About 350 years ago, a shipload of travelers landed on the northeast coast of America. The first year, they established a town site. In the next year, they elected a town government. The third year, the town government planned to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness. In the fourth year, the people…
A few summers ago my family vacationed in beautiful St. Lucia. One of our adventures included climbing Gros Piton (meaning "Large Peak"). It was billed as a casual 2-hour hike to the peak at 2,619 feet. As the photo above shows, we quickly found out that it was more like climbing steep boulders. Think of it as a…
A typical day in business (and in life) contains a curveball or two that throws you off your plan. A customer complaint gets elevated to you, an employee matter erupts, negative press on social media requires an all-hands-on-deck meeting, an urgent project from the CEO lands on your desk, an unexpected expense requires your time to…
https://youtu.be/uGhg6o-AmlA The Speed of Success video reveals Simplify as the first of the seven S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Accelerators. In 1800, an average American had 300 products to choose from. Today, there are more than 1 million complex products on the shelves. When Julie asks me to pick up some bread on the way home, my eyes…
Over the past 25 years, we have observed recurring challenges for growing companies that we call Risk Factors. Understanding how these risks may apply to your business and proactively managing them will help you sustain growth. The 10 Risk Factors apply to growth companies in varying degrees. Generally, the risk factors are MORE prevalent in…
Life always moves forward, never backward. Even when it seemed that everything was halted during a pandemic, minutes, hours, days, weeks and months passed. Your life and career are on a pathway to somewhere, so why not be intentional about your destination and enjoy the journey? Start by asking yourself two simple questions: What…
The best way to finish strong is to start strong. Healthy leaders create a 100-day plan, just as each President does, to set the tone for their teams. If you want to reach your goals, you have to mentally see them and then physically write them down. Just seeing them is not sufficient – your…
A compelling purpose answers “why?”. It provides meaning and motivation for your team. A compelling plan answers “what?”. It provides clarity and direction for your team. The latest Gallup workforce survey of millions of workers and interviews with CHROs and preeminent economists reveals that a global dream is to have a “good job”. However, the…
Last week, we highlighted Healthy Leadership which is a force multiplier for the 5 growth factors in the Healthy Growth process. Today, we will highlight the first of the five growth factors: Compelling Purpose & Plan. To convince others, you must first believe in your organization’s purpose and plan. Winston Churchill said, “Before you can…
Selecting the right people is a critical leadership lever that drives growth. Employee selection is the ultimate pay-me-now or pay-me-later leadership proposition. Do it effectively now and reap the benefits of a high-performing team later. Do it fast and cheap now, and pay the price later of increased turnover, underperforming teams, a diluted culture and…
