Process, Simplicity, and the Power of Scaling Yourself
From my associate Dan Elliott. In every profession, people strive for better results, better focus, and a better rhythm to their work. Yet most of us underestimate the role that process plays in creating those outcomes. We often focus on the goals we want to achieve but overlook the systems and routines that determine whether we reach […]
The Overlooked Lens of Process and Efficiency
From my associate, Janice Giannini. Efficiency is the lifeblood of business. From assembly lines to boardrooms, the pursuit of smoother processes and higher productivity drives innovation and success. Yet, for all its importance, discussions about efficiency often feel predictable. They focus on incremental improvements to tools and workflows, missing deeper, more human layers of the […]
Building Scalable Systems: The Backbone of Sustainable Growth
[Editors note – This is the second of our 5-part series to help ensure your organization becomes hardwired for efficiency and effectiveness. These articles will reflect our current thoughts as well as insights gleaned from Lex Sisney’s book- Designed to Scale: How to Structure Your Business for Exponential Growth] As organizations grow, the complexity of […]
Wait! Don’t Mess Up Our Process
Our crack failure analysis team in Quality Engineering received the first call when a hi-tech manufacturing process started turning out defective products. They rapidly went to work, examining process data, taking measurements, assessing raw materials, asking questions about operators’ training levels, and calming down panicking manufacturing managers. Most often, the team defined the problem and […]
Process Excellence Progress: Navigating Pitfalls and Powering Success
Starting any process improvement initiative can be challenging, and it’s not uncommon for organizations to encounter various errors and oversights. Here are ten of the biggest mistakes often made by teams in their early stages of process excellence initiatives: 1. Lack of Clear Objectives: Defining clear, measurable goals for the process improvement initiative can lead to […]
Your Business Execution Checklist
From my associate Howard Litwak. A successful organization is one where all the parts are working together (are in alignment). These organizations are innovative, customer responsive, and prevent fires – they’re not spending their time putting out fires. The Star Model provides a model for alignment. Organizations of all sizes that have taken the time […]
Do You Want Your Business To Thrive? It’s About the People
From my associate Janice Giannini. In today’s rapidly changing environment, companies either thrive or die. Thriving requires closely integrating the business and people imperatives into the processes driving the business. Inadequate recognition and integration will fail to deliver the needed business results. I opine that looking through a few different lenses might be helpful: Are […]
Transitioning From an Entrepreneurship to a Professionally Managed Firm Part III
Editor’s Note:This is the second installment of an ongoing series surrounding what it takes to move from a relatively small, micro-business to a more robust, larger organization. Each article explores a different aspect of that journey. In the previous issues, I discussed the initial phases of transitioning from a business in its infancy to becoming […]
Are You a Complexifier?
It may be a funny word when we first hear it. But when we let the impact sink in, it may be one of the most costly words on the planet. The true cost may be well more than the extra time that a project takes to reach completion. How many extra meetings were needed […]