“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” is an often-used phrase to describe an essential element of organizational success. Here’s my take: You need both. Without a comprehensive, well thought out strategy, businesses tend to operate in a state of constant randomness. And while short term success may be found in reacting to opportunities and circumstances as…
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It’s not uncommon for business leaders to stress the importance of “customer focus” through all areas of their enterprise. On the surface, not a bad idea. However, upon closer look, this approach may be keeping your business from realizing its full potential. Here’s why. We’ve all heard of the Pareto Principle, sometimes referred to as…
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In recent planning meetings with several clients, a common theme (challenge) has emerged. While sales are reasonably strong, a deeper review of major accounts (using the Key Account Accelerator process) revealed some interesting facts. Chief among them is that each company is only a few client defections away from a major write down in business…
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In a modern production organization, measurement matters. Successful companies have spent a great deal of time determining which activities they will monitor and measure on a regular basis. These real time data can help leaders keep track of the rate, pace, and flow of work through the enterprise and enables them to act should an…
Read MoreIn her best-selling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” author Marie Kondo identifies high levels of clarity and focus that result from eliminating unnecessary items from our personal and professional lives. Removing “clutter” brings with it an almost overwhelming sense of relief and an ability to spend more time and attention on the things that matter most. The same principal can be applied to our quest to make more efficient use of our time. To “de-clutter,” we must first identify and yes, write down how we spend our time…
Read MoreAsk any busy executive for a list of their most pressing needs, and having more time will probably show up among the top three items. No surprise. Getting a handle on this important but elusive idea requires a different way of thinking. The paradox of time is that we have all there is. How is it then, that there never seems to be enough? The notion of “time management” is a flawed concept, since we really can’t manage time, we can only manage ourselves, our activities and most of all,…
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