A Grammarly Harris Poll released in 2022 suggested that US businesses lose $1.2 trillion annually due to poor communications. Yes, you read..
Strategy Execution Resources
Writing goals for work using SMART goal setting is an essential skill for both personal goals and professional success. If you aren't..
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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
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
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
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
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
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
Business is moving faster than ever before, and these days your business needs to be as nimble possible to respond to the rapidly changing..
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
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
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..
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
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
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..
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
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
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
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
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
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
As a leader with decades in the business, I attended the Galliard Group National Gathering, where I had the privilege of spending two days..
Proper Quarterly Planning Rhythms. In order to achieve organizational alignment, there needs to be an established planning Rhythm that..
It may seem daunting to tackle your Strategic Annual Planning session for 2022. With so much uncertainty due to the ongoing pandemic, it..
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
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
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
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
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
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
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...
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
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..
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
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..
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
In order to live our Core Value to Keep Smart, our team does company-wide training each year (in addition to the department-specific..
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
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
What is process implementation and what does it mean to me? As companies grow, the need to establish and effective implementation..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
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..
I recently spoke to a great group of organizational leaders at the Rhythm Systems Breakthrough Conference in Charlotte, NC. The session was
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
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..
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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
“Remember that failure is greatness waiting to happen” - Robin Sharma
Even though I know that we all make mistakes, I still hate making..
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Have you ever been particularly busy with work—maybe leading up to a big event or project deadline—and tell yourself, "OK, things will..
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
One of our manufacturing clients came to us originally with a very interesting problem. Everyone on the shop floor was doing a tremendous..
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
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
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
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 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
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..
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
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
"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
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
The things I'm most excited about in the new version of Rhythm are the features for cross-functional teams and departments. Achieving team..
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
With information moving so quickly regarding global pandemic COVID-19, many companies are facing the daunting task of taking care of their..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
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
What's the #1 challenge affecting your business today? Christine Rutherford, our Head of Growth andStrategic Partnerships, and Juan Sosa,..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Did you have a New Year’s Resolution this year? Any new habits you were trying to develop? How are those new habits coming along? We’re a..
In Rhythm software, there are few different lenses to view your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). You can view them in a Scorecard to..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
For many team leaders, it can be hard to keep a pulse on what’s happening in your team, especially if your company has remote workers or..
I love my job! I get to work with people to make their business hopes and dreams come true. I mean, what is not to like about working with..
Topics: Strategy Execution
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Okay, I don’t want to create “holiday creep” where Christmas decorations are out even before the..
Remember when you could fit your entire company into a conference room? Those were the days. Things were simple and most things could be..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Recently, I worked with a client who was a whiz at quarterly planning, but was falling short on execution. The team was capable, the..
We had a wonderful Breakthrough Conference this year that helped hundreds of middle market managers and CEOs achieve breakthrough..
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
As I shared in a previous post, I am always looking for the next productivity hack. Going into this quarter, my inbox was full of articles..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
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
In many fast-growing mid-market companies, departments and teams do their work with little time or effort spent communicating with other..
At Rhythm Systems, we teach our clients to grow their businesses with purpose using our Think Plan Do® methodology. We believe the best..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
For many CEOs and executive leaders, the idea of having a system in place to allow you to see where you are off-track with the company’s..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
This time of year, most people are making big plans - both personally and professionally. Even if you’re not setting lofty goals for..
Topics: Strategy Execution
We are already two-quarters deep this year. How is your 2017 plan going so far? Is it already careening off its track, middling along, or..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
At Rhythm Systems we help middle marketing companies get the most out of their meetings, from annual planning meetings to weekly team..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
At Rhythm Systems, we’ve helped hundreds of mid-market companies achieve breakthroughs and get more initiatives done successfully. We've..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Company culture is important. If disengaged workers were engaged, they would boost U.S. productivity by $79 billion a year!
A boost like..
