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 […]
Right now, our creative talent is very open to new opportunities. And one of the main reasons people (really) move? It’s because they perceive there’s a better chance of seeing their creative work realized in the hands of real customers in a new firm. With this in mind, there is one question that is the […]
I’ve been talking with a number of product and services leaders in North America about the state of their recovery from the COVID period and I’m hearing several persistent themes. One that stands out? The sheer workload and deep fatigue they are experiencing. It really feels for all the world that you are doing the […]
It was a great offsite session. The core business was profitable, but growth prospects had dimmed. In corporate life, if you don’t hit your year-over-year growth numbers, the team’s momentum and compensation package is significantly reduced. With that in mind, we had worked hard on which of the four growth plays we had researched would […]
The lockdown has been particularly hard on strategists. They have been receiving much of their information secondhand: reading articles, catching Zoom calls with the sales team and attending virtual events. All while trying hard to listen for the unspoken story behind logical data. But it turns out that secondhand clues are no substitute for first-person […]
It was two decades ago, but I remember the day like it was yesterday. I had been on airplanes for 17 hours. The reason? We had one rightfully testy customer who was threatening to remove us from the supply chain. The room was full of functional specialists and client “liaisons.” Everyone had the classic nonverbals […]
As I speak to executives, there are two stories I’m hearing over and over: The demand for my products and services is soaring and I can’t keep up OR demand has shifted and I can’t reset my portfolio fast enough. These two create intense pressure and disrupt us as we are reaching to get back […]
I’ve had a number of recent calls with strategic and operational leaders from larger firms with matrixed organizations. They are primarily in manufacturing industries ranging from food to water treatment. Each has had their own journey meeting their customers and clients’ rapidly changing demands during the pandemic. They are similar in one regard: COVID has […]
Golf is a very challenging sport. The physics of hitting a golf ball hundreds of yards amplifies every twitch you put into the driver: a small tick in the motion equals a big miss off the tee. Picture this scenario: you have been working with a skilled swing coach, and he’s fixed your hook. You’ve […]
It can be really, really frustrating. You are known for setting goals and meeting them. You have a very clear picture of where you want to take your team, yet when you step on the throttle to make the changes, the resistance rises to meet the effort you put in. You have worked hard to […]
