What is a High-Performance Culture?
Creating and maintaining a high-performance culture is the goal of many mid-market CEOs that work with..
Strategies for Growth Resources
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
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
From the boardroom to the classroom, goal setting is a key part of success. Now, with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we can set..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
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
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
In today’s rapidly changing work environment, the competition for recruiting and retaining top talent has never been tougher. Rhythm..
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Max DePree noted, “Management has a lot to do with answers. Leadership is a function of questions, and the first question for a leader..
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
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
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
Many companies I work with have an Annual Plan and some foundational strategic elements, like Core Values, Core Purpose and..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
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
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
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..
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
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
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
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
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
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
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..
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
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
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
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..
Alignment can be elusive for even the smallest start-up companies, never mind mid-market companies that have multiple divisions,..
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
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
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
"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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
The greatest athletes and business leaders in the world have coaches. No matter how good you are, and you are probably really good, there..
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
Blog written by Cindy Praeger & Guest Blogger, Eskinder Assefa
Topics: Strategies for Growth
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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...
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
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
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
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..
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
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
So many Rhythm companies start off as what we consider “simple” companies. As they begin scaling up they are experiencing steady, if not..
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
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
Who is facilitating your next One-Day Quarterly Planning Session?
Whether you are doing it yourself, bringing in an outside facilitator,..
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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..
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
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
The 880-page CARES Act requires ongoing, focused effort to reduce the complexity to useful information. Just like filing taxes, some are..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
Have you ever wondered just what is going on in your business, how well things are going, and why? How can you know for sure that your..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
CEOs and business leaders frequently ask me why their corporate strategies for the year falter or just don’t happen. “It’s like no one is..
Your Profit/X (profit per X)or financial engine is one of the components of Jim Collins’ Hedgehog, and one of the three key areas to..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood before a crowd of close to 250,000 thousand people and delivered one of the most..
Recently, AvidXchange, a Charlotte-based fin tech company, announced Series F funding. Their innovative accounts payable platform is..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
Are you fostering an accountability-based team, department, or organization? Accountability takes a step beyond responsibility...
We have all heard the saying "A fish rots from the head down," right? Not that I am comparing my CEO friends to fish, but it does drive the..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Let me start by saying that Core Values are unique to each company - they are foundational to your company's culture and should describe..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Regardless of size, all businesses require strategic thinking to grow. Many leaders consider strategic thinking (and the subsequent..
Maybe you have a brilliant idea for your business - maybe you've come up with something that will revolutionize your company. Maybe it's a
Has your growth stalled or have you missed your revenue and profitability targets the last few years?
There is a solution. But before we..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Once your executive team has worked to discover, test and finalize your Company's Core Values, it's time to go out and live them!
At some point, paper tools, spreadsheets, and even simple software solutions are not enough to run your enterprise. When you reach that..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
When I was in college, I took a course called “The Meaning of Work” and enrolled in a corresponding internship program following the..
I recently watched an interesting webinar by Art Markman, PhD, explaining the highlights of his book “Smart Thinking.” I found the..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I have this great book I picked up ten or so years ago titledThe Book of Entrepreneurial Wisdom edited by Peter Krass. It is full of short..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
This quarter, I've been focused on helping my clients document their Path of Progress for the next four quarters. What parts of our One..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth
If you are like many company leaders, you may be skeptical about working on your business strategy and developing strategic plans. I..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Build yourself a great Brand Promise.
What's a Brand Promise? It is what you promise to deliver to your customer. It is more than a..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
As a business leader or entrepreneur, have you reached a point where what used to work just isn’t working anymore? As your company grows,..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
How effective are your continuous improvement efforts?
