Margie Blanchard, Ph.D., has been a driving force behind the Ken Blanchard Companies' growth as a premier management consulting firm. She heads up its office of the future, a study of emerging trends in the workplace. When I interviewed Margie a few years ago, I was taken by her keen insights and profound reflections. During…
The key to passionate performance is found within the hearts and minds of employees where their basic human needs are fulfilled. It’s a simple but powerful formula: When their needs are fulfilled, they are engaged and perform at their peak ability. When their needs are not met, they are frustrated, out of control, unfocused, and…
Can you recite the flight attendant’s safety speech? I bet you can. You know, the one that goes something like, “... In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop from above. If you are traveling with a child, place your mask on first ...” I found this version of…
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…
Neither the pilot nor the skydiver were seriously injured when they hit the ground, according a local Sheriff's Office. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. I am not sure why the whackiest things seem to happen in my home state of Florida, but here is one of those things that was captured in…
Your agility is a primary competitive advantage. Here’s how you can build more – and an unbeatable team. Being agile means being quick – responding to things quickly and acting quickly. Agility is a trait of successful leader. Not surprisingly, it’s also a trait of a successful team. It becomes particularly valuable in times of…
In today's information-overloaded workplace, it can be challenging for leaders to decide what to communicate to employees and what to withhold. It's easy to say to yourself, "They don't really need to know all that" or "My team won't really understand" or "I don't think they can handle that news right now." But the truth…
The NBA finals are upon us again. Having your opponent slam dunk in your face is known as "getting posterized" because it makes a great poster like this one: Whether you are a basketball player or not, you can colorfully posterize your space with positive inspiration. Here are two great options: Purchase Now! Click here…
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…
