managers often try to explain the situation, discuss the circumstances, congratulate the effort, before they get to the real point.
Whether good news […]
In the earlier vision and the people who are helping to realize the vision. Top down, bottom up, middle out. Video, verbal, oral, interactive. The message should be everywhere…including on the top of the mind of every employee. Take the time to understand what communication vehicles work best for your employees. And take some risks. Sometimes, breaking the mold is […]
“C” level executives lead organizations. VPs lead departments. Directors, managers and supervisors lead people. In order to create a shared vision of the future – one that delivers hope to your employees – you need to develop a sense of ownership among your people frontline employees to wonder “What can I do to impact this goal?” Recently, mid-level managers were […]
Your business depends on getting the most out of your people.
Constructive feedback can help your people build on their strengths and learn to improve upon their deficiencies. However, that only happens when employees are receptive to it.
A proven feedback technique is called “The Love Sandwich”. The Love Sandwich surrounds the constructive feedback with positive […]
Steven Covey built his reputation with “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”. Then, Malcolm Gladwell sold millions of copies of the next Mark Zuckerberg (and how would you keep him anyway?), remember that adding more innovation in your organization comes from investing in your team’s Aptitude and Attitude.
“You Gotta Give ‘Em Hope,” the now-famous quote from the film, “Milk” can be applied to the corporate world as easily as it you get there. We’ll dive deeper into each of these steps in future blog entries, and would love to hear how you deliver on them.
