Strategic Discipline Blog

You've heard the story of the boss who has two rules:  Rule #1 The Boss is Always Right.  Rule #2 When the boss is wrong, refer to Rule #1. 

In many companies this time of year for annual planning revolves around one person making plans, usually the president or owner(s).  The reason this occurs is often multiple.  First the business owner started the business and in order for the business to grow it’s always been dependent upon him/her to make the plans.  Another reason is that getting input from others takes time, precious time that many owners and company presidents don’t have or don’t care to take.  Habits are hard to break.  Setting directives and being in a commanding if not dominate position has worked in the past.  It’s decisive, impactful, quick, and if it’s gotten results in the past there’s no reason to change.

As your business grows however the problem with this one person or small group making all the decisions on direction, objectives, and priorities is its limited ability to take into account all the obstacles and challenges that your priorities might face. 

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Topics: collective intelligence, Annual Plan, meeting rhythms, priorities

In 2012: Planning or Strategy we discussed the distinction between planning and strategy.  While many companies struggle to execute their plans, the reality is most companies fail not due to execution, rather due to poor decisions. 

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Topics: One Thing, Annual Plan, Four Decisions, strategy, Strategic Planning

Each of us is different.  We are not all motivated by the same thing.  It’s a lesson that Aubrey Daniels consistently reinforces in Bringing Out the Best in People.  It’s the reason managing people is so challenging.  It requires thoughtful observation, persistent communication and enduring energy to discover and maintain relationships that support and encourage your people to be their best each day.

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Topics: Bringing Out the Best In People, employee engagement, Aubrey Daniels, human behavior

If you’ve not seen Dan Pink's video yet RSA Animate - Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us, I urge you to view it.   Pink presented his views on human behavior and motivation during the Phoenix Growth Summit.  I’ll have more on his offerings in future blogs.

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Topics: priorities, Growth Summit, human behavior, productivity, Balance

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Topics: planning, One Page Strategic Plan, priorities, strategy

Right now you should be deep into your annual planning or already have completed it.  In preparing our coaching clients for annual planning we always ask the company to complete a short five question employee survey to gather information.  Questions include what the company should start, stop and keep doing.  (Send me an email Employee Survey if you’d like these five questions.)  Discovery like this is important for the business in looking ahead.   Remember the movie “Titanic?”  “Iceberg dead ahead?”  Many times the people at the tactical level of our business know much more than we give them credit for, and frequently they see the obstacles, challenges and opportunities far better than we or our mangers and departments heads can.

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Topics: Employee Feedback, Annual Plan, Growth Summit, Employee Survey

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Topics: Discipline, Customer Feedback, Marketing, Growth Summit

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Topics: Employee Feedback, employee engagement, themes, performance, productivity

You’re packing books, fulfilling orders to customers.  Making sure the right number of books are included and sent properly.  It’s not your real job.  No, you’re real job is founder, president, chief executive officer (CEO), and chairman of the board of one of the largest corporations in the world.  This is something you do each year to detach.  Remove your mind from what you do every day and get it occupied in the trenches, so your mind can do what it does best, be creative.

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Topics: Discipline, Growth Summit, Think Week

Who is the founder, president, chief executive officer (CEO), and chairman of the board of one of the largest corporations in the world whose annual detachment exercise helped him to come up with an idea that transformed his business and industry?  I’m sorry.  I’m afraid I’m going to make you wait until my next blog. 

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Topics: meeting rhythms, Growth Summit, competitive advantage