If you run a business, you will appreciate how many protocols and processes must be overseen on a daily basis. You may have automated where possible, and delegated what remained. But it is still likely that there are some areas of your business that could run more smoothly. While running a business is a process of continual refinement and improvement, some areas are regularly identified […]

A recent article shared by Gallup indicated that 36% of the U.S. workforce is engaged in their work. Surprisingly, this statistic is higher than it has been for many years, though the number itself is typically perceived as disappointing. However, opinions quickly change when Gallup also reveals that globally, only 20% of employees are engaged at work. Equally important, their findings indicate the percentage of actively […]

“This is a big price tag,” Rhonda said as she looked through Tom’s proposal. Tom didn’t expect the resistance he was getting from Rhonda, his organization’s vice president. Tom had just been promoted to manager of a small team and was in it to make a splash in the organization. He unveiled a bold proposal to implement new enterprise software that would replace an existing […]

My very first job was baking bagels at age 15 back in Connecticut. When my family moved to Arizona a year later, I bagged groceries and stocked shelves until I graduated high school, then sold clothes while in college. After getting my degree I joined Arthur Andersen

He’s clueless,” Alan said to his peer, Tracy as they walked out of the meeting. Alan had gone into his presentation to his VP, Amir thinking it was in the bag. What in his mind should have been a slam dunk turned out to be 30 minutes of inquisition-like questions, debating of assumptions, and skepticism of his solution, all followed by a “We’re not going […]

“Oh brother, Moe is on the meeting invite,” Sue said to herself as she prepped for the meeting. Moe has been at the company for 40 years and considers himself the fountain of knowledge for how things should be done. Even though a lot in the industry has changed over the years, Moe loves to tell stories about “the good old days” and how so […]

Many people claim they deserve to be in a leadership position. In an organization, the top leaders are part of the C-Suite. They are your Chief Executive Officer – CEO, Chief Financial Officer – CFO, Chief Operating Officer – COO, Chief Technology Officer – CTO, etc. The CEO is the chief of the chiefs and the others report to him. In many large companies, there […]

“Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink” – Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of Ancient Mariner. I recollect this line a lot these days when I hear of companies contemplating what to do with huge piles of data. Companies are rich with data but poor on information. A wicked problem is one that’s a challenge to solve, often due to incomplete, contradictory, or changing requirements. Wicked […]

Leadership competency is qualities and abilities you may possess that make you an effective leader. When leadership is applied correctly, it allows followers to trust leaders and look to them for guidance and assistance in many situations. Your leadership competency at or level to demonstrate these qualities will also increase the commitment and trust that your team now has in you. Your leadership potential should […]

People sometimes have trouble identifying the real waste or opportunities for improvement that exist within their organization. Over the years, we have found the following four approaches for identifying waste to be effective: A goal driven search: Start with the most pressing organizational goal and drill down to find the waste that affects that goal. Do you want to save time, money, improve quality, conserve […]