Strategic Discipline Blog

Failure is always an inside job.

In Greg McKeown, Author of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, recent blog he discussed the definition of priority:  When the word priority came into the English language in the 1400s, it was singular. Think for a moment: What did it mean? The answer is the prior or very first thing. What’s interesting is it stayed singular for the next 500 years. It wasn’t until the 1900s that we came up with the pluralized term and started using the word priorities. But what exactly does the word mean? Can there be multiple very first things?

The weekend of July 4th marked the third anniversary of my discovery I would beat cancer.  I thought I’d share a few thoughts about that miracle and provide its wisdom to business growth.

What is a system?

Last Tuesday, Dudley Fleck, President and Chief Executive Officer, led the Monthly Meeting of Fleck Sales executive leadership team.  He did, as he consistently does, by starting the meeting asking and receiving answers to questions about Fleck Sales Culture, including its vision, core purpose, strategy statement and core values.  He is always disciplined in his approach here.  His style is quiet, humble and unassuming.  He portrays many of the leadership characteristics Jim Collins out lined in Good to Great as the Level 5 Leader. 

This week in a weekly meeting with one of my customers the team discussed how they’d failed to follow through on a specific assignment they’d discussed for a father’s day promotion.  It started as a brainstorming session and wrapped up with an idea to promote a specific product.  Everyone agreed that it was a great idea, yet no one took responsibility to implement it and take initiative.  (For more on this subject check out The Leadership Difference - Responsibility and Accountability.)

Are you getting the most out of your customer feedback?   Are you asking your senior leadership team to contact at least one customer a week? 

On my birthday, April 13, 1999, I received a letter from, Able Plumbing.  Inside was a message wishing me a Happy Birthday and thanking me for working at Able Plumbing. 

How do you get your message to your audience in a fashion that impacts and results in converting them to customers?