Topics: Strategy Execution
In January, most of us are thinking about our health and making resolutions to eat better, exercise more, or practice meditation. Taking..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
Your company is growing fast and managing projects and tracking metrics across teams is complex and difficult. You now have multiple..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
At Rhythm Systems, our core purpose is helping organizations and individuals achieve their dreams and goals. We have a software platform..
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
Lately, I've been working with clients who are just getting started on their KPIs. They are deciding what to measure and who owns the..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
Craft breweries are one of the fastest growing industries in our region. They are popping up all over the country and the regulatory..
Topics: Strategy Execution
I just got back from a user conference, and I was reminded of the amazing level of detail and planning that goes into pulling off an event..
Topics: Strategy Execution
“Innovation is the key to success.”
“If you’re not growing, you’re dying.”
“You must create a culture of continuous improvement.”
Here are..
While women have been making huge strides in the workplace, we still have a long way to go before women are well-represented at the highest..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
One of the best parts about my job is getting to see clients have that "ah-ha" moment in Rhythm - the moment the software and the..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Everywhere I looked around the office, people were dashing, working feverishly, heads down, eyes glued to screens. It was like watching a..
You may have heard the old saying; “Putting lipstick on a pig doesn't make it more attractive!” You may chuckle at the meaning, yet I see..
Topics: Strategy Execution
At Rhythm Systems, one of our core values is to Keep Smart. In order to do that, we set aside an hour every week to come together virtually..
Topics: Strategy Execution
You’ve done all the research. You’ve compiled a spreadsheet full of requirements, Googled until your eyes crossed, talked to sales reps,..
Topics: Strategy Execution
In the last two years, many of my clients have taken the brave and ambitious step of cascading Rhythm deeper in their organizations. It's..
"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
My Dad was a chemist working on, among other things, the Proctor and Gamble team that brought Cascade to the market. It was a fun childhood..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Recently, I felt like time has been getting away from me. I am sure many of us feel like that at the beginning of a new year after the lull..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Missed deadlines, lost customers, overwhelmed and overworked employees, long nights working with little to show for them… Hopefully, this..
Topics: Strategy Execution
In 1999, CEO consultant Ram Charan and Fortune's Geoffrey Colvin wrote an article on why CEOs fail. They studied over 40 failed CEOs and..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
Sean K., one of our lucky Valentine's contest winners, asked, "What are the Top 3 characteristics of the companies you work with or study..
Do you put off minor to-dos until they build up and become absolutely urgent? Why do we do this to ourselves, and how can we..
Many companies invest a lot of time, energy, and resources in crafting a strategic plan for the year. Unfortunately, many of those Annual..
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
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
Tip 1: Focus on the problem, not the people.
When Dutch Valley Food Distributors first used Red-Yellow-Green in their Weekly Team Meetings..
Topics: Strategy Execution
CEOs are being pulled in a million different directions by several important constituencies. They have to answer to direct reports,..
One of the most exciting product features that we've included in the Rhythm software is the ability to make comments. This feature gives..
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
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
Most of our successful mid-market clients have no shortage of great ideas. The constraint lies with the time and resources to get it all..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams
It’s time to plan your fourth quarter and finish the year strong! One of the reasons plans fail is due to poorly defined goals and..
How badly do you want to achieve your goals? Many people quit too early, at the first sign of distress or the first pangs of pain. Tesla..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
If you’re from southeastern USA, you know full well how delicious a hot Krispy Kreme doughnut can be. The anticipation of that sweet savory..
Jack
asked
me
to review his execution plan. His team was missing their profit and revenue goals, and he wanted to figure out the..
Hearty congratulations are in order for Rhythm client F.R. Drake!
F.R. Drake is a leader in the food equipment industry. They have..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
“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
On a recent trip to Amsterdam, I had the opportunity to spend some time with David Allen, author of
Getting Things Done. David is the..
Topics: Strategy Execution
How can you use a methodology and platform like Rhythm if you’re not fully in the know on all of the tips, features and functions offered?..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Priorities—not to be mistaken for KPIs —outline the work you plan on doing in a given amount of time in order to achieve your desired..
Topics: Strategy Execution
You worked hard with your team to develop a winning annual plan. Everyone is optimistic going into the year that this plan is going to..
