Alignment
Alignment is important for the efficient operation of an automobile suspension. It’s equally important for the successful operation of a business. Failure to properly align the front end of an automobile results in excessive wear of tires and suspension parts, a vehicle that pulls to one side or other other, lower fuel economy and a […]
Dig Deeper
If you want to be prepared, you’ve got to do the work. “Cliffs Notes” may provide fast facts, but it’s the underlying story that offers context. There are no shortcuts to achieving deep understanding. “Executive Summaries” are the business equivalent of “Cliffs Notes” and represent an efficient way for leaders to gain a quick overview […]
What Got You Here….
…Won’t Take You There! If your organization is growing, or you want it to, it’s essential to adapt your capabilities on three levels. The same people doing the same things, in the same ways, will swiftly reach a choke point on growth. To get “there” requires that you: Develop People. Beyond the fundamental requirement to […]
Inference
What inference can you make from the information you have at hand? Is it clear, compelling and sufficient? Or is it fuzzy, ambivalent and inadequate? As we endeavor to make sense of the world we live in, we make inferences all the time. Sometimes the process is conscious and other times our subconscious takes control. […]
Data Points
The purpose of our business information systems is to provide us with timely and relevant information for effective decision-making. We live in a world awash in information, but is it timely or relevant to us and, most importantly, do the data points actually help us make wise choices? Whether it’s the composite results of a […]
Power of 3
It does seem as though many things come in 3’s. In my case, at least, trying to keep more than 3 major initiatives in focus and moving forward is fruitless. With more than 3 in play, distraction sets in and effectiveness on any one initiative gets diluted. There is a certain “power of 3”. I […]
Prepare for Performance
If you want to run a marathon, you’d better train for it. If you want to run a business, you’d better do the same. Running a business is not for the faint-hearted, or for those who won’t commit to the work that success demands. Whether it’s employees, customers, bankers or board members, they’ll know if […]
Leading: Adjust the Sails
“Our Destiny is shaped by our Thoughts and Actions. We cannot direct the wind, but we can Adjust the Sails.” I’ve kept this picture on the corner of my desk for quite a few years. It serves as a daily reminder to me, and to those who come meet with me, that it’s necessary for […]
Analyze or Over-think?
There’s a fine between thoughtful planning and analysis, or over-thinking and paralysis. I should know, as I’ve crossed it from time to time. If you know me, you also know that details matter; they truly do. I like to understand why, not just how and what. Plus I like to have options, depending on how […]
Idea Flow
There’s a remarkable human capacity to create ideas that improve how we live, work and play. Certain rare and storied individuals are heralded in history for their breakthrough ideas (think Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison and Steve Jobs, to name a few epic ones), but it’s the collaboration of teams who generate idea flow on […]