We all have A-Players we do not want to lose. At the 1995 Worldwide Developers Conference, Steve Jobs shared a realization about his own..
Rhythm Blog
We have more tools for communication than ever before, yet somehow we can be left feeling more disconnected than ever. Powerful technology..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Recruiting Employees
I first met Anouck Gotlib, CEO of Belgian Boys, the popular brand of premium breakfast foods, at EY’s Entrepreneurial Winning Women..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Videos
We've all been there. We're part of a huge project at work that involves team members and departments from all over the company. The stakes..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Go the Second Mile
Think back to the fall when most of you created your plans and goals for the year. There was so much uncertainty about whether the economy..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
Rhythm Systems’ Inaugural Client Awards at the Breakthrough Conference!
On April 26, we hosted the first Rhythm Systems Breakthrough Client..
We just wrapped up an energizing two days with our Rhythm community here in Charlotte for our 7th Annual Rhythm Systems Breakthrough..
Businesses must balance demands, juggle multiple tasks, and make tough decisions to succeed. However, without the right strategies and..
Topics: High-Performance Solutions
Measuring the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is vital to the health and success of your business. However, when we onboard new..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
Writing goals for work using SMART goal setting is an essential skill for both personal goals and professional success. If you aren't..
Read More
Are you a management consultant who is looking to take control of your career? Have you been recently laid off from a major consulting firm..
I'm Ted Skinner, a consultant with Rhythm Systems, and I'd like to share an insightful experience from a coaching engagement with a middle..
Many companies I work with have an Annual Plan and some foundational strategic elements, like Core Values, Core Purpose, and..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
It is no secret that your people are instrumental to the success of your business. In order to have a great company, you not only have to..
In today's world, having a successful and efficiently managed business is more crucial than ever. With the ever-changing landscape of our..
Topics: Effective Meetings, Go the Second Mile, Recruiting Employees, High-Performance Solutions
As the middle market strategy execution experts, we get asked a lot of questions about KPI scorecards for firms to manage the metrics that..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
As strategy planning experts, we often get asked how to run a strategic planning meeting, as great strategic meetings don’t happen by..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
As I was scrolling through my social media feeds this week, I noticed a trend that more tech companies are announcing a permanent move to..
Topics: Effective Meetings
It may still feel like the middle of winter to some, but you might find that it is time to do some spring-cleaning when it comes to your..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
A new quarter is starting. It is time to discuss, prioritize and choose your top priorities for the new quarter. How do you do this? How do..
How do you know when it’s time to make an adjustment? You’ve got your quarterly plan, and it just doesn’t seem to be going, well, according..
Topics: Strategy Execution
What is a High-Performance Culture?
Creating and maintaining a high-performance culture is the goal of many mid-market CEOs that work with..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, High-Performance Solutions
Some of you are probably getting tired of all the new, shiny AI announcements coming out left and right in recent months. This announcement..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Go the Second Mile, High-Performance Solutions, Rhythm System Software
Rhythm Systems is a business coaching and consulting firm with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations of all sizes create..
Max DePree noted, “Management has a lot to do with answers. Leadership is a function of questions, and the first question for a leader..
Performance management is an essential part of any successful business. It helps to ensure that employees meet their goals and expectations..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
What is Organizational Peak Performance in Business?
Organizations strive for excellence to achieve their highest possible performance. It..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Employee Health and Retention
Goal setting is a key part of success, from the boardroom to the classroom. Now, with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we can set..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Have you ever wondered how to measure your business objectives' success accurately? How can AI help you set better Objectives and Key..
Topics: OKRs
So you've just completed your Quarterly Planning Session and are ready to execute. Before you start, how do you know you have the right..
Are you looking for ways to improve your organization's performance? Power habits are the answer. Power habits are small, consistent..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Recruiting Employees
There is a lot of pressure on executive teams to perform well. Not only do they need to achieve their own goals, but they also need to..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Go the Second Mile
The body has four main vital signs that doctors use all around the world to determine the condition of a patient. The four vital signs are..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Team meetings are a vital component of any business. It's essential that the employees know and understands what’s going on with the..
Topics: Effective Meetings
OKRs are an essential part of any successful organization. They help align everyone around common goals and objectives. But what exactly..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Go the Second Mile, OKRs
One of the many things I get to do in my role here at Rhythm Systems is work with our CEO Patrick Thean to coordinate and run our monthly..
Topics: Effective Meetings
In today’s rapidly changing work environment, the competition for recruiting and retaining top talent has never been tougher. Rhythm..
At Rhythm Systems, we are all about helping companies and teams achieve their dreams and goals.
We have the right systems and skills to..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
“Time is an inelastic resource. No matter how high the demand, we cannot rent, hire or buy more of it.”-Peter Drucker
A Quick Note: This is..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Business is moving faster than ever before, and these days your business needs to be as nimble possible to respond to the rapidly changing..
One of the things I have to do as a business consultant is to be a great listener. This is a key leadership and communication skill for..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
It’s time to slow down and develop a world-class team execution plan for next year. When we don’t slow down to plan our execution, our..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Master a Company Culture To Engage Your Employees To Their Peak Performance.
The Key to Creating Peak Performance at Work
The key to..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Go the Second Mile
Are your meetings the butt of work-related jokes? Why is it that we roll our eyes with disdain when our calendar is loaded with meetings,..
Are you a part of an executive team looking to increase team performance while developing better alignment and engagement? The Peak..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Go the Second Mile
Over the holidays, I flew with my kids for the first time in a few years. Honestly, I was really nervous about the whole thing. Hearing all..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, OKRs
Philip Kotler implores us to do a better job of understanding “who” our valuable customers are and then to deeply please them, rather than..
Topics: Increasing Sales
In my last blog, I talked about how most meetings suck. Now, I want to focus our energy on ways to fix them and have effective meetings...
Topics: Effective Meetings
I recently re-read the classic HBR article "Building Your Company's Vision" by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras. Their great examples..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
What is a skip-level meeting?
As defined in an article by Jared Lewis, "In a skip-level meeting, upper-level management bypasses mid-level..
As a hiring manager, if you've experienced bad hires in the past, you know how expensive these can be.
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
I’ve just finished reading John Doerr’s book, Measure What Matters: OKRs - The Simple Idea that Drives 10x Growth, and it is full of really..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Most companies these days are actively striving to engage more employees… and most think of engagement as a willingness to go above and..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
In the business world, a pressure test is a rigorous evaluation process designed to assess a company's resilience, adaptability, and..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
With this quarterly planning season coming to a close, I've discussed hundreds of priorities in the last few weeks with clients - you are a..
