Strategic Discipline Blog

What’s more important, having a great system or talent? 

Does choosing systems fly in the face of Jim Collins, “First Who than What” principle from Good To Great? 

Read More

Topics: Good to Great, Business Growth, People, Jim Collins, Business System

On my laptop that I frequently take to client meetings is a picture of my family including my wife, Michelle.  Occasionally I get compliments on how attractive she and my family is.  I often relay this to her and I frequently tell her how attractive she is.

Read More

Topics: Employee Feedback, Employee Recognition, employee performance, People, positive reinforcement, best practices of growth companies, human behavior, How to Motivate Employees, human behavior performance

Did you know there’s a way to give that makes you feel better?  It can actually help you avoid burnout.  Did you know there’s a recommended amount of giving that rewards you most and that giving beyond that provides diminishing returns?

Read More

Topics: Business Growth, People, Give and Take, Givers and Takers, Michelle Wick

Givers fall into two groups, selfless and otherish behavior.

Read More

Topics: Business Growth, People, positive reinforcement, Best Business Practices, Give and Take

After a couple of games where his Pittsburgh Steelers hadn’t played very well, Chuck Noll called his team after practice to put a ”boot up the ass” and jolt them out of their complacency.  According to Rocky Bleier this is what he said,

Read More

Topics: Discipline, Strategic Discipline, leadership

A lawyer and politician from Illinois, Sampson  strived to be the next Clinton.  In his quest to win political office he failed repeatedly. At one point Sampson withdrew from the senate race while leading several opponents to help another candidate with less backing but very loyal supporters win a competing candidate wouldn’t.  As a lawyer he turned down lucrative cases with defendants he didn’t believe were innocent.  It was a classic case of giving without concern for self, in hopes of the greater good. 

Read More

Topics: weekly meetings, collective intelligence, People, Give and Take, Givers and Takers

Give and Take by Adam Grant offers insight into three types of people:  givers, takers, and matchers.  The book describes characteristics of each type, yet cautions that while giving, taking, and matching are three fundamental styles of social interaction, the lines between them are not always hard and fast.  You can actually shift between one style of reciprocity style as you navigate across different work roles and relationships.  At work the vast majority of people develop a primary reciprocity style.  This is how you approach most of the people most of the time.  The research discovered your primary style can play as much a role in you success as hard work, talent and luck.  (That is if you believe in the latter!)

Read More

Topics: Acute Myeloid Luekemia, employee engagement, People, Give and Take, Givers and Takers

Are you on time?  Do you run on Lombardi time?

Read More

Topics: Strategic Discipline, meeting rhythms, time management, The Power of Full Engagement, The Right People, Michelle Wick

Measuring customer loyalty is a required best business practice to grow and maintain your customer base.  Our recommended tool for our customers is Net Promoter Score discussed in What’s Your Customer Satisfaction Measurement and The Ultimate Question – Customer Advocacy.

Read More

Topics: Net Promoter Score, employee engagement, customer service, Q12

Without a priority the Whirlwind wins!  Each day you face a myriad of tasks involving your “day job.”  Everything you do day-to-day robs you from focusing on the really important things that are important but not urgent.

Read More

Topics: Accountability, Decision-Making, whirlwind of business, leadership, reponsibility, keys to good decision making, Eisenhower Matrix