I focus a lot of my attention on top-line growth these days, but that by no means..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
At our annual Rhythm Systems Breakthrough Conference in Charlotte, we had the opportunity to survey our audience of over 150 mid-market..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams, Mergers & Acquisitions
“It’s like Christmas!” Our Head of Consulting, Chris Cosper, practically gushed as our team gathered on the day before our 5th annual ..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
At Rhythm Systems, our core purpose is helping individuals and organizations achieve their dreams and goals. This year, we had the..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
I’ve observed a common theme in client companies. I should say, a specific type of client companies. The type that successfully grow year..
Recently, Patrick Thean led our team through a Winning Moves education session. As usual, I walked away with a million new tools in my..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Recently, a new grocery store chain opened here. It shall remain nameless to protect the guilty and the innocent, as Patrick says.
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
I recently worked with an executive team who had just gotten an incredible new account. Once the excitement settled in, they realized how..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Regardless of what kind of business you are in, your customers pay for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You probably have a strategy for..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth
"Spectacular keynote speeches, incredibly, relevant, informative breakout sessions. Thank you!"
“Loved the human element of business that..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams, Mergers & Acquisitions
As a Rhythm Coach, I’ve seen many Core Purposes come and go. Some would knock your socks off. Others I’ve already forgotten. While on a..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
“I’m so excited to go to work today! I can’t wait to make lots and lots of money for my company so our CEO can take his family on more..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
To support growing your top line, you need to have an effective Brand Promise and Brand Promise Guarantee. The Brand Promise should help..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
One of the critical issues business leaders face is not failing to create a strategy, but actually executing it throughout the ranks of..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Of the three
Rockefeller Habits (Meetings, Metrics, and Priorities), the one I most commonly hear clients struggle to implement..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards
Everyone hits a ceiling of complexity. Teens hit a level of complexity in sports, class, and social situations. Entrepreneurs hit levels of..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
I have spent most of my life working in the manufacturing sector. My first experience began as a young boy in my Grandmother’s sewing..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
How do you define success when buying a company? People buy companies for a number of reasons: to increase revenue growth, to acquire new..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Mergers & Acquisitions
In working with many leading mid-market CEOs and their executive leadership teams on their growth strategies, I often ask these leaders..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams, Mergers & Acquisitions
Bringing Rhythm into your organization can be a big change. However, it’s the first step on an exciting journey that will help you and your..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
I recently blogged about why some companies increased sales and were happily forging ahead while others never moved out of the starting..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth
Here at Rhythm Systems, we are very blessed to have almost 10,000 blog subscribers, 10+ regular contributors, and many amazing readers who..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams, Mergers & Acquisitions
Too often we evaluate sales difficulties as an inability to close. “If account managers could just do a better job at closing, we would..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth
As part of Jim Collins’ Good to Great work, he introduces us to the concept of a Hedgehog. The term comes from the famous essay by Isaiah..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
As I think over last year, I wonder why some companies increased sales and were happily forging ahead while others never moved out of the..
Having a set of documented core values that you live daily is a powerful Execution Tool for your company. Let's start with your hiring..
As a business coach and strategist, I use many concepts to help companies develop the most effective plans for profitable growth. Some of..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
My youngest son was eight years old and played for the church basketball team. You may know the routine, practice once a week and play once..
At this year's
Breakthrough Conference
,
Julie Copeland
shared her experiences and insights as CEO of
Arbill
during the inaugural,..
Herbie the Elf is a self-proclaimed "misfit." Not happy in his work, he feels like he just "doesn't fit in" with the other elves making..
Managing projects across multiple teams is really difficult. Isolated spreadsheets and email strings make it impossible for team members to..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
Written by Guest Bloggers Ryan Whitley, CFP® and Brian Swilling, Financial Advisors at Navipath Partners and sponsors of the 2018 Rhythm..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
As we approach the busiest season for annual planning, I am encouraging clients to spend more time working on their strategic priorities,..
CEOs are constantly being pulled in a million directions - they have shareholders, partners, investors, employees, customers, industry..
My previous blog shared about how people issues might be mistaken for execution issues. There are a number of reasons why it is difficult..