I was having a conversation recently with an executive who was struggling to get his arms around why his company wasn't getting the..
Topics: Strategy Execution
SMART goals provide clarity and can accelerate your success. Conversely, poorly written goals will waste time and resources and frustrate..
Topics: Strategy Execution
When rolling out a new process, it’s best to start with a core group of champions who will help integrate the system into existing..
Last summer, Nicole, my 14-year-old daughter, walked into my home office and asked “Daddy, can I intern with you this summer?” I replied..
Topics: Strategy Execution
At Rhythm Systems, one of our core values is Keep Smart; we are a team of voracious learners. But, it can be difficult to keep up with..
We are rapidly approaching the most wonderful - and busy - time of year. With the holidays and end of year deadlines looming around the..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams
It’s that time of year again – just about everyone on a traditional calendar year is gearing up for Annual Planning! You and your team will..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
Imagine this - you set out a quarterly plan with your team. Your top priority is to launch a new product. Everyone is excited! You want to..
Creative problem solving is an essential skill in our ever-evolving work world. As more and more technical and analytical aspects of our..
Recently, I had the pleasure of spending some time with one of our clients, AvidXchange, doing some in-person Rhythm training. As our..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Your planning sessions are important and expensive. Whether they’re Quarterly Planning Sessions, Annual Planning Sessions, or Strategic..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
I recently had the pleasure of hearing Tom Hoff, Gallup's Southeast business development leader, speak on employee engagement. He shared..
According to the recent Deloitte Mid-Market Technology Survey, “Mid-market companies are starting to look beyond immediate needs toward a..
Topics: Strategy Execution
We’ve been busy preparing for our Breakthrough Conference in Charlotte, working on keynotes, topics, and materials that would help leaders..
As Annual Planning approaches for many companies, leadership teams are sitting down to develop their goals for 2018. How was your 2017? Did..
The topic of women in the workplace can be a bit controversial, and sometimes emotional. While there is undoubtedly a pay gap in the..
Topics: Strategy Execution
The term activist investor has been floating around Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal for a while now. Activist investors are turning..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Michael was a beautiful boy. I guessed that he was about 9 years old and although his shirt was worn out, his jeans torn, and his shoes and..
Topics: Strategy Execution
The first day of school is one of the most exciting and anxious days for teachers. You greet about 100 fresh young faces that are excited,..
The Human Resource budget is one of the biggest budgets a CEO sees on his desk every day. Gallup "estimates that actively disengaged..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Are you wondering what Rhythm is all about? Have you watched the aggressive growth and flawless execution of other Rhythm companies from..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
Recently, our team sat down with our some of our panelists for our Women In Leadership breakfast at the upcoming Breakthrough Conference. I..
Imagine this: it’s the end of the quarter. Your dashboards are Yellow and Red, you’ve missed key deadlines on important projects, and your..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Did you know that Charlotte was recently voted as one of the best cities for tech outside of California and New York?
Topics: Strategy Execution
Earlier this year, we partnered with our friends at VitalSmarts on a webinar about the cost of failing to voice concerns in the workplace...
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
We have all heard for years how women and men experience life differently. Recently, the discussion has shifted more toward how women and..
Despite best intentions, many of our dreams and goals go unfulfilled. One might think it’s because people are lazy, but I struggle with..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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 may be biased since I plan our annual Breakthrough Conference, but 2017 is a year you don’t want to miss.
Our speaker lineup is full of..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Business is all about getting as much done as possible because time is essentially money. In order to seize the day and pull ahead of the..
Topics: Strategy Execution
It's that time of the year where the office starts clearing out, and everyone starts going on vacations. While the office is quiet, your..
Yesterday was a big day for Michael Praeger, CEO of AvidXchange. No… Sorry, it was a huge day! Yesterday, Michael had press conference at..
Topics: Strategy Execution
We are excited to announce the release of the new Rhythm User Certification, in support of the much-anticipated launch of the latest..
