I’ve been able to have several face-to-face events in the last 60 days and it feels great. Workshops explode with energy, connections are renewed and new possibilities emerge. But when the conversation inevitably turns to “when are you going back…” everyone’s eyes get a bit cloudy. I hear “some time” in 2022 or maybe not […]
In recent workshops and coaching sessions, I’ve observed and heard an increasing pattern of decision fatigue. Are you seeing the same patterns with your teams and leaders? The operating model that we thought was going to be a temporary “sprint” has shifted into a long-term, always-connected commitment. Now, even as we all lean hard toward […]
With 2022 right around the corner, many firms are having discussions and making decisions about which new products and services to pursue in the next year and beyond. These choices, and how they are deployed, will lock in one of these three futures: The red path is one of decline, where more effort and investment […]
COVID has raised the stakes and is driving a wholesale rethinking of how we as individuals invest our time, money and resources. We are still in the midst of working through its impact and our response, but one thing is very certain: As humans, COVID has driven us to want more. More from our communities…as […]
In the retail industry, the checkout lane is sometimes called the P&L finish line. It’s that magic place where goods and services are scanned and connected with a source of payment that the firm receives value. The myriad of actions on the upstream side of that line – advertising, delivery logistics, physical location, merchandising and […]
We’re on the cusp of 2022 planning and many teams are actively looking for resources for the projects that will help their teams move beyond survival mode and towards growth projects beyond the pilot stage. Of course, ops teams are still stretched thin, so finding time, budget and resources is as challenging as when the […]
Much of my work is with firms that have developed strong positions in existing markets and want to find a fresh lane to compete in. These firms have enjoyed success and are very skillful at mining out a niche once they have entered. They routinely are able to improve the efficiency of sales, delivery, and […]
Last week’s post on the tension between effectiveness and expectations (link here), resonated with hundreds – thanks for all your feedback. In the post, I drew attention to the double bind of virtual teams that are struggling to be effective and how that, combined with team members’ expectations of work-life balance being elevated, was creating […]
The talent shortage we carried into the pandemic, and the shifting contract of how we work, are combining to be a major challenge in our businesses. This two-headed threat has turned the equation of work design inside out and has put our teams into very unfamiliar territory. One tangible data point from this is the […]
For the rider above, the stunt has risks, but with skill planning and practice, it becomes manageable. As we approach 2022, it is essential that we develop the same skills for our firms – so that we can reclaim our ability to manage risks and develop fresh sources of returns for our stakeholders (if you […]