By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail – Benjamin Franklin
It is that time of the year again: time to prepare for your quarterly..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
Written by the Blue Ocean Team
As a middle market firm, don’t fall into the trap of going up against the biggest established players in..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I like to think of myself as a highly organized and productive person, and I like reading about and experimenting with tips and methods for..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Hearty congratulations are in order for long-time Rhythm client Signature Consultants!
Not only have they experienced mind-blowing growth..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
“Patrick, my strategy sucks! I am not getting the results and growth that I want. What should I do?” I get this question quite often. On..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
I would challenge you to think very hard about this question as it’s not an easy one to answer based on my experience as a facilitator,..
“Having a great idea or being a charismatic visionary leader is ‘time telling’; building a company that can prosper far beyond the presence..
While a lot of companies say that employees are their most valuable assets, not all walk the walk. It takes a lot of time and effort to ..
According to a recent study from the National Center for the Middle Market and the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, "Nearly four out..
![The Power of Strategic Storytelling to Inspire Results [Video]](https://www.rhythmsystems.com/hubfs/16_RS_For_Blogs/iStock-873620504.jpg)
Storytelling may seem like an old-fashioned tool, today — and it is. That’s exactly what makes it so powerful. Life happens in the..
At each business stage, leaders face new challenges and complexity. The Herculean effort to launch and grow a business to $1m revenue is..
I was recently preparing for an Annual Planning webinar, which is focused on making the right decisions every year, month, week and day. I..
Read More
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth
Creating a regular habit to think, or a Think Rhythm, can be a powerful way to:
- Create and strengthen your Strategic Foundation
- Work on..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
As you set your strategic priorities for the upcoming year, remember an important distinction: Your “strategic plan” isn’t as important as..
I joined Rhythm Systems as Client Services Manager back in September of last year, and I have to say, my first day stood out as..
“Goliath had as much chance against David as any Bronze Age warrior with a sword would have had against an opponent armed with a .45..
It’s that time of year to create a winning plan for next year. As part of the Annual Planning process, you will be reviewing last year’s..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams
“Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one you have.” - Emil Chartier
Whenever I am onboarding a new client, I expect questions. I often hear, "what’s the most important thing that we need to succeed?" So I..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
There’s a chain reaction at the root of most organizational chaos. The catalyst is lack of focus. Without a clear definition of what’s most..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Being a great coach is founded on knowing which hat you’re wearing. Everyone wears multiple hats. It could be a team member, project..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
First thing’s first. I should get personal travel and/or injury insurance the next time I visit the Cannon team.
I’ve had the distinct..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
I recently shared an interesting trend regarding sales and predictable results. The premise was that leaders just like you are desperate..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Onsite consulting reveals interesting trends, and this year I’m hearing more and more about predictable results. Leaders just like you are..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
It is that time of year again when I am developing a workshop for our annual Breakthrough Conference. This year, I am working on a topic..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
I recently read about a museum of failure, a new exhibition. The Museum of Failure is located in Sweden and showcases high-profile product..
This is exactly why Rhythm was created! Fast growth causes far too many problems.
I was reading the news on my lunch break today, and I was..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
It is important to have winning strategies that drive your annual plan. Don't just focus on revenues and profit and growth. Also focus..
Our marketing team agreed that we needed more videos on our website at our Q3 planning session in 2016. As you know, being Red or Yellow on..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Determining your Sandbox is the first step in the five step process to develop your Brand Promise and a very important one that will have a..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
It’s exhilarating to start a company. You have a dream, you wear many hats, you have the constant challenge of managing time from one duty..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Many companies have nicely bound and thick strategic plans. Thick plans. What I call high "thud factor" plans. So heavy that if you drop..
