Strategy Driven

APRIL 9, 2012

I got an (unsolicited) email offering a webinar to teach me about how to measure, and the importance of measuring, the ROI of social media. TOTAL JOKE. And a bad one at that. Social media, business social media, is running wild – with or without you. Your customers and prospective customers are posting on Facebook whether you have the balls to have presence there or not.

ROI 66

ROI Media Customer Loyalty Webinar 66

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 1, 2012

Customer Focus, Feedback and Service Strategy. To create customer-focused teams, employees must understand that they win when the customers win; there is more to this positioning than meets the eye. The customer win has to be defined so that the company also wins. If you ask customers what they want they will tell you I want the service and product for nothing.

Team 65

Team BHAG Hammer Open-book 65

Strategy Driven

NOVEMBER 1, 2012

The Pivot Point : Success in Organizational Change. by Victoria M. Grady. and James D. Grady. About the Book. The Pivot Point by Drs. Victoria and James Grady is a business novel presenting a unique perspective on effectively implementing organizational change based on group and individual psychodynamics. Within their book, Victoria and James examine decades of research into the ways individuals cope with loss and then relate these principles to the business environment.

Resources 64

Resources Newsletter Construction Resistance 64

Strategy Driven

SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

Do you want to move an important project ahead faster? Would you rather motivate and engage than give orders and ride herd? How about inspiring greater accountability? Why do I ask so many questions? Because questions deliver better results. Experience the Power of Coaching. Could poor coaching be restricting the potential of your people and compromising performance?

Motivation 62

Motivation Tactics Learning-by-Doing Bottom-up 62

Strategy Driven

DECEMBER 20, 2012

Impatient Optimist : Bill Gates in His Own Words. edited by Lisa Rogak. About the Reference. Impatient Optimist edited by Lisa Rogak reveals Bill Gates’ core beliefs about business in a way no other author has been able to achieve… because these insights come directly from Bill Gates himself. Lisa’s book systematically covers a wide range of topics from ‘Addiction to Technology’ to ‘Relinquishing Control’, from ‘Streamlining Business Processes̵

Resources 62

Resources Competitive Advantage Reference Books 62

Strategy Driven

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

Every decision involves risk, with time underlying all mitigating factors. Some decisions occur too late, resulting in the forfeiture of a situational opportunity, competitive advantage, or adverse outcome avoidance. Other decisions are made too quickly, unnecessarily increasing risk because of diminished data gathering and contemplation that better informs the choice.

Competitive Advantage 62

Competitive Advantage Newsletter Article Content 62

Strategy Driven

JULY 28, 2012

“The trouble with using experience as a guide is that the final exam often comes first and then the lesson.” Anonymous. FREE StrategyDriven Trial Membership. Start your FREE trial membership * and receive: FULL ACCESS to StrategyDriven’s premium content for 14 days. FREE COPY of a StrategyDriven Expert Contributor book †. EVALUATE how StrategyDriven gives you a competitive advantage. * Free 14 day trial included with a monthly membership registration.

Competitive Advantage 62

Competitive Advantage Leadership Newsletter Resistance 62

Strategy Driven

JUNE 7, 2012

Question: How can managers possibly do everything presented on the StrategyDriven website? StrategyDriven Response: Managers should be able to perform all of the best practices presented on the StrategyDriven website as these focus on the manager’s primary role – to manage people, resources, and their deployment. It is when managers are ‘working managers,’ doing the work of subordinates, that performance of all of our recommendations becomes untenable.

Management 62

Management Competitive Advantage Newsletter Content 62

Strategy Driven

JANUARY 20, 2012

Comedian Steve Martin once said that if you want to be a millionaire, the first thing you have to do is get a million dollars. Most advice for positioning yourself for executive positions mirrors Martin’s sentiments: If you want to land in the executive chair, the first thing you need to do is get executive experience. I’ll counter with my own observation: If you want to land in the executive chair, start planning to do so when you’re in high school.

