The people part of business operations.
Back in the days of yore when I started my consulting career, diversity issues dominated the agendas of military social action groups and the burgeoning human resource movement. People wanted inclusion, equitable pay, and fairness in hiring and promotion. New terms like “affirmative action” and “quotas” started to creep into the vernacular, and people reacted […]
What if We Got it All Wrong? Read More »
Chip R. Bell What would an Easter egg hunt be like if the location of all the eggs were clearly marked with a red flag? How would you like receiving a birthday present without any wrapping or colorful bow to open…just a Post-it note on the box with a handwritten: “Thought you’d like this dark
The Demise of Customer Surprise Read More »
Ron West, author of “Corporate Caterpillars: How to Grow Wings” By the time most business leaders utter those immortal words “you’re fired” they are usually massively relieved. It is often said that no leader ever wishes they had waited before firing an employee. Most wish they had done it much sooner. But does it really
How to Avoid Firing An Employee Read More »
David Martin and Kathy Quinn Successful growth initiatives require an organizational shift at two levels, above and below the surface level. Even something as seemingly obvious as prioritizing the customer in an organization where this has not historically been the case demands more than a detailed list of new customer-centric processes. Processes, which are the visible, above
Why Your Growth Initiative Just Stalled Read More »
Gary C. Smith Every business has problem inventory; items sitting in a storeroom or warehouse with little or no chance of ever being sold. But a growing number of businesses are taking advantage of an IRS regulation that lets them turn that merchandise into a federal income tax deduction by donating it to charity.
How To Manage Problem Inventory Read More »
Jim Alampi The single most critical leadership skill in growing companies is delegation. The absence of this skill in the CEO or at the executive team level causes more companies to get “stuck” than any other behavior. In a startup, being a hands-on executive is a useful characteristic, but once the number of people in
Stop Thinking Like A Startup – Learn to Delegate Read More »
Colin D. Baird, Vice President, Sullivan Curtis Monroe Executives I speak with are interested in learning more about how Dr. W. Edwards Deming from M.I.T., and Dr. Taichi Ohno transformed Toyota Motor Corp (TMC) from a small fledgling automatic loom company in 1924, into one of the world’s most efficient, and profitable automotive companies in 2013. Toyota also
Gemba Walks and The Undercover Boss Part II Read More »
Colin D. Baird, Vice President, Sullivan Curtis Monroe Gemba is a Japanese term used in the lean world to define “the place where things are happening”, and genchi genbutsu means “go and see for yourself”. In American terms we might refer to it as Management By Walking, or Get Your Boots On. CBS television has a hit
Gemba Walks and The Undercover Boss Part I Read More »
When it comes to accepting direction, star performers, especially those in the major leagues of their industries, show caution and restraint. They offer raw talent, expertise, discipline, and excellence, so they want to see the same qualities in those who lead and teach them. Members of the St. Louis Cardinals see these traits in their
Coaching in the Majors: Advice from Cardinal’s Hitting Coach Read More »
Todd C. Williams, Founder & President, eCameron, Inc. Turning vision into profitability takes equal parts of leadership and management. Understanding which parts to use is the challenge. As leaders we set the vision and define the corporate culture. If we do not imbue the qualities that build trust within our company and with our customers, growth
Turning Vision into Profit Read More »
