Strategic Discipline Blog

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Topics: Good to Great, Business Growth, People, People Decisions, Discipline Plan, Practical Discipline #3

How do you build a business model from Good to Great?  The answer while not popular is fundamental.  We dislike, resist and simply refuse to want more of it in our life: DISCIPLINE 

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Topics: Discipline, Good to Great, Discipline Plan, Rockefeller Habits Checklist

Can it really be this simple?

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Topics: Business Growth, Aubrey Daniels, Discipline Plan, habits, The Power of Habit, routine

As most of you may know a little over two years ago I was projected to be another statistic of cancer.  With very slim odds (less than 10% initially) through some miraculous events my Acute Myeloid Leukemia found its way into remission. I received a bone marrow transplant from a generous donor in September of 2012.  The road back hasn’t been easy. While my healing may be remarkable, in many ways this achievement may not be as difficult as what each of you face each and every day.  Rather than diminish what was accomplished, this is to elevate what you and every other person on the planet faces as you work to accomplish each day.  

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Topics: Discipline, Strategic Discipline, Switch, Discipline Plan, positive reinforcement, The Power of Full Engagement

The greatest marketer and innovator on the planet returns to his former company, Apple, and what is his first step?  In Great by Choice, Jim Collins uses Apple as one of the comparison companies.  His research looked at 1972-2002, and Steve Jobs didn’t return to Apple until 1997. But consider Jobs’ first move:

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Topics: Discipline, Great by Choice, Discipline Plan, best practices of growth companies, Best Business Practices, Rockefeller Habits Checklist, Steve Jobs

Balance is extremely important in life and running a business.  When we set goals we can concentrate so much in one direction that something extremely important gets lost or eroded in the process.  At one time Delta Airlines worked hard to get their planes to arrive on time. The consequence of their focus on delivering this outcome resulted in countless passenger bags not reaching their destination on time.  One obsession hurt performance in another aspect of the business, customer service.  It’s like a tug of war.  If there’s no one resisting on the other side there’s a loss of balance. 

There is no more important place for business to balance then subjectivity and objectivity in operating your company.  You need both to run a successful business, yet too frequently the business is off balance, relying on one over the other.  It’s a high level aspect of business that I feel too frequently business owners and managers overlook or simply don’t recognize.

Subjectivity is the emotional aspect of your business.  It’s the squishy part that propels you forward.  It’s your commitment to a cause, quality, production, BHAG, Brand Promise, the reasons you are in business, including your core values and purpose. 

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Topics: Discipline Plan, One Page Strategic Plan, Balance

It was before FM radio had taken the lead in listenership from AM.  That’s how long ago this story is.  I was the sales manager for a 3000 watt FM radio station in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  My first year as a sales manager had been difficult.  We hadn’t managed to meet the previous year’s sales numbers and I was challenged to meet the new projections or the outcome would be back to a sales position.   

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Topics: Accountability, Discipline Plan, meeting rhythms, Execution, goals

How does one measure performance?

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Topics: Accountability, Discipline Plan, Quantification, Key Metrics

 

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Topics: Bringing Out the Best In People, Strategic Discipline, Aubrey Daniels, Discipline Plan, positive reinforcement, Pearsons Law, Jim Collins, negative reinforcement

"Life isn't fair, get used to it!"   "Fair is something you take your pigs to in the fall!"

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Topics: Strategic Discipline, Core Values, Discipline Plan, Zappos, Locus of Control