Topics: Strategy Execution
I’m a fly on the wall during a client’s departmental quarterly planning meeting when someone completely unsolicited said, “I love Rhythm. I..
The average worker is only productive for 2 hours and 53 minutes a day. It is hard to believe most people are productive for less than 3..
Topics: Strategy Execution
According to Fortune, “The Kauffman Foundation and Inc. Magazine conducted a follow-up study of companies five to eight years after they..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategy Execution
After quarterly planning, you walk out with a clear idea of the big things you have to get done this quarter. Knowing your top..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Millennial women are burning out fast in the corporate world, and it is not just due to childcare. According to Fast Company, "As only 11%..
We all have that one annoyingly perfect coworker who keeps an empty inbox (ah-hem, Tiffany). And, we're ashamed by the 43 unread messages..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
Getting more focused, more productive, and more accountable.
We all talk about doing this as a New Year's Resolution for our companies...
Topics: Strategy Execution
It’s the end of day two of planning, you and your executive team are spent from all of the discussions, bloated from all of the carb-loaded..
Unfortunately, my team won't be at the big game this year, but I will be watching the Falcons face the Patriots. I'm sad that my team, the..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Recently, we held a webinar with VitalSmarts about Crucial Conversations and its effect in the workplace. I was astonished to learn about..
At Breakthrough Conference 2016, there was a breakout session called Rhythm Hacks, Tips, and Tricks presented by yours truly! It was a..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Is your company consistently getting the results you desire? By results, I mean both top line revenue results and bottom line profit..
Topics: Strategy Execution
We are so happy you subscribe our blog. We love sharing content that we hope you enjoy and find helpful on your journey to grow your..
Topics: Strategy Execution
At our Breakthrough Conference this year, our head of products, Ryan Walcott, presented a breakout session called “The Secret to Getting It..
Topics: Strategy Execution
I was ecstatic when I learned that Rhythm Systems was being recognized as one of the best places to work in Charlotte. I would also love to..
Organizations are like the human body. They are intricate systems made up of extremely complex interactions between interdependent parts...
Topics: Strategy Execution
A few уеаrѕ аgо, I rеаd The E-Mуth Rеvіѕіtеd. It was аn еntеrtаіnіng eye-ореnеr thаt hеlреd сhаngе my thoughts on how to run a buѕіnеѕѕ. I..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Wait. Did I read that correctly? I always learned that there is no I in team. How could you challenge my thinking like this? I haven’t even..
Thank you to all of our wonderful sponsors for a great 2016 Breakthrough Conference! This year, we had three wonderful sponsors:..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Most entrepreneurs and leaders know when their team isn’t aligned or working in the most efficient way. It shows up in petty arguments,..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Patterns are an "easy button" for success. If you want to be good at something, look for the patterns from people who have already figured..
Topics: Strategy Execution
If the event does not help you think differently, do something more effectively or, succeed at something that you would not have otherwise..
Topics: Strategy Execution
At Rhythm Systems, we believe in getting smarter on a regular basis. I say "believe in" getting smarter because it’s one of our core..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Charlie is inconsolable. His uniform is missing from the locker and the school lost his sports physical so he has to sit out. As I pull..
Summer is over, kids are back in school, and now it's time to turn your focus back to the workplace. Yes, I know it might not be as..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
Montages - movies are laced with them today. All of a sudden, a character decides in a very short period that they are going to change..
I am so excited for this year's Breakthrough Conference! As a new team member and a perpetual volunteer, I am thrilled we are teaming up..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Hopefully, you work for a company that cares about your career development and offers opportunities for you to grow and advance. But, the..
These days, it can be hard to avoid news stories about the summer Olympics - whether people are talking about the Zika virus in Rio,..
Growing a successful business is complicated, messy, and hard. Just when you think you’ve got everything under control, your customers are..
Topics: Strategy Execution
In researching productivity tips for this blog, I had a revelation… I’ve read it all before. I have blogged on this topic in the past, and..
