When working with clients one of the first things we do is go through a discovery process. You might think clients already know everything about their business but the truth is, most companies only look at the data in one way–the way they always have. By introducing new ways to analyze the data and integrate [...]
Over the course of my blogging career, I have enjoyed coining some unique language to describe some of the concepts and practices of successful strategic leaders as well as terms that describe common mistakes. Here is a dictionary of sorts. If the words or phrases intrigue you, please click on them to read more. Each is connected to [...]
Is the glass half full or half empty? Is the best singer on the Voice the winner? Is $3.01 a fair price for a bottle of water at the airport? Your answers reflect how you see it. Are you right? Hard to say. If I am the singer who won or the water vendor at the [...]
For those of us who travel on occasion (or alot) by air, we have learned to “go with the flow”. We never know when we will be delayed, diverted or just disappointed with the “care in the air” (and yes, that is a double entrendre). Although feeling helpless, I continue to opt out of the [...]
Thanks for sharing the amazing College World Series experience with me. It truly was a memory for a lifetime. I thought you might like to read some of what others have written about it. Why? This is not the online version of the family vacation slideshow. Rather this is how good it feels to be [...]
Which one do you prioritize–people or productivity? Rather than debating which business issue to tackle first, recognize that these two important business management topics are strongly related. You can’t have productivity without great people (unless you can automate every facet of your business!). I spent the day with a Vistage group in Michigan. It was a tremendous [...]
What a rare priviledge! This past weekend I had the chance to observe a group of young men live their dream. My son plays on the Vanderbilt University baseball team. Since he joined the team as a freshman three years ago, the hope has been to make it to the College World Series–the big show. [...]
The old adage “you get what you measure” has been proven time and again. The issue is, do you understand the implications of what you measure. Over the weekend, I attended a baseball series between Vanderbilt and Georgia, played in Athens. It was a great series between two well respected teams. It was also a [...]
Here are the results to the questions in the last blog. Compare your answers to over 1,000 business leaders. (source: Focus Index Report Q1 2011) 1. Businesses are optimistic about the future. TRUE. In fact, they believe business will be stronger compared with today. 2. Manufacturing is the industry segment with the lowest average business [...]
The Royal Wedding is almost here. Some of you may be more thrilled than others. However, you can’t deny that whether you are a romantic, a business centric thinker, or both, it has far reaching repurcussions. In a recent blog by Rosabeth Moss Kanter she explores some of these issues. Not unlike the last presidential [...]