Want to ignite some excitement around a new initiative? Need a way to infuse your team with enthusiasm? Or inspire employees about a new product roll-out? During a recent assignment in the Golan Heights near the Syrian border, I had an opportunity to observe a recruitment event for high school students conducted by the Israeli… Continue Reading
Author Archives: Don
Simple Steps Toward Culture Change
Often, executives want to improve the culture in their business unit. Yet many experience a sense of helpless because they feel the only way they can do this is to change the structures, systems and processes in the organization over which they have little control. While organizational design can have a large and sometimes… Continue Reading
C-Suite Tools: Creating Powerful Strategic Discussions
“I need your coaching on working with my management team,” John told me during a recent phone call. “As we plan and strategize our future, we’ve got some tough decisions to make on our priorities and where we want to allocate resources. Of course, there will be some trade-offs and choices to make, so I… Continue Reading
Four Reasons Why Employees Ignore Corporate Values
Every week, we read stories of employees who, by violating corporate values, destroy their company’s reputation, assets, trust and goodwill. The following are recent examples: BP prided itself on a culture of safety. Yet, time after time, it appears rig personnel made decisions that increased the risk of a blowout to save the company time… Continue Reading
Which Strategic Initiatives Should You Implement?
Today, more than ever before, organizations are having to battle with fewer financial and human resources. Deciding where and how to allocate them is challenging – and these decisions have become even more difficult because a wrong decision can cripple an entire organization. In view of this new environment, the process of evaluating and prioritizing projects must… Continue Reading
Compete to Win: Align Your Culture to Your Strategy
If your organization has not aligned its culture to its strategic focus, meeting goals and fulfilling potential is likely to be tough. Unfortunately, few leaders have figured this out or know how to do it effectively. Step One: To be at the top of your game, determine how you will compete in the market place.… Continue Reading
Four Fatal Mistakes in Strategic Planning
Looking for ways to jump start profitable growth? Over 88 percent of this country’s large organizations are now engaged in some form of strategic planning…and this number continues to expand, reaching across all industry sectors and involves companies of all sizes. Yet, as business leaders gather to strategically plan their futures, they continue to make fundamental…even fatal… Continue Reading
Burnout: Its Costs and Cures
The critical difference between companies that handle aggressive schedules and stress versus those that can’t is how well managers perform their jobs. This “Leadership Tip” describes six ways managers can help prevent burnout and still deliver.… Continue Reading
Tear Down the Walls!
What are the costs of having silos between departments? In this “tip,” we share ideas about why silos develop and how to tear them down.… Continue Reading
“Time Out” as a Competitive Edge
In most companies, managers are so stretched, they don’t have a spare moment to plan or think. Just time to do. This tip is based on providing employees on the F-35 program the “time out” to think and innovate. The results were outstanding and guidance is given on how you can make “time out” part of your own culture.… Continue Reading