At the beginning of 2016, all Rhythm software users gained access to the Rhythm Certification Program as part of their subscription. To..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Rhythm Systems is hosting the Breakthrough Conference 2016 in Charlotte, NC on October 18-19. Save the date for 1.75 days full of..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Thinking about coming to our 2016 Breakthrough Conference? Need another reason besides our awesome agenda to convince you? Here are..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Thomas H., one of our subscribers, asked, "What are some best practices on the planning notes features in Rhythm software?"
You're busily..
Do you ever feel like your company is running you vs. your running it? Most executives truly desire to lead incredible and amazing..
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
Thomas H., one of our subscribers, asked, "What are some best
practices on the Action List features in Rhythm software?"
Read More
I’ve always been..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Alberto P., one of our subscribers, asked, "What's a better way to manage my email?"
Great question! I get a LOT of email, and it sounds..
It’s the end of February, so how are your New Year’s Resolutions going? Too soon to ask? This is the first year when I made a resolution..
Topics: Strategy Execution
As a Weekly Adjustment Meeting facilitator, you have several KPI dashboard views at your fingertips in Rhythm. Each dashboard serves a..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
It was December 2014, we were in 2015 Annual Planning when the discussion of “a conference” was brought up. Like many times before, we had..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Written by special guest blogger, Jess Thompson of Bannerconnect Jess is communications manager at Bannerconnect, Europe's leading data and..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Our team is so grateful and appreciative to all of our guests who could join us at our very first Breakthrough Conference last fall. I..
Topics: Strategy Execution
This is going to be a great year! You spent two full days working hard, envisioning the year you want, having the tough conversations,..
Reflecting back on Rhythm Systems’ first Breakthrough Conference at the end of October, I can’t help myself from looking back and being..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
Rabbi Stephen Baars is always one of my favorite presenters at business conferences. He doesn’t take the stage for long, but he always..
At Rhythm Systems, we are still celebrating the success of our inaugural Breakthrough Execution Conference. All of the feedback has been..
I have to say - we all work at this amazing company that, as Patrick would say, actually eats their own dog food! We live our Core Values..
Topics: Strategy Execution
For the past five years, we've been dreaming of hosting a conference. This week our dream came true, and it was better than anything I..
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
Those of you who are familiar with our Rhythm methodology know that we teach that establishing clear and specific success criteria for KPIs..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
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've covered the first three subscription models from John Warrillow’s The Automatic Customer: Creating a Subscription Business in Any..
Topics: Strategy Execution
We are officially in the swing of Q3! Did you have a nice vacation? Are you picking up slack for your tan-worshiping co-workers as we..
I’ve started two handfuls of small companies, and I’ve won some, lost some, and sold some. This pattern was an odd one for my wife, an..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
What makes billionaires different? Maybe you have it in you and you just don't know it.
Recently, I read John Sviokla and Mitch Cohen's The..
Topics: Strategy Execution
In the last year, so many of our clients have been navigating the challenging waters of mergers and acquisitions. As part of your growth..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams, Mergers & Acquisitions
The job description of a CEO seems endless. He or she is responsible for the company’s vision, strategy, people, recruiting, product or..
Topics: Strategy Execution
The bagpiper was filling the church with Scotland the Brave as my Dad and I prepared to follow him down the aisle. My Dad turned to me with..
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: Strategy Execution
We are about a week away from the end of the quarter, and you can see the finish line for your 13-week race™! At this time, there are..
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: Strategy Execution
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
How many of us have ever been to a conference or read a new business book and felt like - "I want to do that!” But, you have no idea where..
Topics: Strategy Execution
The Captain and Tennille (as one colleague and I are called) recently attended the Fortune Leadership Summit in Orlando. There was one tune..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategy Execution
As a manager, it is often difficult to manage your own personal work and also lead your team to victory and growth. Wouldn't you love 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: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
Call it fate, karma, the universe, God, a higher power...whatever feels good to you; but, I believe that sometimes you are meant to be at a..
"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
If you tell people where to go, but not how to get there, you'll be amazed at the results.
- George S. Patton
I’m pretty sure George..
