I have a different take on value chain analysis. Most think of it as positioning a business within its ecosystem. I think of a value chain as a graphical representation of all of the work that must be done by a business or work area in order to provide its goods/services (i.e., “value”) to its customers....
Business optimization efforts have been around for years and are aimed at redefining the way work is performed within a business area. They explore issues surrounding what work is performed, how it is accomplished, when it’s done and by whom. It’s not unusual for a firm to totally reconstruct its departmental workflow and reorganize...
Every company has a set of capabilities that, when properly leveraged, can serve to devastate the competition. So, it’s essential for leadership teams to pinpoint and honestly assess these capabilities. Once a solid profile is established, it can be used to inform the strategic planning processes used to build a winning strategic plan. Here’s...
I bet if I asked you what your company is all about you’d give me that same ol’ rehearsed elevator pitch. You’d be able to tell me what it does and why it’s important. But, if I asked you how. You just might stall. The answers on “how” a business does what it does...
We all know about the pyramid structure. It’s a generic way to think about an enterprise and how most are organizationally design. Divided into three layers, the top layer of the pyramid is comprised of the senior-most leaders. These are the people responsible for setting strategic direction and guiding the enterprise towards its future....
Are your strategic planning practices flat and uninspired? Have you reduced your planning process to a once per year, budgeting exercise? Do your senior people feel disengaged and removed from your strategic planning? Does the rank and file even understand what’s in your strategic plan? Clearly, it’s time for a new strategic planning paradigm...
All of my strategy, culture and organizational design work over the years comes down to one thing – enabling my clients to differentiate themselves from their competitors so to dominate the markets that they serve. Consequently, the topic of industry best practices always comes up. Most leaders want to be sure that their organizations...
10 Signs Your Company Culture Needs a Fix There is little doubt that the best performing firms on the planet have exciting and healthy cultures – think Google, Southwest and Nike – while other organizations seem to be in a constant state of struggle to reach their full potential. Interestingly, the leadership teams at...
There is recent research that points to the notion that the belief in free will is a significant predictor to personal achievement. It is suggested through this work that one’s motivation is often accelerated when they believe that their effort can determine results – and, that their progress will not be slowed or redirected...
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “indispensable” as being absolutely necessary and not subject to being set aside or neglected. Wouldn’t you like to become indispensable to your customers? Sure, you would! While there’s not one sure fire formula to follow to become indispensable, you can do some things to improve your chances that you’ll “stick” to...