We have an internal team that meets weekly and goes by the name “CANI." Although I was trained as an industrial engineer, this was a term..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Written by sales process expert, Marylou Tyler. Marylou is currently launching her newest book, titled Predictable Prospecting: How to..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Jack Daly has proven in the market, in nearly every industry, that he can move sales people through the critical sales path to the end..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
In my last blog I asked, “Who really understands the art of effective sales?” There are a handful of sales experts and one is my guest, ..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
With the launch of new levels of our certification program, development of breakthrough software features, preparing for our second..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Who really understands the art of effective sales? The difference between effective sales people versus the typical plaid jacket, wide tie..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I’ve known many leaders with good potential who were never tested. I’ve also known many leaders with good potential who were tested - and..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I came across a video on YouTube titled "Steve Jobs on 'Think Different' - Internal Meeting Sept. 23, 1997." I believe any company that has..
My personal BHAG is for my 12-year old son, Jack, who is on the autism spectrum, to go to college. If you attended my session at the ..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
The fast growing Charlotte-based YPO company, AvidXchange, has grown from $12 to $48 million in the past three years and is shaping the..
In the fall, we had our first annual Breakthrough Conference in Charlotte, NC. The gods did not provide us with abundant sunshine for the..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
You either pay your people, or they don’t come back. I don’t mean you should give them the paychecks they earned. That’s a legal and..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
In Jim Collins' book Good to Great, he calls your core ideology "the extra dimension of enduring greatness." He puts forth the idea that a..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
With a great message and poor delivery you have the equivalent of … a poor message! I’ve worked the stage in twelve countries with..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
Our inaugural Breakthrough Execution Conference is in the BHAG, I mean bag! I am still on a high from the excitement, teamwork and the..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
As we were preparing to release the new Rhythm High Performance Teams features to our clients, I have been doing a lot of thinking about..
“Creativity is a muscle. You have to work it continually. If you do, it will get stronger and easier to use.” Tom Kelley, Partner at Ideo
I..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Making sales is revenue generation, and therefore the lifeblood of business growth. I’ve discovered that some people are good at selling a..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
My most recent experience with a US Airways representative had me stunned (and not in a good way), I am getting fired up just thinking..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Accountable Leaders & Teams
I’m often asked where Project Plans fit with Rhythm. To answer this question, I’d like to invite you into my kitchen.
I love to cook. I get..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Having been with Rhythm since 2010, I have some teams that have done over 20 consecutive quarterly planning sessions. Can you imagine the..
Millions of employees around the world are feeling disengaged, depressed and dissatisfied with work. This isn’t a new problem, and there..
Written by Doug Davidoff of blog.imaginellc.com Doug Davidoff is the founder and CEO of Imagine Business Development. His focus is in..
With the launch of the Rhythm book, new breakthrough software features and 8 new hires, 2014 was a big year for us. Obviously, I was..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
We'd like to introduce you to our guest blogger, Mike Montague of No Soliciting Club. Mike is the founder of the No Soliciting Club where..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
This is my final post based on John Warrillow’s The Automatic Customer: Creating a Subscription Business in Any Industry. We have already..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
We would like to introduce you to our guest blogger, Kenneth Marks of www.highrockpartners.com. Kenneth is an entrepreneur and subject..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
A Think Rhythm is the most efficient way to work through just about anything – developing a product, documenting a new process, working on..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
In an upcoming post, I will explain the five reasons why exploring a subscription model within your business makes sense. Today, I will..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
It’s time to call it out. Why do we, as business leaders, put up with mediocrity? I’m talking about leaders in your company who get the..
As a write, I am on my way to Chicago to meet with my forum group. A forum is a small group, usually 8 to 12 like-minded CEOs and..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
The best sales people are not those that have the gift of gab, and the best sales managers aren’t the best sales people. Selling and..
Startups are amazing businesses. They find a problem that isn’t properly solved in the marketplace and try to resolve that problem in a..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Do you ever worry that your employees are just showing up to work day after day, building widgets, and not understanding or caring how what..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
"Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for..
