Six Disciplines

NOVEMBER 16, 2011

Several studies over the past few years reiterate the return on investment (ROI) of strategy-driven employee engagement programs, confirming the importance of an engaged workforce on bottom-line results. The 2009/2010 Towers Watson (formerly Watson Wyatt) communications study found that companies that are highly effective communicators had 47% higher total returns to shareholders over the last five years compared with firms that are the least effective communicators.

ROI 141

ROI Definition Price Operations 141

Six Disciplines

NOVEMBER 29, 2011

There's a lot of talk these days about accountability. For some, it's important for their professional lives (i.e., setting business goals, keeping on track, being responsible, etc.) For others, it's more personal (i.e., diet, weight loss, exercising, etc.). Whatever the case, it's important to understand what accountability is, and ultimately, how it works.

Definition 129

Definition Learning-by-Doing Reference Course 129

Six Disciplines

NOVEMBER 16, 2011

Change is inevitable – failure is optional. What’s YOUR plan? As the old saying goes: “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” Individuals (and organizations) have only two alternatives: get better or get worse, improve or decay. And it’s a constant battle. Our choice is to manage this ongoing process and improve the things that can be improved, or ignore the process and decay.

Six Sigma 122

Six Sigma Resistance Fashion Process 122

Six Disciplines

NOVEMBER 3, 2011

Excellence is the enduring pursuit of balanced strategy and execution. Strategy requires choosing what promises to make to all stakeholders and a roadmap for delivering on those promises. Execution requires getting there while overcoming the unending number of surprises along the way. Of the two, execution is far more difficult to achieve, but is fruitless without solid strategy.

Execution 120

Execution Strategy Learning-by-Doing Planning 120

Six Disciplines

NOVEMBER 1, 2011

Are strategic thinking and strategic planning - the same thing? While they certainly related and complementary, thinking strategically and planning strategically are two different concepts. Let's first consider strategic thinking , which involves viewing your organization from a holistic perspective. Research has determined that strategic thinking can be explained through seven dimensions: A vision of the future.

Strategic Planning 117

Strategic Planning Planning Teamwork Tips 117

Six Disciplines

NOVEMBER 1, 2011

According to Michael Porter, the essence of strategy is deciding what not to do. BusinessWeek published an article " Are You Losing Control of Your Business? " in which it advised: "No. 1 on your to-do list? Make a "stop doing" list". BOTTOMLINE: As part of the strategic planning process, a distinctive step in Discipline I. Decide What's Importan t, is called " Agree What To Stop Doing ".

Porter 110

Porter Strategic Planning System Article 110

Six Disciplines

NOVEMBER 29, 2011

The business excellence model we've described in the past several posts (" The Four Waves Every Successful Business Goes Through " - Parts I , II , III , IV , and V ) is an interesting exercise and is not based on company size. Every successful company once started small. The model, however, is very useful in helping leaders of businesses of any size understand where they are now, offers insight into some of the forces that got them there, and to anticipate what could happen next.

Succession 108

Succession Travel Goal Strategy 108