Maybe THIS Is “Digital Transformation”
Once upon a time, people bought newer cars (used or brand new) based on improved performance and more modern styling. The technology wasn't greatly advanced. Push-button radios and automatic transmissions were hardly world-shaking. Today, cars that are very well built and
Are You A Guest or an Expense?
I can tell how well a hotel is managed by the staff, and whether they greet you in the halls or avert their eyes and pretend they don't see you. It's pretty obvious when a hotel (or restaurant) is trying
It’s “what,” not “how”
The best way to avoid questions about your methodology instead of your results is to stop talking to lower level people, especially HR. Talk only to true buyers. They're interested in outcomes. If you keep encountering this obstacle, it's you, not them.
Let’s Find Out Who Did This!
One of the problems in problem solving in organizations is that people aren't seeking the cause of the problem, they're seeking blame. The problem with this is that, whether this is actually the "guilty" party found or not, penalizing that person or removing
Root Cause
An executive at Merck once told me: "If I see an employee performing poorly, I go immediately to his or her manager and ask how that could be allowed and tolerated. That's where the root of the problem is."
Familiarity
I coach people all over the world and we all adjust for the time zones. I've found that I'm far more comfortable and effective having visited others' countries at some point. I know what the surroundings are like, the food
Filtering
During an "open house" at my kids' school on evening (do they still have these?) the fourth grade teacher, who must have been 24-years-old, said, "Here's the deal: If you don't believe what your kids tell you about me, I
Agility in Volatile Times
When I was doing primarily corporate consulting work, I learned that 3M had policy of a majority of its profits each year originating from products that hadn't existed five years ago. I thought that was astounding. Today, two-thirds of my profits
Coffee, Cause, and Coincidence
The owner of the local coffee shop has never been able to master the modern cash register he purchased about a year ago when the old one broke down. He simply charges me a round number, like $4, and tucks
Publishing Observations
Using someone else's quote at the beginning of each chapter makes it appear that your points require an expert's credibility, which you don't have. If your book has no index, it's obviously self-published, and not with much care. Dozens of testimonials are,