Security…protecting your customers, staff, cash and assets

In these recesionary times, security for one’s customers, staff, cash and assets is a  very serious issue…and one that should be regularly reviewed.
Prudent safeguards and planning for security breach scenarios makes sense. Business transformation is a holistic process…and one that should cover off all the risks.
The four issues I  first focus on when helping organisations are [...]

5000 plus views and growing

I’m just delighted to report that we have hit our first milestone with more than 5000  leaders around the world having read this blog.
It’s taken about 20 months…and has vindicated our research and beliefs that we’re adding value…so thank you very much…and please keep reading and emailing.
We’re not a big player…but we’re in the very [...]

We’re going green…but do the colour differences matter?

Corporates are  rapidly embracing the csr, marketing and pr benefits of greening up their businesses.
But authoritative  green commentators and the media are calling for some standardisation in the carbon debate.
Is it possible that benchmarks for industry sectors could be useful…or is it a pipedream…given the diversity of operations.
One might argue that any incremental gain in [...]

Leading the development of effective teaming…what works and what doesn’t

Teams judge leaders…and leaders judge teams.
It’s human nature.
If you’re a leader, it’s only because you’ve been part of an effective team first. Even so, you’re being judged on your performance every minute of every day.
So, what works in the development of effective teaming?
Firstly, my view is that…

Effective teaming means team-creation and management…. which [...]

Who should drive new product development?

In my view, the CEO should have a key driving role in new product development processes.
If customers are a business’s lifeline, then new product development is the store of lifejackets.
New product development is too important to be left to the marketers to enact. They can do the analyses…but the process management needs to be monitored [...]

There’s a malaise emerging in the business world

For some time now I’ve been watching an emerging phenomena in the business world. Simply put, people are not making decisions as fast as they used to… even compared to five years ago.
So what’s driving this suspected malaise?
Is it the case that popular matrix reporting structures are so diversifying responsibility… that accountability for making decisions [...]

The rockface always exposes invaluable gems

Leaders have a responsibility to work at the rockface from time to time…particularly at times when things are changing….or haven’t changed for a while.
And the added-value from investing some time alongside the troops in front of customers …as well as being a prisoner to your own processes…means you can experience the first-hand feedback [...]

A lesson for all organisations?

There was a vibe in the place…
Recently I had a salient reminder in what makes a successful business tick.
It was full of great people who were placed in roles that took advantage of their style and customer service skills.
Their systems were appropriate…not cumbersome…and very practical to extract information easily and quickly.
Their product ranges were complete [...]