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, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
"No matter how much you’ve achieved, no matter how far you’ve gone, no matter how much power you’ve garnered, you are vulnerable to..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
You’ve heard it – you don’t know Jack. You can’t really measure what I do. This is different from manufacturing numbers, usual metrics,..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Do you encourage your employees to fail? Doing so can produce some breakthrough ideas and products.
I am reading Exponential Organizations,..
“The executives who ignited the transformations from good to great did not first figure out where to drive the bus and then get people to..
I owned a company while in my late twenties that wasn’t glamorous but it was profitable - a commercial cleaning business. This was the one..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I recently read a great abstract on Elevate: The Three Disciplines of Advanced Strategic Thinking, by Rich Horwarth. Here are some of the..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
If you read my last blog on this subject, you were introduced to, of all things, a grocery store (Wegmans). I shared in that blog how..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
For their book Great By Choice, Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen did some very interesting research on the impact that luck has on making..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
AvidXchange, a long time Rhythm client, recently told me a story about how their culture made the difference in accelerating sales. A..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Not all companies and not all leaders want to be enduring and great. In our modern economy, many companies are what Jim Collins calls “..
It just seems that some companies soar, and when we see them soaring we sit back and wonder what the heck they’re doing to “get it right.”..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
In his research for Good to Great, one of the patterns Jim Collins discovered was that the great companies all started the path to..
In Good to Great, Jim Collins challenges each of us to have a "Stop Doing" List. He reminds us that great companies make as much use of..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
At the end of every quarter, Rhythm Coaches provide their clients with a Rhythm Progress Report. The tool prompts some thinking. How good..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
"Patrick, can you please help me with our BHAG and get it done in our annual planning session?” I get this request frequently. The answer..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I walked into the client’s conference room and noticed their BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) poster. I was impressive! It communicated..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
It's Big. It's Hairy. It's Audacious. But, do you need a new one?
Your 10-25 year goal, or BHAG, might be in need of an update. Here are..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I recently heard Rory Vaden, author of Procrastinate on Purpose, speak at the Secret Service Summit in Cleveland. Rory shared a unique..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I recently attended the 2014 Secret Service Summit all about how to create a customer experience that is so valuable that price becomes..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Congratulations! The search is over! You went through the long process of TopGrading to hire the right person for the job, and you now..
The elements of your core strategy (your Core Purpose, Core Values, and Core Customer) are foundational for your success. If you don’t..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth
A running joke among my friends and family is that I never met an internal combustion engine I did not like!
I started riding motorcycles..
I am a Rhythm Ambassador. I love my title because it truly reflects who I am as a human not just as an employee at Rhythm Systems.
I am in..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Effective Meetings
“Innovation is seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought.”
- Albert Szent-Guorgi, 1937 Nobel Prize for..
Complacency is something that can rear its ugly head in any organization that doesn’t build the culture and mechanisms to keep it at bay. A..
This is one of those songs that sticks in your head and you can’t get rid of it, right? However, you have to admit, it really sets the..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
I was recently traveling to Boston and found myself in Logan airport hungry and waiting for my flight. I had about an hour to get a bite ..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Are there any areas of your business that are preventing you from growing to your highest potential? Maybe you feel like what once worked..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
“In war, there is no prize for runner-up.” - Omar Bradley, U.S. General
The last blog I wrote asked questions about how your company’s..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
“I work with some of the top executives in the world and none of them read. And then they pay me to talk about what I read – which really..
On February 2, 2013 I frantically tweeted, “Tony Robbins got it wrong this week about ‘understanding your employees’ work strategies.”..
I’ve seen great strategies suffer crash landings when team execution failed. Determining how and understanding why this happens is key to..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Jim Collins refers to your Core Purpose as your company’s reason for being. It answers the big question WHY? “Why do we exist as a..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I have been coaching more and more clients on developing their Brand Promise and Brand Promise Guarantee. There are many components of..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
A winning quarter begins with a winning execution plan. My last blog showed how to create a killer plan for the new year. This blog will..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
These are very exciting days at Rhythm Systems. We are changing this blog from "Patrick Thean's Blog" to "Rhythm Blog - by Patrick." Over..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Those of you who are familiar with and use the One Page Strategic Plan know that Columns 5 and 6 are for your Company’s Quarterly Plan and..