Execution 62

Execution How To Finance Competitive Advantage 62

Strategy Driven

OCTOBER 5, 2012

In eras following downturns and scandals, it is incumbent upon good companies to go the extra distance to be ethical and set good examples. Demonstrating visible caring for communities by company executives is the ultimate form of potlache. The Business Tree : Growth Strategies and Tactics for Surviving and Thriving. by Hank Moore. Any company or organization is like a tree.

Loyalty 61

Loyalty Bottom-up Strategic Planning Bond 61

Strategy Driven

APRIL 11, 2012

If culture was a pyramid there would be four cornerstones: staff, teams, purpose & values, and strategic planning. At the apex of the pyramid would be a work culture that attains performance beyond expectations. the cornerstones would be defined by the following. Staffing your organization with the best employees. Teams that are high performance teams.

Newsletter 60

Newsletter Follow-up Strategic Planning Open-book 60

Strategy Driven

MARCH 2, 2012

People Often Say They Have… But Really Haven’t! How to Pick the Right Consultants for Your Company. Selecting the most appropriate consultant for your company and optimizing their expertise is the greatest challenge facing a decision maker. It’s lonely at the top. Certain kinds of objective information cannot come from within your own camp.

Consultative 60

Consultative Short-term Budgeting Strategic Planning 60

Strategy Driven

DECEMBER 17, 2012

The Complete Executive : The 10-Step System for Great Leadership Performance. by Karen Wright. About the Book. The Complete Executive : The 10-Step System for Great Leadership Performance by Karen Wright provides actionable insights to developing the habits and practices necessary to succeed in high-level leadership positions. Karen organized her insights into ten topical collections covering: Health and fitness.

Resources 59

Resources Execution Newsletter Talent Management 59

Strategy Driven

NOVEMBER 29, 2012

StrategyDriven Professional Podcasts focus on the tools and techniques business professionals can use to accelerate their careers and personal goals achievement. These podcasts elaborate on the principle, best practice, and warning flag articles found on the StrategyDriven Professional website. Episode 1 – Standing Out Among Professional Peers, part 1 of 3 focuses on the need to stand out among professional peers and challengers both within your organization and when applying for external

Human Resources 59

Human Resources Open-book Competitive Advantage Resistance 59

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 8, 2012

Developmental Stage Movement. In time, Stage 1 teams arrive at Stage 2. Stage 2 teams will either get stuck in Stage 2 or move on to Stage 3. Stage 3 teams can slip back into Stage 2 or move on to Stage 4. Progress or slippage depends on whether the team builds on its momentum or rests on its laurels. Front Line Heroes : Battling the business Tsunami by developing high performance organizations (Volume 1) by Bruce Hodes.

Team 59

Team BHAG Hammer Customer Loyalty 59

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 30, 2012

Positive Intelligence : Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours. by Shirzad Chamine. About the Reference. Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine reveals the ten personality Saboteurs limiting individual performance and the three Sage strategies to combat these limiters. Through his book, Shirzad provides a step-by-step method for unleashing potential by: Identifying and conquering your top Saboteurs.

Resources 57

Resources Positioning Business Intelligence Reference 57

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 3, 2012

An Institutional Review is a look at activities that contribute to an organization’s success and well-being. This transcends a traditional audit and identifies factors that already contribute well to the organization, rather than simply looking for ways to cut, curtail or penalize. It is more than just trimming the fat and criticizing incorrect activities in the organizational structure.

Review 57

Review Company Strategic Planning Industry 57

Strategy Driven

DECEMBER 30, 2012

The Paper Free Office – Dream or Reality? by IBM Corporation. This report looks at the success of paper-elimination projects, where and why paper is still leaking into the business, the features and success of scanning and capture investments, forward plans for Document Process Outsourcing (DPO), and the potential impact of mobile devices. The best way to remove paper from business processes is to head it off before it gets into the building.

Resources 56

Resources DPO Outsourcing Document 56

Strategy Driven

DECEMBER 13, 2012

Spend well this Christmas/Holiday Season and be merry. But ‘tis the season for budgeting for the New Year as well. Unless otherwise averted, your Christmas/Holiday or otherwise discretionary budget will fade next year to infinity and beyond. The trend is that American holiday spending has diminished over the past 10 years from $1,037.00 in 2002 to $854.00 in 2012.). 1 This latest statistic compares to pre-recession spending.

Budgeting 56

Budgeting Health Care Insurance Human Resources 56

Strategy Driven

DECEMBER 11, 2012

Too often, corporate policies are the ‘little white lies’ no one likes to talk about. Philosophically, corporate policies should reflect the expectations of company leaders and drive management’s decisions and employee actions. Upon closer examination, however, management’s decisions and employee actions are anything but aligned with documented expectations; with few seemingly concerned about the discrepancy.

Policies 56

Policies Document Newsletter Environment 56

Strategy Driven

DECEMBER 10, 2012

The Oracle Speaks : Warren Buffett In His Own Words. edited by David Andrews. About the Book. The Oracle Speaks : Warren Buffett In His Own Words edited by David Andrews reveals the life and business philosophies of one of the world’s most successful businessmen in a way no other book can… directly from the words of Warren Buffett himself. David’s book systematically covers a wide range of topics from ‘Investing’ to ‘Businesses’ and ‘Wealth and Taxes’ to ‘Life Lessons.’.

Resources 56

Resources Reference Long-term Newsletter 56

Strategy Driven

DECEMBER 7, 2012

Human beings live to attract goals. Organizations get people caught in activity traps…unless managers periodically pull back and reassess in terms of goals. Managers lose sight of their employees’ goals. The Business Tree : Growth Strategies and Tactics for Surviving and Thriving. by Hank Moore. Any company or organization is like a tree.

Strategic Planning 56

Strategic Planning Goal Planning Budgeting 56

Strategy Driven

DECEMBER 2, 2012

The Guerrilla Marketer’s Guide to Understanding Online Marketing Tools. by LivePerson. This white paper explains and evaluates a variety of online marketing tools for the guerilla marketer to drive results through digital channels. The number of tools available to online marketers today is daunting, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed. For guerrilla marketers–who strive for a more personalized, one-to-one experience while operating within the confines of limited time, money, an

Tools 56

Tools Resources Marketing White Paper 56

Strategy Driven

NOVEMBER 25, 2012

Get the Right People : 9 Questions for Getting the Best Hires. by SuccessFactors. When it comes to hiring, it’s all about quality, not quantity. Are you getting the best? The most important decision a company makes about employees is whether to hire them. Whether a company succeeds or fails ultimately depends on whether it hired the right people to effectively execute its strategies.

Resources 56

Resources Guidelines Quality Long-term 56

Strategy Driven

NOVEMBER 22, 2012

As we reflect on the past year, we have many things to be thankful for and in particular the trust and support you – our listeners and readers – have given us. Thank you for making our fifth year a very successful one. May you enjoy the happiest of Thanksgiving Holidays. Best Wishes Always, The StrategyDriven Team. You just finished reading Giving Thanks to You, Our Listeners and Readers !

Newsletter 56

Newsletter Article Content Environment 56

Strategy Driven

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Feedback mechanisms serve as a reflection of an organization, business unit, department, or individual’s performance. At times, these mirrors reveal exceptional performance; in other cases, good or satisfactory performance; and in some instances poor or unacceptable performance. Too often, the individual or group holding the mirror, whether a performance metric, an internal self-assessment, or a third party audit, is blamed for the performance indicated.

Metrics 56

Metrics Newsletter Article Content 56

Strategy Driven

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

When Jim Rohn said, “All the information you need to succeed already exists, the problem is you haven’t exposed yourself to it,” it was one of the most challenging and eye-opening statements I had ever heard. I immediately made a lifelong goal to read a thousand books. I have not reached that goal yet, but I’m eating away at it. I love the hardbound vintage book, but I’m finding that reading on my iPad’s Kindle app provides the perfect strategy to increase my desire to read in spare moments.

Books 56

Books Open-book Benchmarking Godin 56

Strategy Driven

NOVEMBER 11, 2012

Virtual & Superior : How to Build Teams that Get Things Done Part 2. by GoToMeeting. You’ve successfully built a virtual team. Congratulations! But don’t start celebrating too soon – the real work is about to begin. “Project managers must shift their role from team-formation leader to team-operation strategist.” This white paper, part 2 of the Thought Leadership Series, reveals the steps you must take following the creation of a virtual team to bring your proje

Resources 56

Resources White Paper Team How To 56

Strategy Driven

NOVEMBER 5, 2012

Decisions – either by you, your coworker, your boss, your family members, or your customer – drive your success, your lifestyle, and your attitude. As you’re contemplating what to do, or how to decide, there are stream-of-conscious thoughts that affect the final choice and the resulting outcome. Whether you’re buying something, working on a project, parenting, or making a sale, there are decisions you have to make that will determine the outcome.

Politics 56

Politics Customer Loyalty Price Seminar 56

Strategy Driven

OCTOBER 25, 2012

StrategyDriven Podcasts focus on the tools and techniques executives and managers can use to improve their organization’s alignment and accountability to ultimately achieve superior results. These podcasts elaborate on the best practice and warning flag articles on the StrategyDriven website. Special Edition 63 – An Interview with Victoria Grady, author of The Pivot Point explores the psychology behind employees resistance to change and the actions leaders can take to more effectivel

Resistance 56

Resistance Competitive Advantage Article Information Management 56

Strategy Driven

OCTOBER 22, 2012

We went to visit the Eiffel tower again. Our fourth visit in five years. What do you know about the Eiffel Tower? When it was built it was, to say the least, the most controversial structure of all time. Hundreds protested it, criticized it, campaigned against it, said it was a disgrace to architecture, and predicted it would be the ruination of Paris.

Customer Loyalty 56

Customer Loyalty Seminar Short-term Learning-by-Doing 56

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 14, 2012

Projects, like other business activities, involve meetings and approvals. The difference between project and routine business meetings is that a project is not an ongoing concern; therefore, its meetings tend to be periodic, sporadic, or driven by one-time needs rather than recurring with some regular frequency. Consequently, these off-routine meetings and approval review sessions are a disruption to non-project team executives, managers, and contributors; representing something these individual

Project 56

Project Management Newsletter Resistance 56

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 9, 2012

Executive Wisdom : Reflections For Today’s Leaders. by Reynier Lezcano. About the Reference. Executive Wisdom by Reynier Lezcano is an A to Z collection of leadership wisdom covering personal behaviors and situational approaches. These insights are presented as brief passages that are well indexed for quick situational reference. Benefits of Using this Reference.

Execution 56

Execution Competitive Advantage Reference Retail 56

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 7, 2012

Distractions abound in every environment. Whether they are audible or visual, these disruptors detract from the communication between individuals. Such communication barriers may lead to the misunderstanding of directions provided by one person to another resulting in errant execution of a desired process. The text above is only a small portion of this article.

Management 56

Management Newsletter Article Tools 56

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 6, 2012

RELAX! You’ve heard that word since the first time you got angry or upset. Or maybe it’s a word in your head that beacons reality. Pent up frustration, worry, or concern about the present or the future – or both – and nervousness about what’s about to happen in the world, at work, at home, or in your personal life. RELAX! is easy to say, hard to do.

Customer Loyalty 56

Customer Loyalty Blog Seminar Books 56

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 5, 2012

9 Tips to Get Prospects to Call You Back. by GoToMeeting. There’s more to leaving a compelling voicemail message than just blurting out your contact info. If you want to inspire prospects to return your call, you need to make your messages sell. This new one-pager by Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies, arms you with 9 strategic tips for creating voicemail messages that establish credibility with prospects, pique their curiosity and get them to actually call you back.

Resources 56

Resources Tips Download Newsletter 56

Strategy Driven

JULY 31, 2012

Most companies employ a periodic employee review program, typically comprised of a major annual review and sometimes complimented by a formal mid-year feedback session. Examination of these programs reveals most performance ratings are based on those individual behaviors, events, and accomplishments occurring within a few weeks of a review’s development.

Management 56

Management Review Newsletter Article 56