Are you attending a business conference in Charlotte, NC, like the Rhythm Systems Breakthrough Execution Conference? If so, you're in luck!..
What is Scrum, and why do I care? Scrum is a term that has moved from the discussion in the server rooms and development area of..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Imagine this - over a year ago, I raised my hand after our company's Annual Planning session and volunteered to help with a significant..
Topics: Strategy Execution
From a leadership perspective, there’s a real thirst for increasing leadership accountability. Executives have recently asked me various..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams, Mergers & Acquisitions
Welcome to Charlotte, North Carolina! Whether you’re here for business or pleasure, you’ll find plenty of delicious restaurants to keep..
Payroll is one of the most important investments a company can make. It's the lifeblood of a business, but it's also an area that can be..
I have been helping companies develop their strategies for growth and profitability for over twenty years. As with many consultants, I..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Are you feeling overwhelmed by how your team is measuring success? Are you looking for an easy-to-understand way to set targets and..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Go the Second Mile, OKRs
How many leaders think about themselves as corporate athletes? How many of us spend time sharpening our saw, as Stephen Covey taught? How..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
My last blog, 6 Excuses for Avoiding an Executive Coach (and Why You Should Think Again) talked about all the negative internal chatter..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
After recently reviewing thousand of Annual Plans and Quarterly Plans, I can say without a doubt that improving employee engagement seems..
I get asked this question lately "How hard should I push employees to return to the office?" "Is this work-from-home thing going to last?..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Go the Second Mile, Recruiting Employees
Every quarter, my team and I complete a
Start-Stop-Continue (or start-stop-keep) exercise to get us thinking. It's a valuable process that..
Leadership OKRs are a reliable way to connect workers to the company's mission and shared vision. Through this structure, managers can set..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Go the Second Mile, OKRs
As a training and on-boarding expert at Rhythm Systems, I know a lot about KPIs. Recently, I’ve also learned a lot about OKRs. Many of my..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, OKRs
It is easy to confuse your strategy and your 3-year strategic plan. I have seen so many leaders tell me that they have a great strategy...
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
The recent Oscar nomination of the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once has brought a lot of attention to exploring different..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
I previously wrote a blog titled 21 Production KPI Examples to Improve Manufacturing Performance, and many people were interested in..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
As a general rule, CEOs need easy access to a few key performance indicators—they need a CEO KPI dashboard that allows them, at a glance,..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Organizational performance is an essential aspect of any business. Being a growing business is great for attracting and keeping talented..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams
We are coming into that time of year where a lot of companies are gearing up or doing their annual planning to prepare for next year. In..
What is a huddle meeting? The daily huddle meeting has been common practice for many companies for ages. No matter your industry..
Topics: Effective Meetings
Did you know that nearly half of all companies fail to meet financial targets? This lack of success can be traced back to poor annual..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
Peak performance refers to the highest level of performance that an individual or organization can achieve in a particular task or..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, OKRs
I have made it a priority to be a lifelong learner which aligns well with one of our company’s core values of “Keep Smart.” As an employee,..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
5 Benefits of Attending a Strategy Execution Conference
Rhythm Systems is getting ready to host its 2023 annual breakthrough execution..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
It is that time again. I am working with my clients to help create quarterly execution plans with their top Company quarterly rocks so they..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
At Rhythm Systems, we work with clients to ensure they are measuring the metrics that matter to allow them to achieve their dreams and..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
What should you do if you cannot seem to come up with enough sales opportunities to hit the revenue target for next year? This scenario..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
I hear time and time again from people that their meetings are a complete waste of time. In fact, they can often be a huge productivity..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
Rhythm Systems is proud to announce the release of its newest white paper, "The Unbeatable Return on Payroll of Engaged Employees,"..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Accountability can be a scary word. For many, it sounds punitive - and that’s because most of us associate “accountability” with..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Topgrading is a methodology of recruiting, interviewing, selecting and retaining top talent developed by Brad Smart and Geoff Smart..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Shortly after my son, Jack, was diagnosed with autism at age two, I set thebig, hairy, audacious goal (BHAG Examples) that he will..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Often, people think of OKRs as a tool for tech companies. This is not surprising since the goal-setting method was developed and first used..
Topics: OKRs, Non Profits
CEOs and business leaders spend a lot of time and energy working to hunt down important data and make the right decisions to grow the..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
By now, most of us are familiar with Verne Harnish’s book, Mastering
the Rockefeller Habits: What You Must Do To Increase the Value of..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Financial rewards are just the beginning of what keeps employees active in their job role. Another, more overlooked factor, is job..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
As a leader with decades in the business, I attended the Galliard Group National Gathering, where I had the privilege of spending two days..
Is a 2023 recession on the horizon?
A recession is "a significant decline in economic activity reflected by a decline in aggregate demand,..
In 2023, having confidence in your ability to achieve your goals is hard. We survey our contacts regularly on how confident they feel about..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, OKRs
Proper Quarterly Planning Rhythms. In order to achieve organizational alignment, there needs to be an established planning Rhythm that..
Excited. Ready. Anxious. Eager. Let’s go!
Worried. Tired. Stressed. Done. Overwhelmed.
At the end of a meeting, we usually recommend..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
It can be intimidating to sit down to a blank slate and begin working on your company’s first official KPI dashboard! Over the years, I’ve..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
It may seem daunting to tackle your Strategic Annual Planning session for 2022. With so much uncertainty due to the ongoing pandemic, it..
Meetings. Most executives spend their days in a haze, bouncing from meeting to conference call to another meeting - back to back to back...
Topics: Effective Meetings
A common tool used in planning sessions is the SWOT analysis. The acronym SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
This happens all the time. You are holding someone accountable to get something done. Yet you find yourself checking in and chasing for an..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Weekly Team Meetings…we’ve all got them. Conventional business wisdom has proclaimed since the beginning of time that the weekly staff..
Topics: Effective Meetings
Often, founders and CEOs of small businesses get their hands dirty and engage in many aspects of the daily running of the business. They..
According to Gallup, only about half of
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
For many companies, the idea of the monthly leadership meeting can feel like a burden in an already overly scheduled calendar. Why is this..
It’s a fact in today’s business world that meetings typically take up a large part of your day. In fact, some days are spent running from..
