success

Get More Done – Interrupt Your Interruptions

If you’re feeling the need for more peace and quiet these days, you’re not alone. One of the latest trends sweeping the business world is the “pod” – a small, free-standing soundproof space that can comfortably hold one or two people.  If you look around, you’ll notice them sprouting up in offices, airports and other public…

Read More ›

Leading Cultural Change

  Is your organization currently going through (or recently undergone) a major cultural transformation? If so, you’re like more than half (56.8%) the organizations that participated in a survey by I4CP, a leading human capital research firm. On the one hand, I’m surprised to see the number that high. After all, transformational change is really…

Read More ›

Set Up Your Team To Be Successful

The first month of 2016 has already come and gone. By now you’ve (hopefully) set your primary strategic goals for the year, pinpointed the destination, and painted a clear picture of what winning looks like for your organization. The next step involves one of the most important leadership roles and skills – setting up everyone…

Read More ›

Developing a Winning Team

In my last blog, I talked about Alex Ferguson, the now retired coach for Manchester United, one of the most successful sports franchises in the world. In addition to his technical soccer skills, Ferguson won wide acclaim for his ability to grow and develop talent. Whether in sports or in business, building a winning team…

Read More ›

The Ferguson Formula for Winning

You can always count on the Harvard Business Review for great insights on strategy, leadership and success.  I love this article – “Ferguson’s Formula” (http://hbr.org/2013/10/fergusons-formula/ar/1)  – from the October 2013 issue. One of the most respected names in global sports, Sir Alex Ferguson managed the highly successful English soccer club Manchester United for 26 years….

Read More ›

Are You Ready to Win in 2014?

Did you blink and 2013 zipped right by? Don’t worry, it happened to me too. Which means it’s now time to start getting ready to win in 2014! Here are the top five things you can do to prepare your organization to win in the year ahead. 1. Get clear on winning (your destination). Specifically,…

Read More ›

Innovate Your Business Model… or Die

Kids say the darnedest things! Recently, researchers asked a group of 12-year olds if they typically listen to music on YouTube, an iPod, or a CD? Not surprisingly, the majority answered “YouTube.” However, the second most common response was, “What’s a CD?” Researchers also asked a group of high school students how they most often…

Read More ›

Why Winning is So Hard

News flash – winning is hard! If you don’t think so, just ask the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, who got spanked by my Broncos on this season’s NFL opener.  Of course, they didn’t plan to lose that game. In fact, they had every intention of winning. But sometimes things don’t go according to…

Read More ›

Three Innovation Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make

When was the last time your company came out with something really new? How long has it been since you totally reinvented a critical business process that resulted in significant cost savings or productivity increases? If you can’t remember (or you can remember but it’s been so long you don’t want to admit it) you…

Read More ›

Five Steps to More Engaged Employees

According to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace: 2010-2012 report, employee engagement levels remain stagnant in the U.S, with only 30% of American workers saying they feel “engaged, involved in, enthusiastic about, or committed to their workplace.” Which means that seven out of every 10 employees are just going through the motions. That’s no way…

Read More ›

Open Up and Say AHHHHHH: Time for a Midyear Check Up

Summer’s here and we’re almost at the midpoint of the calendar year. Which means the #1 question on every business leader’s mind should be: how are we doing on our journey to winning? To find out, it’s time – once again – to check in with the strategic plan to see where things stand. I…

Read More ›

Big-Time Change Ahead for College Campuses

Last week I wrote about how disruptive innovation from mobile technologies is turning the banking industry upside down. Now it’s higher education’s turn. As a parent footing the bill for a college student, I say it’s about time! An article in the Wall Street Journal reports that since 1990, the cost of attending college has…

Read More ›