Topics: Strategy Execution
It’s 11:00 am on Friday. I’m debriefing my colleagues on the great work Gautneau Alignment’s CEO has done to cure his team of KPI-tice when..
Have you noticed that everyone is always so busy? You hear it all the time - the most common answer I hear to “How are you?” is “I'm so..
I’m writing this blog while wearing my fuzzy socks and sitting at my kitchen table. I am lucky to live within driving distance to our..
This year, my husband, Mike, gave me a Fitbit for Valentine’s Day. I’d heard a story of people gaining weight after using this device. As a..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
Often as coaches, we are referred to as the "keepers of the patterns." It's a unique vantage point, if you think of it. On any given day,..
Topics: Strategy Execution
“Hey, we should have a conference for our Rhythm users. You know, a user conference,” I suggested. Ryan replied, “Yes, that would be a lot..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Travel is an important function to many businesses. It does not matter how much technology and virtual meetings bring us closer together,..
Thank you so much for reading our blog. It is our pleasure to share content that we hope you enjoy and find helpful on your journey to..
So if any of you have spent time around Patrick Thean or read his book Rhythm, you have heard him use the term “minor major.” It refers to..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
Imagine – you’re at the Super Bowl and suddenly the score changed. It was in favor of your favorite team so you are, of course, pleased...
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
I recently facilitated a client’s quarterly planning session. They really do a great job, having the discipline to spend two days planning..
Many companies I work with are on a calendar year and have completed their annual planning sessions and developed a new Q1 plan to start..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Happy New Year! I hope your 2015 is off to a great start. Isn’t it great to come back to work after a nice refreshing break with a clean..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
If you are reading this blog, it's likely that either you or someone you know really struggles to get their to-do lists done.
I struggled..
It’s the end of the year. We are finishing up this year and preparing for the next year. Are you a glass half full person or a glass half..
Topics: Strategy Execution
I was recently in Brunnen, Switzerland, facilitating an annual planning session for Veeam Software. Veeam is a hyper-growth software..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategy Execution
It’s that time of the year again where we all sit around and wonder where 2014 went. Soon our friends and family will visit and enjoy the..
We recently attended the Fortune Growth Summit in Las Vegas. It was two days of great learning with a line up of excellent speakers and..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Corporate Health is an exercise in discipline. But like many an exercise routine it can be a sweaty, messy, and exhausting moment in time...
I’ve been a business growth coach for almost a decade, and before that, I was a CEO who had a coach. At Rhythm Systems, I’m the head of..
The Power of One
It started like any other day at the office, and then everything went south. In one moment during that day, everything..
Although I have a couple of articles published in a local Carolinas magazine, I have never written a blog. I never thought I would be..
One of the most common business problems new clients joining the Rhythm Systems family are hoping to overcome is how to grow their..
My daughters and I just attended a morning seminar with Joseph Grenny, Co-Chariman, and Co-Founder of Vital Smarts and the author of ..
I had a great time at Hubspot's Inbound Conference. Hubspot says that they have a revolution going as they lead many people to shift from..
Topics: Strategy Execution
I am in Boston at Hubspot’s Inbound 2014 conference. It’s been a long day and I’ve got to get back to my hotel. Instead of hailing a taxi,..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategy Execution
Actually... No, it is not. It sounded crazy at first, but we began to realize that many of the things we needed to do for rebranding were..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
We are well on our way to owning the word “Rhythm” in our market. Our software is Rhythm, our blog is Rhythm Blog, and our book is also..
Topics: Strategy Execution
For the last 6 years, our team has worked hard with Rhythm software and coaching to help many companies execute well and achieve..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
Our team recently participated in a training on Covey’s 7 Habits for Managers. While most of the content was familiar, it is always good to..
Your 13-Week Race will be over before you know it! Follow these weekly steps to set your team up for their best chance at success:
Week 1:..
Topics: Strategy Execution
For new clients getting started with Rhythm, one of the most difficult things to master is establishing new habits for execution and..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
Are you ready for weeks 4, 5 and 6? With more than 100,000+ priorities planned and executed in Rhythm, we’ve begun to apply Rhythm research..
