Excellent leadership is required for successful supply-chain management and integration. In the last few years, every consulting project has included an aspect of cross-functional, cross-company, or cross-border integration. Thus, what could be more important than figuring out how to integrate (businesses, projects, etc) successfully? It is an opportunity to [...]
We are in an era of volatility. Who ever thought we'd get used to commonplace bank failures? How about the Dow rising or falling by hundreds of points in a day? Oil gushing into the Gulf? Toyota quality issues? Never! Get used to erratic change as it is the "new normal".
The stock market is over 11,500 and the economy seems to be picking up with solid holiday sales, even with big ticket purchases like cars. Who would have thought GM, Ford and Chrysler's sales would rise in December?
Unfortunately, there have been countless layoffs during the recession - and some recent announcements by companies such as American Express and Abbott. Your company will not leverage the recovery if you haven't thought about 'what next' for the survivors: It's all about people. Do the survivors know they are [...]
As the stock market just topped 12,000, it is apparent we are in a recovery. Yet it is far from a traditional recovery - jobless with limited growth. In fact, to most everyday people, it doesn't feel like a recovery. As I've talked with clients and business contacts and [...]
Learn how your business stacks up with internal and external strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT), then take action. Volatility is here to stay! Even though we continue to drudge along in the lackluster recovery, excitement remains - earthquakes, nuclear disasters, global conflicts in Libya, oil prices skyrocketing again, [...]
If you notice and act upon trends, you will succeed. In my 20 years of experience across multiple industries and globally, I've found that a secret to success is identifying trends EARLY in the process and then acting upon them as it makes sense. Lately, I've had a plethora [...]
In today's new normal business environment, volatility is the new norm. Change is required to remain competitive or to become competitive. If you manage change better than your competition, you'll have the opportunity to leapfrog the competition. In the last several years, I've seen a multitude of examples of [...]
As one of the top topics I typically help clients to strategize and implement, I thought it was worth taking a look at a few tips: Fit with strategy - Change for the sake of change without looking at fit with the company's strategy is useless yet occurs frequently. [...]
How many managers or employees think performance management is worthwhile? From my experience and research, the answer is few. And, on the other hand, how many complain that the manager or employee is on a different page from one another? Most. This leaves a paradox - most people think [...]