Topics: Effective Meetings
Research shows that our economy is largely being driven by middle-market firms, especially those in the service industries. Key Performance..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Most Companies Fail Due to Poor Strategic Execution
As a fan of Blue Ocean strategy, you already know how important it is to have the right..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Mergers & Acquisitions
Quarterly Planning is just around the corner, are you prepared to create a winning plan this quarter with your team?
Here are 10 Quarterly..
A while ago, I listened to a podcast where Brené Brown, Simon Sinek, and Adam Grant debated whether the recent phenomenon of "quiet..
When I was in college, one of my professors pulled me aside after class and said, “You have great ideas, but when you present them to the..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams
As we head into 2022, now is the perfect time to step back and take a hard look at your team's meeting rhythms. Much like your junk drawer..
Topics: Effective Meetings
Customer retention is a routine, where you rinse, repeat, and rise to perfection over time. In 2018, winning new customers and keeping..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth
If you have ever downloaded any tools or other resources on our site, you know that we usually ask you about your Biggest Business..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Goal setting is both a skill and an art. Whether you are new to the goal-setting game, or a seasoned pro, there is always room for..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams, OKRs
At this time of year, when so many around me are being intentional with their gratitude, I am inspired to slow down and contemplate for..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Go the Second Mile
As some teams head back into the office, many are facing a unique challenge for the first time - running a meeting where some team members..
Topics: Effective Meetings
With the emphasis on core subjects in budget crunched public schools, art programs are being asked to pack their paint brushes and go...
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Over the last few years, we've been collecting data from our Rhythm community
- including YPO members, entrepreneurs of the year, and..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, White Papers
For many team leaders, HR professionals and individual contributors, the performance review process is one of the most dreaded exercises..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams
You have probably heard the old saying, what gets measured, gets improved. Very much an old engineering phrase from back in the day, but as..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Employee Health and Retention, Recruiting Employees
Turn your existing 3-5 year strategic plan into a Rhythm Systems Winning Move. A Winning Move is an idea or project that will help you..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards
One of the most important components of the Rhythm Systems, the Think-Plan-Do methodology is to implement a planning rhythm that includes..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
It is important to grow the top line of your business on an annual basis, but you also need to make sure the bottom line is healthy which..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Job Scorecards (or employee scorecards) have been a hot topic recently. Many companies are looking for a way to provide more constant and..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Every team is focused on setting their Annual Priorities & Budget for the next year at this time of year. It's an incredible commitment of..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Effective Meetings
I know, I know; you've heard it all before! These are the top things to do to retain and attract talent and increase employee engagement in..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Effective Meetings, Go the Second Mile
As a team leader, you own the key results for your team, meaning that you will probably have a handful of KPIs on your list (2-3) that are..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Two key concepts in manufacturing that often get misconstrued or even used synonymously are manufacturing productivity and manufacturing ..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Leaders frequently ask me about how to build a performance culture focused on personal accountability, employee engagement, and results...
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
When you work with so many CEOs, you get to see how they approach problems. They may not always tell you everything, but they will share..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
The common mistake many companies make is to start creating a bunch of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for their company. They start..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
How much did misalignment cost your organization last year? Misalignment comes from poor planning, and it results in poor execution and..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams
With 16+ years of expertise connecting long-term strategy to daily execution, Rhythm has proven to be the world’s leading platform for goal..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
As the summer comes to an end and fall looms with more uncertainty, it can be tempting to sit back and see what comes next—but if you..
In working with hundreds of mid-market CEOs as a consultant at Rhythm Systems, I often get asked about KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Effective Meetings, OKRs
Active listening skills are more critical than ever, especially as we head into the annual planning season. When we pause to think ..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Effective Meetings
The Level 5 Leadership Stage is Set…
Have you ever had this "strange" feeling that you just couldn’t shake? I recently went through that...
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Companies are under pressure to deliver better performance at lower costs in today's competitive environment. This requires leaders to..
Got your crystal ball ready for your annual planning session?
No? Hmm… Since you can't confidently see into the future (yet!), you need a..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
Effective listening is a key attribute for leaders (and for people in general). If you are a manager, this skill can help you unlock the..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
This time of year, leaves are turning, kids are in school, and many business leaders are spending a great deal of time, energy, and..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
We were working on a CEO's plan for the next year when I noticed his team fidgeting and looking uncomfortable during our planning session...
One of the best practices we recommend to all of our clients is rotating facilitation duties for your team’s weekly meeting. There are a..
Topics: Effective Meetings
The world has changed dramatically over the past decade. Businesses have become increasingly globalized, competition has intensified, and..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Effective Meetings
No matter what business your company is in, it's a safe bet to assume that you'll need to be able to adapt to the changing conditions..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
CEOs spend their days working long hours, managing employees, and dealing with shareholders. They don’t have much time to focus on their..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams, New CEO
CEOs are busy people. They spend most of their time working hard to run their companies effectively. Objectives and Key Results, or OKRs,..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, New CEO, OKRs
You've done it! You and your team have finished a significant project and are ready to celebrate. Your team did a great job adjusting to..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
What does it take to become a successful new middle market C.E.O.?
Topics: Increasing Sales, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams
In any industrial company, there are business goals to hit, KPIs to measure and OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to complete. In..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, OKRs
As the dust settles on the Annual Planning season, many mid market CEOs now face the challenge of how to achieve and maintain alignment to..
You can make an argument that your company’s annual planning meeting is the most important thing you do all year. It is where you have your..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
Many companies have strong Annual Plans but fail to execute on them and miss their targets year after year. They know that they are missing..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
I bet you’re not going into Annual Planning this year thinking, “Gee, I’d really like to have a pretty slow year where our company doesn’t..
How often do you attend meetings where nothing gets accomplished? If you're looking for ways to improve meeting effectiveness, then look..
Topics: Effective Meetings
As Chris Cosper detailed in a previous post, we have the ability to record 3 types of metrics in our Rhythm cloud based strategy platform:
Many unknowable things can happen between now and the beginning of 2023. One thing we do know is that when next year hits, you will need to..
Use the SMART Goals Framework
The SMART goals framework helps you set realistic goals that are measurable, attainable, relevant, specific,..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Effective Meetings, New CEO
We recently held our 6th annual Breakthrough Conference, although it was our first ever virtual conference, and I want to share a few ideas..
Many planning tools are used on an annual basis—yet, they are often overlooked in the middle of a pandemic like COVID-19. There is an..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Effective Meetings
Alignment can be elusive for even the smallest start-up companies, never mind mid-market companies that have multiple divisions,..
