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…
Mentoring is an effective way to pass on experience and knowledge within an organization. Companies in all industries have formal and informal programs designed to hone their talent and sharpen their competitive edge. However, the technology revolution has created an ironic twist to traditional mentoring. Today, it's common for a young, entry-level worker to have a…
The powerful leader, without a doubt, can still have a strong and commanding presence. The key is how s/he chooses to exchange information, and therefore power, to yield team success. A power exchange is the intentional, continuous transfer of information that boosts employee accountability and performance. There are four power converters that gradually increase employee…
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…
As with a building, a team is only as strong as the foundational values on which it is built. And just as in a building, cracks in a team’s foundation can be difficult to spot. Problems with a team’s foundational values can initially look like some simple flaw in the exterior. If you find yourself…
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 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…
The most important decision is to decide what is most important. For the purposes of sharpening focus, your “one thing” is the one activity that most directly helps you execute your plan. Each day, each week, each month, each quarter, and each year, there is just one thing that is most vital for you to…
Have you ever noticed the intensity difference when you play a game for fun compared to “playing for keeps?” Our family frequently plays Ping-Pong in our game room. It’s a fun and easy game for all ages. It’s easy and pretty relaxed to just volley back and forth, but there are visible changes once we…