Over the past 8 years, we have had the unique opportunity to work with hundreds of companies around the world. Our observations and..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Ever wonder why some ideas take off, and some don’t? We all know that it’s not arbitrary, but in Kevin Maney’s book, Trade-Off (Broadway..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Every quarter is made up of 13 weeks. To be successful, run it like a 13-Week Race. So how is your 13-Week Race coming along? We are about..
I was invited to speak on Rhythm and goal setting at Cornell University’s Engineering Leadership Certification class last week. It was..
Topics: Strategy Execution
How do you know if your company is set up for great execution? Most people would say that they want an environment that allows and..
Weekly Meeting Prep is part of your "Do" Rhythm. We call this time a "Weekly Meeting with Yourself."
The Weekly Meeting with Yourself..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
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
I was researching stories of great execution for my book Rhythm: How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth. I came..
Topics: 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
I thought it took me three years to write my new book, Rhythm - How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth, until I..
Topics: Strategy Execution
All companies that reach out to Rhythm Systems to explore how we might help them have one thing in common. They believe that they need to..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Special Blog: Congratulations Patrick!!
From: The Rhythm Systems Team
Topics: Strategy Execution
Only 2% of companies ever reach the $10 million revenue mark, the elite 2%. What are these companies doing differently?
Topics: Strategy Execution
I often find that what actually works for CEOs and leadership teams is counterintuitive. What was thought to be smart isn’t. And what was..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
Are your critical numbers working for you? The key to accomplishing your goals is execution. Critical numbers help ensure you are..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
You’ve invested the time and energy to come up with a solid plan for the quarter. You looked at data and forecasts and insights from the..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
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
This time of year, we are all inundated with New Year’s resolution talk - people are committing to everything from losing weight and..
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
When I receive calls from executives who have yet to enter the world of asking a consultative facilitator to help them through an Annual..
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
Recently at the Fortune Growth Summit, Stephen M.R. Covey shared his book Speed of Trust. His statement that a High Trust environment is..
If you have been using our Rhythm methodology for quarterly planning, you probably have come up with a solid plan complete with SMART..
We would like to introduce to you our guest blogger, John DiJulius. John is a Customer Service Speaker, Author, and Consultant. He is..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategy Execution
In the words of Peter Senge, learning organizations are ”organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Anyone who has dialed into a meeting virtually knows that it is not always as enjoyable or productive an experience as compared to being..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
Does it always feel like your team is rushing to setup your annual or quarterly planning sessions? The days go by, and then all of a..
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Dr. Stephen Spinelli at Philadelphia University (PhilaU) where Dr. Spinelli serves as the..
Topics: Strategy Execution
What does it take to go from being an overachiever to a superachiever? Darren Hardy, Publisher and Founding Editor of Success magazine..
Topics: Strategy Execution
You’ll find reports in every technology, sales, and business magazine - reports of businesses spending millions of dollars to purchase,..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
Guest Satisfaction Scores. Hotels live and die by them. Hotel management and operating companies like White Lodging even more so. Dave..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
Quarterly Planning time is upon us again. In our company, Rhythm Systems, that’s a big deal. Each one of our consultants will be meeting..
I recently watched Tom Searcy present on his book How to Close a Deal Like Warren Buffet: Lessons from the World's Greatest Dealmaker. As..
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
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
I was reflecting back on the Fortune Leadership Summit in Orlando, Florida that I recently attended. One of the speakers that resonated..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Warning: Blind Spot Ahead! Everyone has aspirations, goals, and wishes -- and they typically come complete with barriers and challenges..
Topics: Strategy Execution
At the Fortune Growth Summit in Phoenix this past October, the speakers raised several interesting questions that I am reflecting on now..
Topics: Strategy Execution
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
You’ll be tempted to share the background story and details that lead to this moment with your executive team, board, or bank. You’ll have..
Taking the Rhythm methodology to the next level of management is a great way to achieve alignment throughout the organization and provide..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
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
Doing What Matters, by James Kilts (Three Rivers Press, 2010), is an update of the frank-talking and insightful original released in 2007...
