It has long been a standard tradition that a professional must possess certain business skills to succeed in the workplace and that businesses should offer continuing education opportunities to help their employees succeed, thereby helping the business flourish and grow. It seems, however, that reading, writing and arithmetic are no longer the sole basis of [...]
The Annual Strategic Plan is Dead A good deal of the corporate planning I have observed is like a ritual rain dance; it has no effect on the weather that follows, but those who engage in it think it does. Moreover, it seems to me that much of the advice and instruction related to corporate [...]
There is a saying that some people live by – the only two things in life that are certain are death and taxes. Both apply to business. Most business owners have the tax side of that equation more than covered, but what about the other part? Let me ask you, if something were to happen [...]
When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people. ~ Chinese Proverb Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning. ~ Thomas Edison Good plans shape good decisions. ~ Anonymous With an increasing number of owners of small and family [...]
"My success, part of it certainly, is that I have focused in on a few things." – Bill Gates "We wanted Nike to be the world's best sports and fitness company. Once you say that, you have a focus. You don't end up making wing tips or sponsoring the next Rolling Stones world tour." – [...]
In a recent study of over 1600 CEOs Vistage asked the question, "What is going to be your biggest priority to advance your business over the next three years?" The top three results ? Innovation in new products or services 35% Quality employees 27% Strong leadership 21% Given that the number one issue is innovation, [...]
Jerry was a 20 year old young man who was the son of a very successful small business person who had founded and run a well-regarded construction company for over 30 years. Jerry had a core belief that he was destined to take over the business when his dad retired. This is a common expectation [...]
I was very pleased to have a CEO client tell me he was considering tossing out their whole performance appraisal system. They hired a firm to help them build it several years ago, modified it for all departments, trained all managers and supervisors in using it and felt really good about it. But it doesn't [...]
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." – John Quincy Adams "View life as a continuous learning experience." – David Gergen If you asked a dozen business leaders to list their goals for the year, chances are you’d hear about increasing sales, improving [...]
"You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there." – Unknown "View life as a continuous learning experience." – Denis Waitley For the last several months, I’ve been talking about the tidal wave heading toward the shores of American business. The Baby Boom generation is reaching retirement age and more than [...]