Showing posts with label leadership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leadership. Show all posts
Friday, August 12, 2011
Survive or Thrive in times of Economic Uncertainty
Posted on August 12, 2011 by
Dr. Edward F. Knab
It doesn’t matter if they call it a recession, depression or something else, the world economies are on the brink of a double dip recession. Consumer confidence is is now at its lowest level in 50 years and companies must develop effective strategies in order to survive these challenging times.
While there is little wrong with prudent cutting costs, the companies who emerge from economic downturns quickest and gain the most market share are those who applied innovation during the downturn to add value to their business and their customers. It is during these challenging times that companies often separate themselves from mediocrity by integrating high degrees of innovation.
Generally, in time of economic uncertainty, the concept of innovation is not even up for discussion, whereas it should be the basis for all ‘going forward’ decisions. Traditional supply chain issues such using innovative means to get products people want to buy to them faster and cheaper is the foundation for improving the value equation we bring to the table. Our focus should be on adding value to the customer rather than cutting costs. All of our focus as innovators should be directed at “added value”; even the act of cutting cost is in reality adding value.
Supply Chain innovators provide value to their customers by improving systems which result in improving profits. The great majority of all improvements are of an incremental nature rather than a single “big bang”, they are a result of constant and never ending improvements (CANI). Companies that can integrate some simple philosophic approaches into the customer relationships can create greater value for their customers and themselves, and will gain competitive advantage in the marketplace, especially as the economy improves.
Listen to your Customers.
Get to really know them, live with them, understand their opportunities and support them. Most companies will tell you they know their customers but it reality they know the statistics of what and when they buy but do not know what their customers’ problems and challenges are. Often, the answer is Supply Chain related, businesses need to be asking their customers; what worked? what didn’t? and what next? and often the result is technology-assisted collaboration which creates a foundation for a new and improved relationship. It starts with demand signals – knowing what quantities and mix of products are selling in each store or region for you, your customer, or your customer’s customer. Supply chain integration and visibility applications can be the conduit making channel collaboration possible.
Reduce Transportation Time and Cost
Fluctuating energy cost are an underlying cause of our current economic turbulence, with supply chains lengthening and fuel costs on a roller coaster ride, transportation costs and risks are areas that must be stabilized first. Some of the strategies that can help in the long term are network design, near-shoring, and local production and distribution. In the short term Transportation Management Systems can help reduce cost and optimize efficiency. The concept of shippers co-operatives are gaining new traction as volumes decrease and in stock inventory is a mandate. Eliminating empty miles through arranging back-hauls and continuous moves, automating yard movements and appointment scheduling, and providing portals for carrier and customer communication can significantly improve efficiency.
Optimize Working Capital and Reduce Cost
The economic challenges should result in a good long look in how we are leveraging out capital and help us identify area where we may improve our utilization. Cost reduction programs that mandate cost cutting percentages across all departments only reward those who ran too fat in the first place. More importantly, they are not geared to adding value to the customer. In fact, the opposite is usually true. The right way to reduce cost is to start with customer demand signals. Follow the demand signal up through the demand chain to manufacturing and suppliers, then down through distribution to the customer or the store shelf. Examine each point along this journey to see what adds value and what doesn’t. Cut everything that does not add value. That is the principle of lean supply chains.
Streamline Processes
Innovation requires improving processes by leveraging best practices and technology to create better flows of product, people and information. Look at order management, manufacturing and procurement, distribution and transportation. There are significant new developments in technology supporting these areas. For example, using a single system to track raw materials and purchased components, sequence them into and through production, and then tracking the combined output through distribution improves manufacturing and distribution efficiency, and has huge traceability benefits in case of recall.
Make Good Decisions based on Good Data:
Often ERP systems have failed to live up to their promise of integrated and assessable supply chain data and management has been hard pressed to make good decisions. Management needs real-time access to accurate, meaningful information which was supposed to be the promise of ERP. However, the batch nature of ERP and its lack of supply chain detail have shown the reality to be less than optimal. What are needed are business intelligence tools that link, sort and analyze data from all the supply chain systems and trading partners to present meaningful, personalized information to executives in real-time. This information is displayed on graphic dashboards that are easy to comprehend and act upon, yet can be used to drill down to get to the root cause of problems. The good news is these business intelligence systems are available today. They give supply chain management the tools they need to respond with agility to the ever-increasing variability of demand and take advantage of new market opportunities before the competition.
After years of down-sizing, right-sizing and lean, most companies are already running full out. Cutting heads may cut costs, but it also cuts customer service while raising overtime expense and blood pressures. Go from survival mode to competitive advantage by empowering your employees through a performance-focused culture. Look to innovate, everywhere! It won’t all work but your organization will learn from it, they will learn that controlled failure is acceptable providing there is a plan with predefined outcomes and a method of coordination. Promote learning to insure your organization is in tune with the latest supply chain innovation in the market. Challenge the organization to get closer to the customer at every touch point; senior management, buyer/seller, AP/AR, SCM/Customer Service and others.
If your company is attempting to cope with turbulence in your supply chain the Supply Chain Experts can help you design a program that satisfies the requirements of your customers while insuring the optimal data flows to accurately control your global supply chain.
Dr. Edward F. Knab
Productivity Constructs, Inc.
800 660 8718 office
949 413 7333 mobile
ed@edwardknab.com
www.productivityconstructs.com
More Supply Chain Experts Blogs
edwardknab.com
Dr. Knab is an academic practitioner and seasoned supply chain expert whose company, Productivity Constructs, Inc., is focused improving global leadership and thereby creating more effective organizations and higher levels of job satisfaction. Dr. Knab can be contacted for speaking engagements, coaching, or consultation at ed@productivityconstructs.com, ed@ewardknab.com or www.edwardknab.com.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Focus on Happiness
A Reason to Smile
Devoting time each day for happiness will change your day and change your brain chemistry.
It can be so easy to get caught up in the rigors of modern life that we tend to forget that happiness need not come with stipulations. Happiness becomes something we must schedule and strive for—a hard-won emotion—and then only when we have no worries to occupy our thoughts. In reality, overwhelming joy is not the exclusive province of those with unlimited time and no troubles to speak of. Many of the happiest people on earth are also those coping with the most serious challenges. They have learned to make time for those simple yet superb pleasures that can be enjoyed quickly and easily. Cultivating a happy heart takes no more than five minutes. The resultant delight will be neither complex nor complicated, but it will be profound and will serve as a reminder that there is always a reason to smile.
So much that is ecstasy-inducing can be accomplished in five minutes. Alone, we can enjoy an aromatic cup of our favorite tea, take a stroll through the garden we have created, write about the day's events in a journal, doodle while daydreaming, or breathe deeply while we listen to the silence around us. In the company of a good friend or treasured relative, we can share a few silly jokes, enjoy a waltz around the room, play a fast-paced hand of cards, or reconnect through lighthearted conversation. The key is to first identify what makes us dizzyingly happy. If we do only what we believe should bring us contentment, our five minutes will not be particularly satisfying. When we allow ourselves the freedom to do whatever brings us pleasure, five minutes out of 14 wakeful hours can brighten our lives immeasurably.
It is often when we have the least free time or energy to devote to joy that we need to unwind and enjoy ourselves the most. Making happiness a priority will help you find five minutes every day to indulge in the things that inspire elation within you. Eventually, your happiness breaks will become an established part of your routine. If you start by pursuing activities you already enjoy and then gradually think up new and different ways to fill your daily five minutes of happiness, you will never be without something to smile about.
Devoting time each day for happiness will change your day and change your brain chemistry.
It can be so easy to get caught up in the rigors of modern life that we tend to forget that happiness need not come with stipulations. Happiness becomes something we must schedule and strive for—a hard-won emotion—and then only when we have no worries to occupy our thoughts. In reality, overwhelming joy is not the exclusive province of those with unlimited time and no troubles to speak of. Many of the happiest people on earth are also those coping with the most serious challenges. They have learned to make time for those simple yet superb pleasures that can be enjoyed quickly and easily. Cultivating a happy heart takes no more than five minutes. The resultant delight will be neither complex nor complicated, but it will be profound and will serve as a reminder that there is always a reason to smile.
So much that is ecstasy-inducing can be accomplished in five minutes. Alone, we can enjoy an aromatic cup of our favorite tea, take a stroll through the garden we have created, write about the day's events in a journal, doodle while daydreaming, or breathe deeply while we listen to the silence around us. In the company of a good friend or treasured relative, we can share a few silly jokes, enjoy a waltz around the room, play a fast-paced hand of cards, or reconnect through lighthearted conversation. The key is to first identify what makes us dizzyingly happy. If we do only what we believe should bring us contentment, our five minutes will not be particularly satisfying. When we allow ourselves the freedom to do whatever brings us pleasure, five minutes out of 14 wakeful hours can brighten our lives immeasurably.
It is often when we have the least free time or energy to devote to joy that we need to unwind and enjoy ourselves the most. Making happiness a priority will help you find five minutes every day to indulge in the things that inspire elation within you. Eventually, your happiness breaks will become an established part of your routine. If you start by pursuing activities you already enjoy and then gradually think up new and different ways to fill your daily five minutes of happiness, you will never be without something to smile about.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Build Your Leadership Skills on a Solid Foundation
Build Your Leadership Skills on a Solid Foundation
by Kevin Eikenberry on May 11, 2010
Growing up I learned a song in Sunday school based on one of Jesus’ parables (Matthew 7:24-29). It is about two builders and where they chose to build.
The story (and song) goes that the wise man built his house upon the rock. The other builder built his house upon the sand. When the rains and winds came, as they always do, one house stayed strong, and the other did not.
The story speaks to building on a firm and steady foundation. The parallel for us as leaders is to build our leadership habits, values and beliefs on solid unshakable principles.
It is easy to read a book or article and be excited about a new technique, approach or method. Most of these are sound and valuable. But ultimately they will only hold the greatest value for you when they are integrated into the foundation of your leadership house – and the techniques, methods and approaches are understood based on their underlying and unassailable principles.
Hopefully you can read of these principles in my writing in the past, and I delineated many as “Remarkable Principles” in my book Remarkable Leadership. I plan to do a better job of highlighting these principles for you in the future. But for now, ask yourself these questions, as your leadership activity of the day.
What is my leadership philosophy?
What principles do I lead by?
What are my most important leadership values?
by Kevin Eikenberry on May 11, 2010
Growing up I learned a song in Sunday school based on one of Jesus’ parables (Matthew 7:24-29). It is about two builders and where they chose to build.
The story (and song) goes that the wise man built his house upon the rock. The other builder built his house upon the sand. When the rains and winds came, as they always do, one house stayed strong, and the other did not.
The story speaks to building on a firm and steady foundation. The parallel for us as leaders is to build our leadership habits, values and beliefs on solid unshakable principles.
It is easy to read a book or article and be excited about a new technique, approach or method. Most of these are sound and valuable. But ultimately they will only hold the greatest value for you when they are integrated into the foundation of your leadership house – and the techniques, methods and approaches are understood based on their underlying and unassailable principles.
Hopefully you can read of these principles in my writing in the past, and I delineated many as “Remarkable Principles” in my book Remarkable Leadership. I plan to do a better job of highlighting these principles for you in the future. But for now, ask yourself these questions, as your leadership activity of the day.
What is my leadership philosophy?
What principles do I lead by?
What are my most important leadership values?
Sunday, April 11, 2010
4 Lists for Success
Success and "The Good Life" are based on The Four Lists.
List 1: Your Core Values. Knowing what you believe, what
you value, what you stand for, is essential. Your values are
your compass. They are the touchstone against which
everything else is measured.
There are hundreds of values that compete for your
attention, and it is vital to know which ones you have
consciously chosen to be at the center of your life. If you
aren’t clear what you stand for, you'll wander forever, lost
in a world of endless choices and spur-of-the-moment decisions.
As a result, your chances for long-term success are greatly
diminished.
Among others, my own short list of primary values includes
integrity, loyalty, and "putting in before you take out." I
value persistence, consistency and reliability. Curiosity
and creativity are high on my list. Encouraging people to
fulfill their potential and pursue their dreams are the
core of who I am as a person.
What's on your list? Have you written it down? Have you
reviewed it with loved ones, and up-dated it recently?
Knowing your Core Values is List One.
List 2: Your Goals and Priorities. Where are you going and
what are you doing with your wonderful life? What are your
5- and 10-year priorities? What are the big pieces that get
your time and your best efforts?
Have you written your goals down, and shared the list with
your partners, family and friends? Have you reviewed it
recently and up-dated it at least once a year? Do you know
why you're working so hard and how you'll measure success
ten years from now? Write your Major Goals down! List #2 is
essential.
List 3: Your Current Projects. Do you have a spring
campaign, or a 6-week project? Highly successful people know
their priorities and they work on them every day. They have
30-day targets, and quarterly deadlines. They have a list of
items to be completed by the end of the month. What are you
working on? How much progress will you make by 5:00 P.M.
Friday afternoon?
Highly successful people always work from a written list of
short-term projects. They always know the next step, the
most important piece of the puzzle, and they don't waste
time. What's on your list of projects?
List 4: Your Daily Musts. High achievers know their daily
actions in advance. They plan their days, and they know the
things that "must" be done each and every day. They have a
written list of their "Daily Five" or "Power 8" that may
include things like exercise, meditation or prayer, time to
plan, and other daily actions to create the life they truly
want. My personal list includes time to read, and contacting
a colleague or loved one to touch base, every day.
What's on your "Daily List?" Take care of yourself. Have
some fun, live well, move forward every day! Do the things
that create and build the life you really want, and do them
every single day.
These are the four lists that make life worthwhile. They are
the lists that high achievers keep close to their hearts and
on top of their desks. They are the lists that guide their
actions and inform their efforts. They may be written on
simple note paper, but they are fundamental to creating and
living the life your truly want. What's on your lists?
List 1: Your Core Values. Knowing what you believe, what
you value, what you stand for, is essential. Your values are
your compass. They are the touchstone against which
everything else is measured.
There are hundreds of values that compete for your
attention, and it is vital to know which ones you have
consciously chosen to be at the center of your life. If you
aren’t clear what you stand for, you'll wander forever, lost
in a world of endless choices and spur-of-the-moment decisions.
As a result, your chances for long-term success are greatly
diminished.
Among others, my own short list of primary values includes
integrity, loyalty, and "putting in before you take out." I
value persistence, consistency and reliability. Curiosity
and creativity are high on my list. Encouraging people to
fulfill their potential and pursue their dreams are the
core of who I am as a person.
What's on your list? Have you written it down? Have you
reviewed it with loved ones, and up-dated it recently?
Knowing your Core Values is List One.
List 2: Your Goals and Priorities. Where are you going and
what are you doing with your wonderful life? What are your
5- and 10-year priorities? What are the big pieces that get
your time and your best efforts?
Have you written your goals down, and shared the list with
your partners, family and friends? Have you reviewed it
recently and up-dated it at least once a year? Do you know
why you're working so hard and how you'll measure success
ten years from now? Write your Major Goals down! List #2 is
essential.
List 3: Your Current Projects. Do you have a spring
campaign, or a 6-week project? Highly successful people know
their priorities and they work on them every day. They have
30-day targets, and quarterly deadlines. They have a list of
items to be completed by the end of the month. What are you
working on? How much progress will you make by 5:00 P.M.
Friday afternoon?
Highly successful people always work from a written list of
short-term projects. They always know the next step, the
most important piece of the puzzle, and they don't waste
time. What's on your list of projects?
List 4: Your Daily Musts. High achievers know their daily
actions in advance. They plan their days, and they know the
things that "must" be done each and every day. They have a
written list of their "Daily Five" or "Power 8" that may
include things like exercise, meditation or prayer, time to
plan, and other daily actions to create the life they truly
want. My personal list includes time to read, and contacting
a colleague or loved one to touch base, every day.
What's on your "Daily List?" Take care of yourself. Have
some fun, live well, move forward every day! Do the things
that create and build the life you really want, and do them
every single day.
These are the four lists that make life worthwhile. They are
the lists that high achievers keep close to their hearts and
on top of their desks. They are the lists that guide their
actions and inform their efforts. They may be written on
simple note paper, but they are fundamental to creating and
living the life your truly want. What's on your lists?
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Positive Action
In this spirit, here are five characteristics and actions you can take to thrive right now.
1. Refuse to Participate in the Recession - Businesses and people that thrived during past recessions continued to go about their business as usual regardless of the market conditions. They stayed positive, worked hard and focused on taking actions to grow their business. Focus on business as usual and while others allow fear to paralyze them you will charge forward and move ahead of your competition.
2. Increase Marketing and Advertising - It may seem counterintuitive to spend more money on advertising and marketing but with so many people and organizations cutting back on these expenses this is a great opportunity to build your brand, expand your presence and gain market share. People will still be buying goods and services and they will buy from those who they trust and see in the marketplace. This is a great time to win new customers and stand out.
3. Innovate - Just as the phoenix rises from the ashes, great ideas and new business ventures are born during economic hardships. GE, Disney, and Microsoft were all born during recessions. I believe when times are tough we are more open to new ideas, new products and new ways of doing things. For example, smart political and business leaders should be working on alternative energy and green technologies that would lead to great progress and profits.
4. Become a Talent Magnet - If you are a leader or manager there is no better time to find, attract and hire the best talent. Focus on strengthening your business now and you’ll be in a great position to capitalize when the market rebounds.
5. Think Big, Take Action - Consider that both the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge were built during the Great Depression. Now is a time to think big, create your vision and take action. With more people living in fear and fewer people taking initiative the rewards and recognition will be greater for those willing to work hard and dedicate themselves to building a great business, product, service, and vision. As we know, there is no substitute for hard work and now is a time where those with a positive attitude and great work ethic will shine.
1. Refuse to Participate in the Recession - Businesses and people that thrived during past recessions continued to go about their business as usual regardless of the market conditions. They stayed positive, worked hard and focused on taking actions to grow their business. Focus on business as usual and while others allow fear to paralyze them you will charge forward and move ahead of your competition.
2. Increase Marketing and Advertising - It may seem counterintuitive to spend more money on advertising and marketing but with so many people and organizations cutting back on these expenses this is a great opportunity to build your brand, expand your presence and gain market share. People will still be buying goods and services and they will buy from those who they trust and see in the marketplace. This is a great time to win new customers and stand out.
3. Innovate - Just as the phoenix rises from the ashes, great ideas and new business ventures are born during economic hardships. GE, Disney, and Microsoft were all born during recessions. I believe when times are tough we are more open to new ideas, new products and new ways of doing things. For example, smart political and business leaders should be working on alternative energy and green technologies that would lead to great progress and profits.
4. Become a Talent Magnet - If you are a leader or manager there is no better time to find, attract and hire the best talent. Focus on strengthening your business now and you’ll be in a great position to capitalize when the market rebounds.
5. Think Big, Take Action - Consider that both the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge were built during the Great Depression. Now is a time to think big, create your vision and take action. With more people living in fear and fewer people taking initiative the rewards and recognition will be greater for those willing to work hard and dedicate themselves to building a great business, product, service, and vision. As we know, there is no substitute for hard work and now is a time where those with a positive attitude and great work ethic will shine.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Lead; Don't Follow
Sure, we're in some challenging times economically. Sure, the landscape of business is going through massive upheaval. And sure society's look is completely different from even a year ago. Yet, the fact remains this is the single best time in the history of humanity to be in business - and to be alive.
There have never been so many opportunities to deliver rich value to your customers. It's never been so easy to build a globally admired brand. And there have never been so many chances to influence people by the example that you set - and the influence that you offer.
Real leaders have trained their brains to focus on the possibilities and opportunities available with military-like focus. They block out the noise of the doomsayers and shut out the voices of their critics. They get that their mindset and their personal energy are two of their most valuable resources. So then protect them well.
