Three times this week I have dealt with clients who are having internal strategic conflict. Perhaps that is not surprising in our culture where everyone seems polarized about everything, and no one is wrong. The truth is that most decisions and rationale are based on emotions and experiences not facts. Here are a few scenarios: …
One of the things we can count on is change. We have it in abundance right now, with market shifts responding to new government policies as well as AI taking off without us in a driver’s seat. What happens when leaders face a future that doesn’t look like the past? Often, they retreat to their comfort …
Every year at about this time I take a weeklong sojourn to a far-off place to ride horses. Then I come back and share something about what I learned that may apply to all of us. This year was the same—yet incredibly different in every significant way. The ride was called the Long Ride, advertised …
It is mid-February in 2025 and time to ask the question, are we where we wanted to be? Fourth quarter planning identified new opportunities, better ways to do things, high-potential projects and a path to growth. Are you on track? As I write this, it is actually still 2024. So, I am time traveling a …
One of the things we have covered a lot lately is the impact of AI. It is inevitable and we should all start to embrace it, play with it, learn what it can and can’t do, and figure out how to use it for our work as a resource, not a replacement. My favorite uses …
As we approach the next fiscal year, most of you are putting into place new programs, processes and practices that your organization believes will drive greater success. High performance companies are always thinking about how to improve. To do so requires great clarity regarding the long-term potential and direction of the company, or a strategy. Once …
In the last few years, in spite of, and perhaps in part because of, the increasing application of technology and even AI, the difference between top firms and the rest can feel narrowed. There just aren’t that many things that can separate your firm from the pack. But there is one thing that we have …
At a recent board meeting of a membership organization, the group discussed a critical decision with high influence on membership emotional satisfaction. There were three factors involved. First, how much did the issue influence safety for members, secondly, the strength of membership sentiment on the matter and third, potential liability if there was a significant …
Recently, I was fortunate enough to spend two weeks in Africa on a whirlwind trip to accomplish multiple things. If I had to use one word to describe the experience it would be inspirational. At every turn, something or someone exceeded expectations, and I felt like a better person on the plane ride home than …
It is an interesting question, and, on the surface, it seems easy to answer. Most companies feel their customers are satisfied and that they have good relationships but does that translate into sales or retention? Not really. I just spent time reviewing a client’s database of customers—customers who self-report high levels of satisfaction. One thing …
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