For most entrepreneurs, the problem is not a lack of ideas. In fact, we’ve found that most of our clients have too many great ideas. So..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
We are all busy people, especially CEOs and founders of growth companies. With the fast paced lives we lead, it can be nearly impossible..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
One of the critical, even primary, tasks of a leader is directing the energy and attention of your team. I don’t mean to discount your..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
If you've ever visited a cliff known for its echo effect, you'll remember easing to the edge, taking a huge breath, and – with all the..
“The employees who come in with the most call center experience, we have the hardest time trying to get them to unlearn what they have..
A client of mine recently asked me if I had read Playing to Win – How Strategy Really Works by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin. Lafley is..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
If you are bogged down in the day to day operational responsibilities of your job, it might be hard to see how your long term strategy is..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Mohandas Gandhi
Topics: Strategies for Growth
As you are planning for next year, you are probably also thinking about your organization’s needs as you grow and possibly budgeting to..
The holiday season is always a good time to pause and give thanks for the people in our personal lives. We do this by hosting holiday..
I had dinner tonight, a murder mystery dinner, and in the middle of the excitement found myself reminiscing on the successful, and failed,..
End of year begins a heavy planning period for many of our clients – quarterly planning, annual planning, strategic 3-5 year planning, and..
A winning year begins with a winning execution plan. My prior blog posts on Rhythm 2.0 focused on how Rhythm helps you with a Think..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
Great companies first win on the basics, then they wow you with something special. And that’s the cherry on top! But if you don’t first..
How do you prepare for your annual planning session? How do you get the best data and insights to maximize the outcome of your planning..
Want to turbo-charge your sales? Then, read this blog and get to work on a Brand Promise Guarantee!
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Do you have a long term strategic goal that serves to both focus and motivate your company’s people to achieve growth and greatness? Jim..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Life was great. I was experiencing explosive growth. It felt like we were on a rocket going to the moon! Everything felt great. Then one..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
How do you know if you have the right strategy to grow your business AND enjoy the journey along the way?
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
What sets you apart from your competitors? What is it about you that makes you different in the marketplace that your customers value?..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
With Q4 just around the corner, many teams are getting ready for their quarterly planning sessions. During your session, inevitably,..
The companies I coach are in the game of business, not to survive – but to win! You can’t win by being thoughtful, yet complacent. In..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards
I once heard that your culture will eat your strategy for lunch. The culture of your organization determines communication styles, how..
Here at Rhythm Systems, one of our core values is "Keep Smart." Because we try to practice what we preach and live our core values, our..
If you are like a lot of companies that adopt a new methodology, you want to do it all at once. The problem is that it's just not..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I recently attended the Fortune Leadership Summit in Orlando, Florida and had the opportunity to hear some phenomenal speakers share their..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
“Today’s managers recognize the impact that measures have on performance. But rarely think of measurement as an essential part of their..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards
No matter the market or the economy, you should always be asking your team to re-assess your Brand Promise and its sales tactics, and..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Are you on track to hit all of your annual goals and finish the year strong? You built a great plan during your Annual Planning session..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards
Implementing change on a company level can feel insurmountable. As a matter of fact, the more successful companies become, the more..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
CEOs and leadership teams worldwide have been practicing white-knuckle management for almost four years. Your company may have seen rapid..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
I've worked with countless teams, who come to us in various stages of implementing the Rockefeller Habits. Regardless of whether you are..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Effective Meetings
How does your organization typically roll out major change? Often, it is by enlisting the power of persuasion – perhaps the persuasion..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
The start of a new year is a great time to clean up your KPI dashboards. It’s so easy to think of one more metric we want to track,..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards
With very good intent, many executive leaders celebrate the bottom-line (which is fine), but at what expense? Many leaders are simply ..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Everything looks like a failure in the middle. Sometimes the path to success can feel like a failure - and sometimes failure is a part of..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
Recently, I have been working with many Rhythm clients who are cascading to their sales teams. The first question I get is this: "We have..
