Strategy Driven

JUNE 19, 2015

Anniversaries are important milestones. Organizations reflect on their heritage and accomplishments. In doing so, they build and widen stakeholder bases, enabling organizations to grow for the future. I’ve recommended anniversary celebrations to client companies before. In each case, the results were phenomenal, because they took the effort to mount anniversary celebrations.

Case Study 80

Case Study Open-book Learning Curve Learning-by-Doing 80

Strategy Driven

DECEMBER 23, 2015

Millennials and younger generations don’t respond to control and a non-stop focus on productivity. To get the best out of them you need to be a benevolent leader. What is different about being a benevolent leader? You are always in the question of what you are creating and how it can contribute to everyone, not just your bottom line. Benevolent leadership is innovation on steroids.

Innovation 79

Innovation Project Tools Stress 79

Strategy Driven

JUNE 10, 2015

I'm a dancer. When I studied the Argentine Tango there was a foundational rule that I believe is true for all leaders: The leader opens the door for the follower to pass through, and the leader then follows. If anyone notices the leader, he's not doing his job. The goal is to showcase the follower. Much of what is written about leadership falls into the category I call 'trait-centered leadership': someone deemed 'at the top' who uses his/her personality, influence, and charisma to inspire and gi

Charisma 77

Charisma Leadership Resistance Follow-up 77

Strategy Driven

NOVEMBER 6, 2015

When you own and operate a business you need to have certain procedures for an efficient and seamless function. Sometimes the difficulty of managing your time makes for a haphazard operation. An inefficient operation results in unproductive activities which often miss the point and worse yet, result in wasted time and wasted resources. One of the ways in which you can optimize your business activities would be the focus and attention to detail that a checklist can stimulate.

Succession 76

Succession Strategic Planning Budgeting Goal 76

Strategy Driven

JULY 30, 2015

While organizations thrive on change, people often don't. We don't all embrace change at the same rate or pace (and a few even reject it outright). How new ideas are communicated can hinder or accelerate adoption. If you're an innovator, it's tempting to think that conveying your enthusiasm and excitement will accelerate others' acceptance—it turns out, that won't work most of the time.

Document 76

Document Newsletter Article Innovation 76

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 24, 2015

While culture was once perceived as a vague concept, many organizations are recognizing its importance. The position of chief culture officer (CCO), is held at a number of progressive organizations. The CCO's primary duty is to focus on maintaining the core parts of the culture that contribute to the organization's success. While organizational culture is increasingly observed as a critical factor in success, the implications of measurement are also significant.

Organization 76

Organization Human Resources Bureaucracy Competitive Advantage 76

Strategy Driven

FEBRUARY 21, 2015

'“ Either a good or a bad reputation outruns and gets before people wherever they go.” Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield. (1694 – 1773). British statesman and man of letters. You just finished reading Leadership Inspiration - Reputation ! Consider leaving a comment! If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by signing up for our complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

Reputation 75

Reputation Leadership Letter Newsletter 75

Strategy Driven

JUNE 19, 2015

A business’s life source is its data, and with the recent data breaches and cyber attacks, the state of a business’s data has become a top concern. Organizations rely on their data in order to make critical operational, tactical, and transactional business decisions that significantly affect the survival and livelihood of their company. The data with which is used to make decisions must be accurate, consistent, and reliable.

Software 75

Software Insurance System Operations 75

Strategy Driven

NOVEMBER 11, 2015

Business Is Both Fun and Dull All The Time. Fun is a small word with a huge impact on our lives, so it makes sense that we’d prioritize injecting fun into our business lives whenever possible. And, if you’re thinking about becoming your own boss, the ability to capitalize on fun is definitely one of the advantages: you can wear whatever you want, play music while you work, control the tone and presentation of your product—you’ll be in control of a lot of fun, new components of your business.

Finance 75

Finance Learning-by-Doing Advice Marketing Strategy 75

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 3, 2015

What’s your organization’s attitude? How is it impacting your culture? How is it impacting how you’re viewed externally? How is it impacting your results? What are your employee’s attitudes about your company? What are their attitudes about your customers? How do they feel about the work they do? Why is your organizational attitude important? Your attitude is everything.

Competitive Advantage 74

Competitive Advantage Consultative Tips Content 74

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 19, 2015

With little ability to read during my bout with the flu over Christmas, I listened to NPR. What I heard was hopeful: programs discussing kindness. Kindness – not a word historically associated with corporations, those bastions of male verve – is now being equated with the bottom line. How times have changed. In the 90s when I gave keynotes titled 'Sales as a Spiritual Practice' I would get asked: "Yes, but how would we make money?".

Bottom-up 74

Bottom-up Conference Cost Article 74

Strategy Driven

FEBRUARY 14, 2015

'“ Cultivate only the habits that you are willing should master you.” Elbert Hubbard (1856 – 1915). American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher. You just finished reading Leadership Inspiration - Cultivating Habits ! Consider leaving a comment! If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by signing up for our complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

Leadership 74

Leadership Newsletter Article Content 74

Strategy Driven

JUNE 3, 2015

Training successfully educates only those who are predisposed to the new material. Others may endeavor to learn during class but may not permanently adopt it. The problem isn't the value of information or the eagerness of the learner: It's a problem with both the training model itself and the way learners learn. It's a systems/change problem. How We Learn.

Training 74

Training Resistance Learning-by-Doing System 74

Strategy Driven

JUNE 5, 2015

One of the major problems faced by business owners all over the world is knowing when to let go. There are plenty of reasons why. As a company owner, you are used to making the decisions and there is a good chance you like to keep things under your control. As much as you like to think you are running a tight ship, if you are lending your hand to every aspect of your business, there is a very good chance you are spreading yourself thin.

Outsourcing 74

Outsourcing Strategic Planning Offshoring Resources 74

Strategy Driven

JULY 31, 2015

Last month, we celebrated the third anniversary of this magazine. My article was about the significance of anniversaries as important milestones. I am the only columnist who has been in every issue of this magazine. My articles reflect the Big Picture of Business. After that, the niche writers cover their areas. This is the second part of the anniversary celebration.

Article 73

Article Strategy Long-term Mentor 73

Strategy Driven

JULY 23, 2015

Why do you pay your team members? If you asked them, they might answer “You pay us to work.” If you ask an office-based worker what 'work' means to them, you’ll get a list of typical workday activities. They read and write emails. They write reports. They go to meetings and attend conference calls. Those activities that sound appropriate enough, but they don’t give a complete picture of what 'work' means to you.

Team 73

Team Competitive Advantage McKinsey Energy 73

Strategy Driven

JUNE 5, 2015

My sixth book is Houston Legends , a definitive history of a dynamic global capitol. Houston was the first word spoken from the moon. It is the hub of the world’s energy industry, headquarters of medical innovation and entrepreneurial phenomena. For 200 years, Houston has been the funnel to international commerce. Houston Legends contains secrets of CEOs, trail blazers and community impresarios, from superstar Beyoncé to heart transplant pioneer Dr.

Entrepreneur 73

Entrepreneur Competitive Advantage Quality Books 73

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 27, 2015

The Internet and cloud computing have revolutionized the nature of data capture and storage, tempting many companies to adopt a new 'Big Data' philosophy: collect all the data you can; all the time. But this new world of Big Data is proving to be much more demanding and complex than expected, requiring companies not only to adopt different technologies, but also to make significant changes to their business strategy, internal skillsets, and organizational structures.

CIO 72

CIO Technology CRM Competitive Advantage 72

Strategy Driven

MARCH 28, 2015

'“ Next to knowing when to seize an opportunity, the most important thing in life is to know when to forego an advantage.” Benjamin Disraeli (1804 – 1881). Earl of Beaconsfield. You just finished reading Leadership Inspiration - Foregoing the Advantage ! Consider leaving a comment! If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by signing up for our complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

Leadership 72

Leadership Newsletter Article Content 72

Strategy Driven

JUNE 15, 2015

Everyone has experienced the sensation of being overwhelmed by seemingly useless emails filled with coupons, special offers, information about new product launches and other messages you do not have time to read. Business users sent and received on average 121 emails a day in 2014, and this is expected to grow to 140 emails a day by 2018. While it can be annoying to receive messages from every company you ever purchased something from or expressed interest in, email is a necessary part of busine

Marketing 72

Marketing Discount Competitive Advantage Audience 72

Strategy Driven

JULY 8, 2015

As business folk, we hold meetings regularly. Yet often we don't accomplish what we set out to achieve. Why? The Purpose. Meetings are held to accomplish a specific, beneficial outcome requiring the attendance of the right people with the right agenda. The Problem/Pain. Often we end up with miscommunication, wasted time, incomplete outcomes, misunderstanding, lack of ownership and ongoing personnel issues - sometimes an indication of internal power and faulty communications issues.

Resistance 71

Resistance Consensus Creativity Download 71

Strategy Driven

JULY 3, 2015

Whether we love or hate our jobs, the amount of work most of us have to do each day has reached unsustainable levels. We start a typical workday anxious about how we will get it all done, who we might let down, and which important tasks we will sacrifice-again- so we can keep our heads above water. As we grab our first cups of coffee, we check our e-mail inboxes on our handheld devices, scanning to see who has added a new task to our to-do list.

Short-term 71

Short-term Learning-by-Doing Competitive Advantage Long-term 71

Strategy Driven

JULY 9, 2015

We actually had an email system at my my first job with IBM in 1986. On day one they sat me down in front of a huge green screen and introduced me to PROFS. “This is your PRofessional OFFice,” they said, “and how we all communicate.”. In those days, email lived on a mainframe and could only be sent when you were actually in front of a mainframe terminal.

Competitive Advantage 71

Competitive Advantage Open-book Learning-by-Doing Content 71

Strategy Driven

APRIL 11, 2015

'“ Life is not long, and too much of it must not pass in idle deliberation of how it shall be spent.” Dr. Samuel Johnson. (1709 – 1784). English poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. You just finished reading Leadership Inspiration - Idle Deliberation ! Consider leaving a comment! If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by signing up for our complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

Leadership 71

Leadership Newsletter Article Content 71

Strategy Driven

JUNE 24, 2015

What if it were true that we only understand a fraction of what others say to us? And if true, what can we do about it? As someone who has taken great pride in accurately hearing what others say, I was annoyed to discover that it's pretty impossible for any listeners to achieve any consistent level of accuracy. The problem is not the words – we hear those, albeit we only remember them for less than 3 seconds and not in the proper order (Remember the game of Telephone we played as kids?).

Download 71

Download Tips Open-book Learning-by-Doing 71

Strategy Driven

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Information, when used to influence or sell, has cost us untold loss in business and relationships. It actually causes resistance. Information Causes Resistance. For some reason, we maintain a long-standing belief that if we offer the right people the right information at the right time, presented in the right way, those it's intended to influence will be duly impressed and adopt it.

Information 71

Information Resistance System Software 71

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 28, 2015

One never forgets their first mentor. I have had several great ones, who in turn taught me the value of passing it on to others. That’s why I advise businesses, write books, speak at conferences and more. That first great mentor sticks with you always. Mine was legendary humorist and media figure Cactus Pryor. He died August 30 at the age of 88. I started working for him in 1958, at KTBC Radio in Austin, Texas.

Pryor 71

Pryor Mentor Learning-by-Doing Audience 71

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 7, 2015

Reddit, the on-line bulletin board system that posts entertainment, social networking and news content, gained a high profile, attracted Rock Star investors and a $500 million valuation. Then, it executed several strategic moves with seemingly little communication and proceeded to churn its executive ranks through a revolving door. In the process, Reddit upset nearly everyone; investors, employees and its fanatical community of users alike.

How To 71

How To Leadership Competitive Advantage Consensus 71

Strategy Driven

JULY 27, 2015

What is engagement? Better stated, how can you engage other people to become interested in you and your product or service? Dale Carnegie ( How to Win Friends and Influence People ) says by becoming interested in them. And he’s partially right. The reality, and the secret of engagement is that BOTH people must be mutually engaged and mutually interested, and BOTH people must be intellectually stimulated and emotionally connected.

Open-book 71

Open-book Customer Loyalty Long-term Competitive Advantage 71

Strategy Driven

MARCH 31, 2015

'On-duty operations personnel are responsible for a facility’s safe and reliable operation. The text above is only a small portion of this article. Become a StrategyDriven Premium Member to gain access to the entire article and the over 100 other StrategyDriven members-only articles, whitepapers, models, and tools and templates. Become a StrategyDriven Premium Member for only $9.95 / month or $94.95 / year !

Operations 71

Operations Report Document Newsletter 71

Strategy Driven

JULY 15, 2015

StrategyDriven Enterprises launched an online business performance assessment forum; providing leaders access to decades of first-hand experience performing critical, in-depth evaluations of organizational performance for the purpose of identifying improvement opportunities. StrategyDriven Enterprises, LLC announced the launch of an online business performance assessment forum; providing innovative thought leadership and collaboration opportunities to help executives and managers better assess t

Chief Executive Officer 70

Chief Executive Officer Document Benchmarking Library 70

Strategy Driven

APRIL 4, 2015

'“ Never mistake motion for action.” Ernest Hemingway. (1899 – 1961). American author and journalist. You just finished reading Leadership Inspiration - Confusing Motion for Action ! Consider leaving a comment! If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by signing up for our complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

Leadership 70

Leadership Newsletter Article Content 70

Strategy Driven

MARCH 3, 2015

'Effective corrective action programs engage employees in the identification, documentation, evaluation, prioritization, and resolution of organizational challenges thereby enhancing achievement the organization’s vision, mission, values, and goals. The text above is only a small portion of this article. Become a StrategyDriven Premium Member to gain access to the entire article and the over 100 other StrategyDriven members-only articles, whitepapers, models, and tools and templates.

Document 70

Document Newsletter Report Article 70

Strategy Driven

AUGUST 12, 2015

While researching my new book What? I discovered that when listening to others, we naturally assume we understand what's meant and don't question our assumption. Yet the filters our brain uses to hear what others mean to convey preclude accuracy, leading to faulty assumptions. Essentially, here's what happens that makes accuracy so difficult (for more detail and research references read my free digital book What?

Reference 70

Reference Learning-by-Doing Discount Cost 70

Strategy Driven

DECEMBER 22, 2015

Have you ever had a day where you go to bed saying to yourself, “I worked so hard, but I didn’t get anything done?” I hate when that happens, whether it be at work or at home. In this scattered culture, it is increasingly easy to lose focus on the most important things in life. There are two primary strategies I can credit for giving me a giant boost in my daily productivity.

Efficiency 70

Efficiency Goal Strategy Long-term 70

Strategy Driven

JULY 6, 2015

How important is face-to-face networking to sales, relationships, career, and success? I asked my commercial insurance agent, John Cantrell, to give me a synopsis of his networking strategies. John has been a friend, client, and vendor for the past 22 years. Here are two important facts about John: 1. His insurance business has exploded with growth over the past 22 years. 2.

Insurance 70

Insurance Committee Customer Loyalty Competitive Advantage 70

Strategy Driven

JULY 1, 2015

StrategyDriven’s line of Sevian Business Programs provides clients with fully developed, immediately implementable business performance improvement programs. StrategyDriven Enterprises, LLC launched its Sevian Business Programs product line, a collection of immediately implementable business performance improvement process manuals. Each Sevian Business Program manual contains fully developed process procedures, forms and templates, performance metrics, how-to guides, and a library of best practi

Productivity 70

Productivity Products Chief Executive Officer Metrics 70