Stephen Covey's 7th habit is to "sharpen the saw." This habit is about rejuvenating yourself and your teams. It's about working on being..
Topics: Strategy Execution
I was walking towards my gate at the Charlotte airport, and I heard a young boy ask his dad, "Dad, look! Cinnamon buns! Can I have one?"..
Topics: Strategy Execution
We are getting into Q4. It is a good time to begin thinking about what the plan for the next year is going to be. Consider how you will..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Most companies are notoriously good at creating wonderful strategic plans each year. They'll spend a couple of days hashing through..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
It takes discipline to focus. Many of us might fool ourselves into thinking we are focused. Here are some signs that you may not be as..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Stephen Covey passed away this week on July 16th, 2012. I was very sad to hear of his passing. Hewas one of the great all time authors...
Avidxchange is a software company working hard to provide the best ePayment (electronic payment) service to mid market companies. Their..
Topics: Strategy Execution
Blog written by Kristi Burns, Rhythm Coach
Have you reached a point in your business where your growth, while certainly exciting, has left..
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
Blog by Tiffany Chepul, Rhythm System Rhythm Coach
One of my favorite speakers from the recent FORTUNE Leadership Summit was Jim Collins..
Topics: 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
It was great to catch Jim Collins at the last Leadership Summit in Atlanta. Jim connected the dots of how his four books (Built To Last, ..
Topics: Strategy Execution
I am back at the MIT Endicott House in Dedham, MA, chairing year 2 of EO's EMP (Entrepreneurial Masters Program) this week. This is one..
Topics: Strategy Execution
After my keynote session yesterday in Chicago at UBA's (United Benefit Advisors) 2012 Spring Meeting, we continued into a breakout..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
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
Jeff Thull, author of Mastering the Complex Sale, was my guest speaker at the Taipan Masterclass 2012 in Manila Philippines. I first..
Topics: Strategy Execution
I just came back from speaking at the Taipan Masterclass 2012, held in Manila Philippines. We had a blast! My hosts in Manila were such..
Q2 has already started. We should all be off and running on our 13 week race. Strong business execution needs a good rhythm. I like to..
Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Leadership is often one of the surprising missing elements in business execution. You can have the best ideas and a strong desire to..
Krister Ungerboeck, CEO of Ungerboeck Software shared his learning with me on using KPIs recently "We're often faced with priorities where..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
It is important to know who your competitors are. Without clear vision of your competitors, how will you design strategies that make you..
Topics: Strategy Execution
I just got off a wonderful cruise. My family played for a week and I wrote for a week. It's what I needed to get into the zone to birth ..
Topics: Strategy Execution
I was with a client, trying to accelerate his business execution and create a habit to be sure his priorities were not random but they..
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution
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
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
Meetings are very expensive. Especially executive team meetings. Here is a quick tip to get the most value out of your meetings. Focus..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings
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..
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Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Daniel Pink's book Drive talks about what really motivates people. His research shows that people are motivated by these 3 things:..
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
Last time I wrote about Dan Pink's three things: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. Let's talk about Autonomy!
Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
I recently heard Daniel Pink, author of Drive, speak at the Fortune Growth Summit. Pink shared how the best way to motivate your team is..
Topics: Strategy Execution, Effective Meetings, Accountable Leaders & Teams
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
Daniel Pink, author of the best selling book Drive, shared his insights on how we are really motivated on more complex things. The key, he..
A client recently shared how amazingly well the daily question worked for them. Their daily question this quarter is "How do I show my..
Topics: Increasing Sales, Strategy Execution
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..
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Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Rhythm. Execution Rhythm. Rhythm builds momentum. When you have momentum, it is much easier build on your momentum and succeed...
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Topics: KPIs & Dashboards, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
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..
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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..
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Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution
I received some questions via email after the webcast regarding the 2X People Plan tool. Here are some questions and my thoughts on it...
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..
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Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams
Transformation. How does a company successfully execute and navigate through changes? What should the CEO do? How should the board..
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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