Jim Collins talks about the 20 mile march in chapter 4 of his book "Great By Choice". If you have not read this book yet, you should...
You and your team have been hard at work identifying your Core Purpose - your company's reason for being- the "why" behind what you do. ..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
In his latest book, marketing guru and author Jim Stengel speaks to the relationship of high ideals and maximum growth, noting that the..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Quarterly Planning sessions are meant to define key initiatives that will be focused on over the next 90 days in support of your..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
Wouldn't it be great to walk in the office on the first day of summer and tell your entire team to take the next 3 months off? While an..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
I had a great keynote session today in Chicago at UBA's (United Benefit Advisors) 2012 Spring Meeting. Thank you for the warm welcome! ..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
When anyone on the executive team leaves, transition can be tough. No matter the circumstances, the rest of the team can feel unsettled..
Most often, when we think of an organization’s reason for being, we often first think of making money. While it is true that the goal of..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
When working on your Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG), understanding your market space is key. Are you drowning in a Red Ocean or setting..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
Great companies have great business execution in part because they have strong core values. If you are motivated by Tiffany's post "8..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
My team has been living our core value to "Keep Smart" by reviewing some foundational articles on business strategy. Last week's was..
Topics: Strategies for Growth
So you have a strategic plan? That's awesome! Congratulations! You are doing better than the majority of the companies doing business..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
How do you know if your execution is connected to your strategy? Do you have 3 key winning moves in your company strategy that you are..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Many of us often struggle with making decisions. The tough decisions. I have found that there actually are only a few decisions that..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
NFL teams have a depth chart for their positions. If the starting quarterback is lost to injury, the backup takes over. If the backup is..
Read More
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Happy New Year to our friends and customers! Here is to a great 2012.
As you begin your new year, here are a couple of ideas and..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
It is critical to have a clear execution plan aligned with your strategy. Proof of alignment (or not) can be seen by your actions:
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Jack Welch, was the CEO of GE that made Topgrading famous. He hired Brad Smart and they worked together to hire the top guys at G.E. He..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
So you have an employee who really does not live your core values … he or she just does not seem to fit in. You have discussed with him..
Read More
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
So how do you set the right goals and get someone to be accountable to those goals? There are two reasons for someone to perform poorly...
Read More
Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards
I was recently asked at a conference "How do I know that my brand promise is a good one? How do I know it is working?"
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategies for Growth
Sometimes you just have to dig a little deeper for the answer. Too often, when faced with a problem, we find a solution quickly, and..
Read More
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Let's do it tomorrow.... Let's deal with it in our weekly status meeting tomorrow... Let's wait for his/her approval... These are all..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
After our webcast on Mid Year adjustments, I received a couple more questions regarding using the SSK tool. Thought I would share them on..
Read More
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
Speed... Speed... Speed. Reacting quickly to a customer's need or issue can transform a customer issue into customer delight. Especially..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
I am in Singapore, enjoying great food and catching up with great friends. One of my friends has a successful education and consulting..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
It takes courage, and it takes the support and backing of your team as well as your manager or partner.
Courage... does not come from thin..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
Are you focused on how many hours your team is working or how much output and value they deliver? The true measurement of ROP is about how..
Read More
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Simplify! Do less and get more done! That seems rather difficult to achieve... doing less while getting more done. Life has gotten more..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
It takes time, energy and focus to create habits. We have all tried at some point to create a new habit and realized unfortunately that..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution
When you go to a gas station to fuel up your car, you have a choice of fuel quality based on octane level ratings. You might have a..
Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution