Keeping things simple helps your team stay focused. This seems like it should be easy enough, but as billionaire investor Warren Buffett says, "There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult." We do, in fact, live in a complex world of advancing technology, global competition, brand abundance, unprecedented…
Charlie Jones is a sportscaster who has covered several Olympic games in his long career. At the 1996 games in Atlanta, he was assigned to announce the rowing, canoeing and kayaking events – a situation that left him less than thrilled, since it was broadcast at 7 a.m. and the venue was an hour's drive…
After working with leaders and organizations to improve their strategy execution for the past 15 years, I have boiled it down to these 12 phrases to help you and your team stick with it. Sharpen your focus. Build your competence. Ignite your passion. We win from within. Measure what matters. Identify your "one thing." Convert…
Growth may be optional but change is inevitable. Unfortunately, most efforts to make organizational changes fail, and the reasons are predictable. Since change will happen in your business, keep these 10 reasons handy to boost your chances of a successful change effort – and business growth. Asking for Behavior X while rewarding Behavior Y. Make…
In my last week's post, I described five common risks for growing businesses. Here are five more risks you need to manage to scale your business. #6: The planning horizon is too short. Think of the inscription on your car’s side view mirror: "Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear." We tell our…
Over the past 20 years, I have observed 10 recurring risks for growing business and have helped clients address them. Understanding how these risks apply to your business and proactively managing them will help you sustain growth. These first five risks apply to growth businesses in varying degrees. Generally, the risk factors are more prevalent in younger…
In business and in life, the game is usually won by those who can consistently execute a well-thought-out strategy. In other words, winners stick with it. Adherence is the critical link between strategy (knowing) and results (doing). Winning requires adherence, because successful execution of your plan is not a one-time event. It's a commitment to…
My family loves to watch the Olympics. Nothing stirs the emotions like seeing a lifelong journey of sacrifice and overcoming adversity culminating in either the joy of victory or the agony of defeat. Like nearly a billion others worldwide, we are personally drawn to the athletes’ stories. Not only are these athletes testaments to the…
In last week’s issue, we discussed the second of four adherence accelerators to help sharpen your focus (identify your one thing). The third adherence accelerator is to know when to say no. Our clients’ stop doing lists tend to cluster into three main areas: e-mail, reports, and meetings. Here is a list of the most…
A couple of weeks ago we shared how the art of adherence is a lot like growing Indian Thorny bamboo, which is native to Asia. It takes up to two years of careful attention for the plant to build a strong root structure, none of which is visible above ground. However, once the sprout finally…