Take a look at your calendar. If you’re like most executives, you’re booked up with meetings weeks in advance. As we all know, meetings can..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
I have written previously about the importance of Identifying your core customer because I have seen far too many companies waste their..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
I recently read Dr. Steve Sjuggerud’s investment newsletter where he stated:
“It made me feel a bit like Tom Brady in the playoffs..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Over the past couple of years, many work environments have often felt like a real-life game of Would You Rather - but with no great..
In his popular book
Atomic Habits, James Clear wisely asserts that we don't rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
At Rhythm Systems, our CEO, Patrick Thean, is fond of the saying, "The fish rots from the head down." When you are thinking about your..
Having the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on your CEO dashboard is very important to ensure you are driving the right behaviors in..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
So you and your team have spent hours defining your Core Customer, talking about their needs and a working Brand Promise has finally..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth
Strategic planning is a critical part of running a successful company or organization. Yet, too often, companies don’t take enough time to..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
We all know the feeling… sitting through an hour-long meeting that could have very well just been an email. Nobody likes wasting their..
Topics: Effective Meetings
"People come to work with the best intentions to give it their best and work on the right things. If we don't plan effectively together,..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, New CEO
I hear this all the time: “Our Weekly Meetings are just routine report-outs about who’s doing what; they’re so tactical!” If this is your..
Topics: Effective Meetings
You know what? Weekly team meetings suck. There, I said it. I know many of you were thinking it, but I went ahead and put it out there...
Topics: Effective Meetings
The best companies are already starting their Annual Strategic Planning process for 2023. They're engaging in pre-planning activities like
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
As a leader, you probably know that it is important to recognize your team members. However, research shows that there is a disconnect in..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Most companies do budgeting first and then strategy and annual planning. Think about this. If you have created a budget, you have..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
With so much uncertainty and many experts warning we are on the cusp of an economic downturn or possible recession, you may be looking to..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
If you have ever downloaded any tools or other resources on our site, you know that we usually ask you about your Biggest Business..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
Using OKRs, or
Objectives and Key Results has become more and more popular as a goal-setting framework. And, it's no surprise! It's an..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Verne Harnish notes in his book Mastering the Rockefeller Habits that the difference between organizational vision and organizational..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams
At Rhythm Systems, we believe that having a strong Think Plan Do Rhythm is essential to growing your business with purpose. And, we think..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
How does culture play a role in team performance? What makes some teams perform better than others? Is it really possible to create a high..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams
I grew up in a manufacturing family. My grandmother had her own manufacturing company, and my father was a partner in a local manufacturing..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Industries are changing rapidly, workplaces are in flux and the future feels uncertain. Taking a more agile approach to strategic planning..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Many successful mid-market companies have cracked the hiring code. Perhaps you use a hiring method like Topgrading to ensure that you bring..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
On my flights to see clients, I always pick up a business magazine to read. It’s something that can spur an insight when I face a..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
If you have ever downloaded any tools or other resources on our site, you know that we usually ask you about your Biggest Business..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
According to Gallup, “in their search for new ideas and approaches, organizations could be overlooking one of the most easily executed..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
If you’re a hiring manager at your organization, chances are that you have had a couple of new hires that haven’t worked out the way that..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
In working with middle market CEOs and their employees and they often wonder about their employee productivity and professional..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
In order to live our Core Value to Keep Smart, our team does company-wide training each year (in addition to the department-specific..
We are so thrilled to be gathering our Rhythm Community in person in our home headquarters of Charlotte, NC, this May for our annual
..
Topics: Go the Second Mile
One of the top 10 moments of my life was the Predictable Results book launch party at our Breakthrough Conference last October. To sweeten..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
For any growing business, ensuring that you have the processes in place to “scale up” your business is very important. Here at Rhythm..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
Leadership 101 tells us that it’s important to set clear and specific goals for ourselves and for our teams in order to achieve business..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
If you are like many of our clients, you may be considering adjusting travel plans for your team in the midst of the concern surrounding..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
Written by Cindy Praeger and Eskinder Assefa
A fairly significant body of research now clearly shows that the reason why a number of..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
In a study by McKinsey & Company, management development at all levels has been ranked as a #1 priority by 500 executives, and..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Sounds like a simple concept: Alignment. What makes this so hard to achieve? The fact is, if you are hiring the right people, you will..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Effective Meetings
At Rhythm Systems, we are so excited to be hosting our annual Breakthrough Conference right here in our hometown! From the beautiful..
How Well are Referrals Working for Your Business?
We have all heard the old saying, "You have to give to get." This principle remains valid..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
We are thrilled to host our Annual Breakthrough Conference once again in Charlotte, NC, May 4th-5th 2022, at the Charlotte Marriott City..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams, Mergers & Acquisitions
The foundation of a successful Daily Huddle Meeting, Team Huddle Meeting or Weekly Meeting is a great facilitator to keep the weekly..
Topics: Effective Meetings
I really enjoy learning during client interactions. When I’m working onsite in planning sessions, coaching executives 1-to-1, or working..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Your business is experiencing strong growth – now what? Double-digit growth brings with it a host of new challenges, particularly how to..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
In our fast-moving world of innovation and disruption, some leaders may wonder if it is no longer beneficial to hone core competencies over..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
The trouble with accountability is that, well, you have to live it. Patrick Lencioni writes; “Once we achieve clarity and buy-in, it is..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
What is process implementation and what does it mean to me? As companies grow, the need to establish and effective implementation..
Topics: Strategy Execution
In a former job, I had a manager who called all of his direct reports together to tell us some exciting news! We were embarking on a big..
It is very common to develop a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) for your business. What is not so common is to develop a BHAG for your..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
In a recent client conversation, a CEO said to me, “He’s really (really) smart, but it’s just hard to hold him accountable. On top of that,..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
For more than 20 years, I have had the joy and privilege of working closely with mid-market growth companies. Through these experiences,..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Books
At this point in the year, many companies are gearing up to plan for the next year as part of their strategic planning process. Before you..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
At Rhythm Systems, I have had the opportunity to work on several exciting cross-functional projects to help our company move forward. I’ve..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
When it comes to goal setting, there are two extremes that come up over and over again. Some companies tend to err on the side of..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Effective Meetings, goal planning
It sounds so simple. But, I was just discussing scaling up meeting rhythms with one of my colleagues, and she told me that it took her..
