Why Building Engagement Might Require A Pick and Axe.
During a visit with a senior vice president last week we spent some time discussing how to align his business for execution of some new marketing strategies. During our discussion he stopped one of his managers who was wandering by and asked if he had a few minutes to meet with him during the next […]
READ MOREIntegrate External Collaboration to Drive Innovation
The term continuous improvement is an oxymoron. That is, there is only so much “continuous” that can be improved upon. Businesses that attempt to improve performance find there is a limit to what can be accomplished using internal knowledge and expertise. Try as they may, the laws of atrophy eventually set in and eventually result […]
READ MOREThe Three “A’s” of Change
I spent some time last week working with a client in Calgary. I have made several trips to Calgary as of late and I am noticing a shift in the enthusiasm of business owners, particularly those who support the oil and gas industry. Of those with whom I have spoken, many are concerned about the […]
READ MOREEngagement Requires Effort
Trying to engage others is a challenge, but before ever considering how to engage, you must first consider that difference in views and opinion are the result of several variants, all at play at the same time, and the combination of which are unique to everyone: 1. Behavioral Styles: Some personality style models suggest that […]
READ MOREEleven Ways To Improve Your Productivity
Select the three most important things to do each day and do them first. Schedule your time, even downtime and stick to your schedule! Capture new ideas on a list and then set it aside. Review it weekly during scheduled time. Eliminate distractions (i.e. email, messaging, social media). Place your phone on forward and return […]
READ MOREEffective Engagement Leads to Fruitful Execution
I work with organizations continuously to help them formulate and execute upon their business strategy. Both of these activities are critically important, with the former informing the later, however I am always surprised at the number of organizations who place more energy on communication and engagement during strategy formulation than they do strategy execution. […]
READ MOREAre You a Business Owner or Employee?
I met with a close friend and colleague last week for dinner, and we spent some time discussing the benefits of being an entrepreneur. Unfortunately however my friend has fallen (as so many do) into what I call a success trap. What is a success trap? It’s the point at which a business owner should […]
READ MOREIf Everything Is A Priority, Nothing Is A Priority
If you’ve ever met me in person, you have likely heard me ask “What are your greatest challenges?” I am always curious to find out the issues and opportunities that business owners and executives are facing. Interestingly the response I most often hear is the following: “Shawn, I have so many priorities it’s hard to […]
READ MOREFour Steps to Building Employee Morale
As I have alluded to previously, I was recently interviewed on Professionally Speaking TV – you can find a copy of the interview video at the bottom of the page here. I was asked during the interview on exactly how to build morale in a team environment, and I thought the points were important enough […]
READ MORECustomer Centric versus Customer Obsession
You may have heard Jeff Bezos discuss how much of Amazon’s success results from their continuous practice of “Obsessing over Customers.” A great concept, but Bezos provides little definition relative to exactly how Amazon goes about this “obsession.” We work with dozens of organizations helping them to improve their customer service, and it begins with […]
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