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[This is the blog version of my monthly column for June 2009] Most organizations these days are doing too much stuff. Activities undertaken in a robust economy have lost their shine. Tossing off marginal products that chew up limited resources has become a common theme. Contrary to conventional wisdom, winners actually do quit. Seth Godin Continue reading Descartes and the Search for New Ideas Short-term gratification is Counter Productive. This short video from TED U will make you smile because it features small children captured on hidden camera when they are told to NOT eat a marshmallow that’s been placed in front of them. As you watch it, think about the pressure and long-term damage that’s done to organizations Continue reading Marshmallows and the Secret to Success Some sounds bytes from a recent David Brooks column in the NY Times. Traits like being a good listener, a good team builder, an enthusiastic colleague, a great communicator do not seem to be very important when it comes to leading successful companies. Organized, dogged, anal-retentive and slightly boring people are more likely to Continue reading Are boring people better leaders? Some of my most rewarding assignments come from successful organizations who ask me to help them prioritize their activities so they can focus energy on important things. The first phase is usually a Strategy Audit where I get an outsider’s perspective on all the stuff they’re doing. My job is to help the leaders see Continue reading Separating Wheat from Chaff There is nothing more frustrating than being stuck. Stuck in traffic. Standing in line. Sitting on hold. Like passengers crammed into a crowded plane waiting to take off, there’s often nothing you can do about being stuck. That’s the worst part, isn’t it? Not being able to get UNstuck. Not being able to blast through Continue reading Book Review – The Sticking Point Solution From a News Release announcing further staff reductions at an organization struggling for survival: The streamlining emphasizes the formation of high-performance teams working in a fluid structure rather than departments, a strategic approach that better takes advantage of the core strengths of each staff member to apply his or her skills and talents across projects. Continue reading Grab a bucket and start bailing A reader shared this HBR article and wrote that it resonated with him in the same way a previous post had. He and I share an affinity for new ways of thinking that “sneak up on you.” One of the first real magazine articles I had published (back before we captured these things digitally) described Continue reading New Rules for Retail Where is your greatest opportunity for growth? Where do you start when the goal is increased sales? Many would say that you start with your most loyal customers, those who know you well and prefer your product or service over that of your competitors. A bit of research came across my desk this morning to remind me of Continue reading Loyal customers VS Best Customers From the Orlando Sentinal, a listing of the top parks in North America and how they fared in 2008. Of the top parks, three scored increases in attendance, two were flat and the among those with lower visitors, the largest decline was less than three percent. I am very pleased to see that Universal Studios Continue reading America (still) Loves Theme Parks This Time Magazine piece about some innovative ideas at Denny’s shows that the oft-maligned diner chain isn’t afraid to take chances and try different things. And it isn’t all about free food. I’m especially intrigued by the way Denny’s is reportedly changing it’s approach to the “bar crowd.” It makes sense. As part of my Continue reading Shattering the Status Quo at Denny's |
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