So, how’s your huddle? I’ve written about huddles before and honestly believe they can be a breakthrough component in building..
While we may not know exactly what's coming in 2022, it's safe to say at this point that
hybrid work is certainly here to stay. While..
One of my favorite teams to coach through the Rhythm Cascade process is the Sales team. Having been part of a large sales organization..
If you are a CEO or founder, you’ve likely gotten where you are today because of your ideas - you are probably passionate about your..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Recently, our digital marketing team sat down and talked about our annual plan. Marketing departments have many campaigns they focus on..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
I recently prepared for an annual planning session with a client and one thing the client wanted to work on was their Big Hairy Audacious..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
When things aren’t going right and your business is in a slump, most people look to new ideas, adjust their KPIs (key performance indicators
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Your Brand Promise is the commitment to your customers that really matters to them and differentiates you from your competition. It is one..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Integrating acquisitions, launching new products, deploying new company-wide systems or processes, shifting your organizational structure,..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Implementing a new methodology for your team that requires people to be more focused, aligned and accountable doesn't always have everyone..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
The greatest athletes and business leaders in the world have coaches. No matter how good you are, and you are probably really good, there..
Driving new sales revenue is a common theme that comes up with the clients I work with. In fact, I can’t think of many companies that have..
Topics: Increasing Sales, KPIs & Dashboards
Planning Sessions are exciting - the possibilities are endless, the team is optimistic and ready to conquer the world! You spend countless..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Managing the daily, weekly, and monthly workload is a challenge for team members and leaders alike, but in very different ways. Teams have..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
We read a lot these days about strategic leadership and tactical leadership (as we should). Leaders find themselves up against a multitude..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
I have to admit that I am a data geek. I do know that I have a unique personality type and most people aren’t interested in digging deep..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Effective Meetings
“I can’t wait to get out of this meeting to get my real work done!”
“I’m in back to back meetings. I won’t get anything done today!"
..
Topics: Effective Meetings
If you read our blog often, you know that we frequently recommend using a Job Scorecard (often called an employee scorecard)- we find this..
As we begin 2022, there are a lot of questions we just can't answer. We'll continue to experience uncertainty about the ongoing impact of..
History is the ultimate reality TV show; it's getting a first-hand view of people's bad decisions, conflicts, trials, and successes. We can..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Blog written by Cindy Praeger & Guest Blogger, Eskinder Assefa
Topics: Strategies for Growth
If you had told our team of expert facilitators this time last year that they would be doing 90% of their strategic facilitation work..
If you are a Mastering the Rockefeller Habits fan, here are four tips to make your One-Page Strategic Plan work for you. Used correctly, it..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
The struggle is real. We’ve all been in meetings about our metrics that produce seemingly endless discussion about the numbers, with no..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Effective Meetings
I am a big fan of Jim Collins and have used his book “Good to Great” as a business tool for many years. I was recently introduced to the..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Managing a remote team is challenging, even in the best of times. In our current environment, it is really tough to keep the team engaged,..
Innovation comes in all shapes and sizes - some big improvements for your business can be born from small, incremental changes that empower..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Many of us believe in a false dichotomy about negotiations: either you have to be really tough, or you’re a pushover. Recently, our Rhythm..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Whether you are an executive team member, a department leader, or a member of the team, the role you play in the company is unique and..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
It's undeniable the new season has arrived—everything's in bloom, days are getting longer and warmer, and it's time for spring cleaning,..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
As in the past many years, I entered 2020 with a full schedule of strategy and execution planning work with my clients. Then the pandemic..
If the idea of coming up with a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal (BHAG) for your business seems a bit overwhelming, that's okay. After all, it is..
Blog written by Guest Blogger, Eskinder Assefa
One of the toughest challenges CEOs face is finding effective ways to align teams and keep..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
I recently spoke to a great group of organizational leaders at the Rhythm Systems Breakthrough Conference in Charlotte, NC. The session was
Most clients I’ve worked with say they understand the key role accountability plays in making a company operate more efficiently (and..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Strategy without Tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without Strategy is the noise before the defeat.- Sun Tzu
Do you ever..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Do you spend more money on going away parties when someone leaves the company than you do welcome parties when someone joins? This was a..
I recently had the opportunity to create content for Rhythm University, our knowledge center that is full of tools, tips, videos and lots..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I have recently been involved in a few conversations with clients that are new to the Rockefeller Habits or to long-range planning. The..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Most of us just don’t like to have hard accountability conversations. Conversations in which you need someone to hear you can be tough for..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
"How do I become a highly effective manager? To answer that question, let’s climb out of the crevices of the 'day to day' so we can see..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
I was in Jakarta speaking at Taipan 2013. We had the strongest showing at Taipan ever with 220 people! CEOs with their teams worked hard on..
Read More
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Because Rhythm strategy execution software acts as a framework for pulling together into one single system many improvement initiatives and..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Executive Weekly Meeting Team Size
For the most effective weekly team meeting, your weekly leadership meeting team should consist of 8-10..
In your next weekly team meeting, take a moment to look around. What are you seeing? Are your team members engaged—are they looking at each..
Topics: Effective Meetings
You just completed an acquisition in business, time to celebrate and break out the champagne. For some companies, acquiring businesses..
Topics: Mergers & Acquisitions
A key piece of your long-term strategy is your 10-25 year visionary stretch goal, what Jim Collins calls your Big Hairy Audacious Goal..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
“Remember that failure is greatness waiting to happen” - Robin Sharma
Even though I know that we all make mistakes, I still hate making..
"The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be a person who knows how to ask.” - Peter Drucker
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Establishing the right meeting rhythm with your executive team is key. Many executives spend the majority of their days in one meeting or..
Topics: Effective Meetings
When strong emotions, high stakes and opposing opinions collide, it can be explosive and, potentially damaging to results or a..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
When things aren’t going right and business is in a slump, most people look to new ideas, adjust their KPIs (key performance indicators) or..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
For many, it's time to roll out those 2021 plans and kick off some new initiatives to help your company build back or accelerate growth in..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
It’s fairly understood that great leaders don’t lead processes; they lead people. You’re probably aware, too, that great bosses have truly..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Each KPI and Priority should have clearly defined success criteria. What is success? What is failure? Discuss, debate and agree as a team.
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
A CEO has many responsibilities, and among the top is ensuring the company has a sound plan and budget going into each new year. Seasoned..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
In my last blog, “Lack of Accountability is Costing You,” I reviewed the expense that accompanies the lack of accountability. As I noted at..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
We’ve known for a while that an increase in remote work was coming, and the pandemic has accelerated this trend. Many workers are eager to..
This has been a banner year for new podcasts! It seems like there's a new one launched every week. I suspect people who found themselves..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
You had a great annual planning session. You worked hard developing your 3 year strategic plan for revenue growth and profit (scaling up)..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Learn as much as you can to energize yourself and bring your best to the business!
I am a big fan of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates (even..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
In our ever-changing world, one thing we can count on is disruption; there are no shortages of problems to solve, opportunities to chase..
Topics: Strategy Execution
To give your business an edge against the competition in 2019, you might be considering some ways to level yourself up in the process...
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
The holidays are just around the corner and everyone is hustling to wrap things up before some well deserved time off. Did your team have..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
Once you have done the hard work to determine the right BHAG Big Hairy Audacious Goal for your company over the next 10-25 years, now you..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Creating Company, Group, and Individual priorities is a key success factor (a leading indicator KPI) to achieving both your short-term and..
Sometimes companies talk about "eating their own dog food" or "drinking their own champagne," meaning they use their own product or..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
The feedback surveys are still rolling in, but I can say without a doubt that our first virtual conference was a success! Our amazing..
Topics: Effective Meetings
There are two main reasons that entrepreneurs fail to grow their business and maintain a healthy personal life. Dr. Ollie Malone, author of
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
No one wants to have silos in their company, but even in my short career I’ve seen many companies that do. You need organization and..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
Strategy Execution Software can be tricky - it needs to be easy enough for anyone to pick up and use, but powerful enough to get the job..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
Businesses looking to implement goal-setting best practices are often drowning in a sea of acronyms that can be hard to navigate. What’s..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, OKRs
Remote workers and companies are becoming more popular these days. In a recent survey, Gallup reported 37% of workers said they worked..
Topics: Effective Meetings
Looking back at the most recent quarter turnover from Q3 to Q4, I realize that I introduced 14 new cascade teams to the power of Rhythm! ..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
If your company has hired anyone over the last year, chances are you've had to do at least some of that new hire's onboarding and training..
Think about the last meeting you facilitated... was there a slide deck involved? If so, chances are you (or your admin) spent quite a bit..
With the rise in popularity of hybrid and remote work, staggered schedules or just the increased demand on your team's time, it feels..
Since the release of Patrick Thean's book Rhythm, it has been so exciting to speak with people who are implementing Rhythm in all types and..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
Spreadsheets are a powerful tool and very inexpensive. Compared to most software, they seem nearly free. That's why most businesses use a..
Topics: Strategy Execution
2020 was an extraordinary year on many fronts. Most people I know are very glad it is behind them, and now that it is and we are a month..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
Holding people accountable can be a chore for most leaders building an accountability culture. For a multitude of reasons, it’s simply not..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
As a member of your company’s executive team, you have a lot on your plate. And, particularly in middle market companies, C-suite..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Often, companies work many hours on discovering the right Core Values for their company. Sometimes they even spend top dollar on..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Leading indicators and results indicators are both key performance indicators (KPIs). I love leading indicators. The right leading..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
At Rhythm Systems, we have been helping companies build strategic execution plans for the last 15 years. We've learned a lot in that time,..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
For many, our current environment is more distracting than any other time in our work lives. With a pandemic raging, a U.S. election..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
In my career, I've been in some pretty dismal meetings—ones where I struggled to keep my eyes open, ones where I watched the clock in..
Topics: Effective Meetings
Many leaders and team members have found the stay-at-home orders draining—and prolonged weeks of this inherently stressful situation can..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Written by Meredith Wood, Editor-in-Chief of Fundera
As the CEO, you’ve either started and cultivated your own company, or worked hard to..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
I recently blogged that being a great coach requires that you know which hat you’re wearing the very moment you engage with a team member...
The "new normal" is here... and for many companies, it involves hybrid work in which some team members work remotely at least part of the..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams
We are excited to announce the launch of Rhythm version 5! This is our best version of the Rhythm platform ever. It is a refinement of 15..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
As an Executive Coach, it’s my job to know you in terms of your leadership strengths and your leadership skills. Both are imperative to..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Someone asked me recently to explain what business coaching is, and I realized there’s not one simple answer. It means different things to..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
I have helped many companies identify and leverage their core competencies through the years, and doing this can really make a difference..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Kaihan Krippendorff, master strategist and author of Outthink the Competition and columnist for Fastcompany interviewed me on the topic of..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Quite a few years back, a good friend of mine introduced me to John Miller and his book “QBQ – The Question Behind the Question.” I had..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams
One of the priorities for our Consulting and Client Services team here at Rhythm Systems this quarter was to nail down Job Scorecards (or..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Getting and staying aligned with your team is a challenge even when you are all in the same office. When everyone is remote or working from..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
I love what I do for a living. I meet the most incredible people who are building amazing companies. Most recently, I was sharing this..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
With the pandemic disrupting expectations for projects and revenue goals for many this year, it's no surprise that a major focus for this..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
When companies are small, it’s not such a challenge to get things done. Maybe you have a meeting (where the whole company attends), you..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Your company is not alone if there are gaps in your business strategy. I have worked with third generation companies that just never took..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
If you want your team to be focused and aligned on the right projects, you need to connect your strategy to execution.
Successful companies..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
There are never enough hours in the day. I can't seem to keep up with it all. I'm constantly fighting fires and don't have time to focus..
Many companies are figuring out how to do more with less as a result of the pandemic and ensuing economic hardships. Some are relying more..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Many people wonder and worry about whether or not they are doing a good job and if their boss is happy with their work. It is one of the..
The famous mountain climber, Phil Powers, said it best during an interview on NPR’s "This I Believe” segment: “Concentrating on how I move..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Rhythm is one of those tools that works best when everyone uses it, and most new clients worry about system adoption. We've all been..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Sometimes, you just have to slow down to speed up.
Communication Leads to Better Connectivity and Team Accountability
Communication is a..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
A little peek behind the proverbial curtain for you: I have a digital notebook (I use Evernote) where I capture blog ideas as they come to..
If you have ever downloaded any tools or other resources on our site, you know that we usually ask you about your Biggest Business..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
With life returning to normal for many people, lots of us will be traveling or taking much needed vacation time this summer. Whether..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, goal planning
In a recent Annual Planning session, one of our clients asked us to help them review and renew their Winning Moves, the 3 year strategic..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Have you ever been particularly busy with work—maybe leading up to a big event or project deadline—and tell yourself, "OK, things will..
Take this quick quiz to determine if you are ready to engage with an executive coach and take your game to the next level. An executive..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Recent research conducted confirms that podcasts are getting more and more popular, with 26% of people in the US listening at least every..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Those of you using the Rhythm tool to track and discuss your KPIs weekly have probably seen the Projected, Actual and Variance fields on..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
One of the many wonderful aspects of the Rhythm software platform and methodology is that it is industry agnostic. It works in healthcare,..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Business dreams and future strategic direction are exciting, motivating and even invigorating; however, they are of no value if you run out..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
So many Rhythm companies start off as what we consider “simple” companies. As they begin scaling up they are experiencing steady, if not..
I'm not going to lie, I miss being in a room with my team members. Seeing their real, 3-D faces when we talk would be amazing, but, for..
Topics: Effective Meetings
Like many others, I’ve spent the last few weeks working from home which includes splitting up homeschooling and childcare responsibilities..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
We’ve all been there… you call customer support at your cable company or phone service provider and instead of getting help for your..
Topics: Increasing Sales
If you believe the adage, ‘time is money,’ then you’re saying that the concept of time (and the elapse of that time) costs you and your..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Many companies are re-tooling and finding the best ways to remain connected and productive in a remote work environment in the work from..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams
“Calamity is the test of integrity.” – Samuel Richardson
Never are the Five Characteristics of Great Leaders more relevant than when..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
If you read our blog often, you know that we are fans of Topgrading, and we frequently talk about hiring and developing A Players. In a ..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
2021 will be the first year of remote working being the international standard: not just an option for many professionals, but actually the
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
How an employee moves through the ranks and advances in a company usually starts with them being an exceptional entry-level employee. The..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Now that vaccinations are in sight for most of us, many leaders whose companies have been mostly remote for the last year are..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
We’ve just ended a particularly challenging year with no relief in sight. Business battles have multiple new fronts – including national..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Why don’t they just do what they are supposed to do?
How is it possible that my people keep letting me down?
I wish they would just hold..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
The purpose of having Job Scorecards in place at your company is to help avoid costly pitfalls. Inevitably, when I speak with CEOs who are..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
We've all heard it... "Why doesn't Jane just do what I've asked her to do!?" or "How can I hold Tom accountable?" Chances are, if you lead..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
What's the difference between KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and Quarterly Rocks? This can be a very confusing question, especially for..
As we celebrate Valentine's Day this year, are your team members feeling the love? How's your company culture holding up in today's world..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
A best selling book written by Thean, Cosper, Gehringer, Chepul, Pruitt, McCullough, McBride, Skinner, Enriquez. This book provides a..
Topics: Books
Learn how integration APIs help CEOs eliminate expensive mistakes (28 minute webinar)
Topics: Webinars
Learn the framework to align your executive team and strategic efforts. (27 minute webinar)
Topics: Webinars
Learn the 5Cs to drive change and alignment successfully in your organization. (55 minute webinar)
Topics: Webinars
Need inspiration? Learn top ideas to create your go-forward plan. (1hr 3 minute webinar)
Topics: Webinars
Learn how the Rhythm platform keeps remote teams focused on the work that matters all year long (53 minute webinar) with Cindy Praeger.
Topics: Webinars
Steve Hoffa, CEO-Cannon Safe, and Mark Nussbaum, COO-Signature Consultants, talk about the ease of getting started and using the Rhythm..
Topics: Videos
A few of our clients talk about how our Rhythm business software can help any industry, CEO, Department, and Individual get more..
Topics: Videos
Listen to some of our clients talk about how Rhythm software has helped them solve problems from sales, tracking strategic initiatives,..
Topics: Videos
In an era of rapid and continuous disruption, the old ways are not agile enough to keep up. CEOs need something new to move their companies..
Topics: Whitepapers
Scaling a company is one of the greatest challenges a CEO faces. You are likely no exception. CEOs find they can no longer directly manage..
Topics: Whitepapers
Execute Without Drama is a book written by serial entrepreneur, Patrick Thean. Read Patrick's informative book on the power of the RIGHT..
Topics: Books
Learn How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth.
Patrick Thean provides practical tips and tools to help companies..
Topics: Books
In 1998 I was traveling on I-95, just south of Cocoa Beach, Florida, where brush fires burned along the highway. When I arrived in Fort..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Over the last year, Rhythm Systems team members have really focused on the importance of process improvements. How do we do our jobs..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
At Rhythm Systems, we specialize in helping middle market companies achieve their dreams and goals. We believe that we can make a big..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
These are crazy times we find ourselves in right now. I have heard more than one person say that they have never experienced anything like..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
One of our manufacturing clients came to us originally with a very interesting problem. Everyone on the shop floor was doing a tremendous..
ut?
y
what’s ur BHAG?
B-Who?
LOL. Bee-Hag
idk
k
Jim Collins was ahead of his time when he coined the term BHAG back in 1994. More than 20..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
There is no way around it—the quality of your Weekly Team Meetings makes or breaks your Quarterly Plan. Most teams simply update each other..
Topics: Effective Meetings
Our team was stuck. We had a CRM (customer relationship management) system that was making our lives painful instead of making it easier to..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Who is facilitating your next One-Day Quarterly Planning Session?
Whether you are doing it yourself, bringing in an outside facilitator,..
Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) are not for the faint of heart. Any CEO who has navigated those waters will tell you it is a tremendous..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Mergers & Acquisitions
As you strategize for the year ahead, there are a lot of unknowns. One thing is certain: keeping and growing your customers has never been..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Think about the last in-person meeting or conference you attended. Close your eyes and visualize the space. Was there a stage? What was on..
Topics: Effective Meetings
Congratulations to Jeff Berstein, and the ImageFIRST Team! Calera Capital, a private equity firm, acquired a majority share of ImageFIRST,..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
For over a decade, our consultants have worked with client CEOs to help them exceed industry standards and build great companies. Having..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Effective Meetings
According to a recent article I read in Harvard Business Review, "most employees want to be productive, but the organization too often gets..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Employee engagement for remote workers is a huge topic in the market today, especially with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) limiting travel and..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Does your who do what? It sounds somewhat funny, but this is really a serious question. Many people know what these terms are, but for..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
One of the biggest challenges for companies is aligning their priorities across the entire organization. As a leader, you need the right..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
If you ask any salesperson what their #1 Priority is, they will say, “Make my numbers!”
Truer words were never spoken, eager salesperson!
..
Topics: Increasing Sales
A better way to scale a family-owned business
How Master Electronics grew from 160 to 450 people by empowering them to make decisions..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
The problem with revenue-generating strategies, or Winning Moves, is that you don’t feel you need to work on them when things are going..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
A Better Way to Forecast Customer Growth
How a manufacturing company improved their ability to forecast when production needed to ramp up..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Apple just released the iPhone 12. It comes in various sizes, finishes and configurations as it enters the world of 5G. Of course I want..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Over the last few months, my husband and I have been re-watching AMC’s Mad Men, a show we started a long time ago and never finished in the..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
There is no better time than the present to work on completing your strategy. You may have wanted to nail down your work on core customer,..
One of the best parts of our annual Breakthrough Conference is getting our Rhythm community together to live our core values of Keep Smart,..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams
As you approach planning for another quarter, take a moment to check in on your 3-5 Year Strategy or what he calls Winning Moves. These are..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Many companies are tempted to power through the end of the year and see what happens. That approach could prove catastrophic for your..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
A recent survey from SHRM found, "Work-related concerns left more than 40 percent of employees feeling hopeless, burned out or exhausted as..
Topics: Effective Meetings
In March, when many teams moved to work from home for the first time, I heard a lot of questions from clients about how to know if their..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
There are many views or definitions of strategy. Renowned Harvard Business School professor and strategy expert Michael Porter provided..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Written by Cindy Praeger and Eskinder Assefa
Departmental silos in business are organizational units that should operate as specialized..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Our first-ever virtual Breakthrough Conference is just a few weeks away! Here's a sneak peek so you know what to expect from this..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
As we wrap up Q3 and move on to Q4, I’ve had a lot of conversations with clients and my team about the best practices for closing out a..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
I have two small children sleeping quietly (for once) as I write this a little before 6 am. While the COVID-19 crisis has been hard for..
2020 has been a disastrous year in general, and the business world has certainly suffered major losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic:..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
As a CEO, you have specific challenges from a leadership perspective. You have to keep your team connected to your overall strategy, make..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
It’s that time of the year again where we all wonder where 2017 went. It seems like it just started! Soon our friends and family will..
This Saturday, my aunt will be buried. She's the last of my dad's generation for my family. She passed due to complications of cancer, and..
Most companies we work with are still operating in a virtual or semi-virtual world, and fortunately, employees are adapting well. It is..
Ever feel stuck working on your BHAG? Like you just can’t get the right words? You know that your BHAG is supposed to be measurable but..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Like most other companies, we’ve made the decision to pivot our in-person conference to a virtual event. As we were planning for this new..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Your Quarterly Planning session is arguably the most important day or two out of your next 90 days. You need to emerge from that session..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
I facilitate a lot of strategy and execution planning sessions throughout the year. The majority of the time, I do this on-site with a..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning
Many leaders find personal accountability comes naturally - often, it is a muscle they have strengthened significantly through years of..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
Leadership development is a growing concern for middle market companies. Growing your leaders is a challenge - whether you are succession..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
We talk a lot about plans - annual plans, quarterly plans, team plans, project plans. But what’s your plan for the next 90 days? What are..
Working with middle market CEOs, we are often asked "What is revenue growth strategy?" Driving revenue is the number 1 concern for most..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
The most common pitfall I see in companies who are new to Rhythm and the Rockefeller Habits is thinking that setting targets for their KPIs
Weekly staff meetings are often a huge waste of time and money. Too often, they are just boring status updates that could have been better..
Topics: Effective Meetings
It’s summer. Bright blue skies, puffy cotton candy-like clouds, and colorful flowers abound in gardens everywhere. This description is also..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
As leadership guru Jim Collins tells us, organizations go from good to great when personalities step aside and let purpose become the..
Since most of our consultants haven’t traveled to see a client since March, we’ve successfully transitioned their planning sessions from..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
According to FEMA, only 60% of small businesses reopen after a disaster. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) continues this..
Over the last several months, we’ve seen our clients innovate in amazing ways to survive and thrive during the COVID-19 crisis. We have had..
Topics: Strategy Execution
As head of training at Rhythm Systems, I’ve had a busy year creating all the training content to accompany our latest software release -..
An acquaintance of mine has recently undergone a merger at her corporation. As a mid-level employee, she knew it was coming; her company..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams, Mergers & Acquisitions
KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are key indicators used to measure the success or performance of a business and are most commonly used to..
Topics: Increasing Sales, KPIs & Dashboards
90,000 hours—that’s how long an average person spends at work over the course of a lifetime, according to a study cited in Business Insider.
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
"Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts." -Arnold Bennett
Whether you or an external..
Topics: Strategy Execution
This past Fall, my family and I took a week’s vacation in Kennebunkport, Maine. We have been there several times in the past, but this was..
Topics: Strategy Execution
I was facilitating a Rockefeller Habits mid-year planning session. As part of their regular Think Rhythm, the executive team was working..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Peter Drucker stated that ”the best and most dedicated people are ultimately volunteers, for they have the opportunity to do something..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
As the COVID-19 news unfolds and more people are staying in (check out www.cdc.gov/covid-19 for the latest accurate information), some of..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
If you are like me, your inbox is full of COVID-19 response letters from every vendor, doctor, airline, restaurant or business of any kind..
We all know we need to be prepared for the worst—while striving for the best—when it comes to the effects of COVID-19, and the market has..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
For many managers, leading a remote team is something new. After a few months, you’ve probably worked out many of the technical issues and..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
According to CNBC, since the onset of COVID-19, Zoom use has surged to over 300 million daily participants. Microsoft Teams has more than..
Topics: Effective Meetings
In my initial blog “How to Create KPIs that Drive Your Company's Success,” we focused on the most common form of metric, Key Performance..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Let’s imagine you are going into your quarterly performance review, armed with all the great results you’ve achieved over the last 90 days...
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
The Balanced Scorecard, originally developed by Dr. Robert Kaplan of Harvard University and Dr. David Norton, can keep your company..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards
Rework is such a pain and such a waste of resources. It costs you time, energy and emotional distress. Nobody likes to clean up their..
Topics: Accountable Leaders & Teams
The things I'm most excited about in the new version of Rhythm are the features for cross-functional teams and departments. Achieving team..