Here are 5 things you can to do rewire your brain to develop the mindset of the best leaders in business:
1. Sell Your TV
Ok, this might be a dramatic (game changing?) move. But much of TV news operates on the sale of fear. The more negative the news, the more scared people get. And the more scared people are, the more they'll watch the news. But every piece of data you allow into your mind is the seed of an outer result. Put excellent information in and you'll deliver excellent results.
2. Value The Great Ones
Reading heroic books, biographies of people who've done great things and listening to inspirational audiobooks is a brilliant move to create your best life. Leadership is a lonely sport. Critics will try and knock you down. Competitors will try and knock you out. And the unexpected will visit you just about every single day. Your antidote to the stresses that you'll face as you stand for your absolute best? Work hard to stay inspired. In a world that discourages, do whatever it takes to maintain your courage. To build out your dreams.
3. Watch Your Words
The words you use determine the feelings you'll feel. The best performers understand that each word spoken has power. Use positive, encouraging, energetic words. Avoid negativity, gossip, criticism and condemnation. Just watch what happens to your mindset (and heartset).
4. Avoid The Energy Vampires
Smart leaders get that who you surround yourself with drives who you'll become. Play with excellent, ethical, inspired and passionate people and their stardust will rub off all over you. Avoid people who can't wait to dump their resentment/negativity/anger and fear all over you.
5. Own Your Power
It's so easy to play victim versus be a leader (Without a Title). In my upcoming book "The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life" (public launch: April 6), I write that the key switch to flip that changes the whole game is this one: switch from victimhood into leadership. Too many people give away their power to create positive results. They blame. They make excuses. They do nothing.
But we all have power, even if we have zero authority. Every single person alive today has the power to inspire. The power to innovate. The power to influence. The power to act. The power to serve. And the power to Lead. Use it. Please. (The world demands no less of you!).
There have never been so many opportunities to deliver rich value to your customers. It's never been so easy to build a globally admired brand. And there have never been so many chances to influence people by the example that you set - and the influence that you offer.
Real leaders have trained their brains to focus on the possibilities and opportunities available with military-like focus. They block out the noise of the doomsayers and shut out the voices of their critics. They get that their mindset and their personal energy are two of their most valuable resources. So then protect them well.
Here are 5 things you can to do rewire your brain to develop the mindset of the best leaders in business:
1. Sell Your TV
Ok, this might be a dramatic (game changing?) move. But much of TV news operates on the sale of fear. The more negative the news, the more scared people get. And the more scared people are, the more they'll watch the news. But every piece of data you allow into your mind is the seed of an outer result. Put excellent information in and you'll deliver excellent results.
2. Value The Great Ones
Reading heroic books, biographies of people who've done great things and listening to inspirational audiobooks is a brilliant move to create your best life. Leadership is a lonely sport. Critics will try and knock you down. Competitors will try and knock you out. And the unexpected will visit you just about every single day. Your antidote to the stresses that you'll face as you stand for your absolute best? Work hard to stay inspired. In a world that discourages, do whatever it takes to maintain your courage. To build out your dreams.
3. Watch Your Words
The words you use determine the feelings you'll feel. The best performers understand that each word spoken has power. Use positive, encouraging, energetic words. Avoid negativity, gossip, criticism and condemnation. Just watch what happens to your mindset (and heartset).
4. Avoid The Energy Vampires
Smart leaders get that who you surround yourself with drives who you'll become. Play with excellent, ethical, inspired and passionate people and their stardust will rub off all over you. Avoid people who can't wait to dump their resentment/negativity/anger and fear all over you.
5. Own Your Power
It's so easy to play victim versus be a leader (Without a Title). In my upcoming book "The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life" (public launch: April 6), I write that the key switch to flip that changes the whole game is this one: switch from victimhood into leadership. Too many people give away their power to create positive results. They blame. They make excuses. They do nothing.
But we all have power, even if we have zero authority. Every single person alive today has the power to inspire. The power to innovate. The power to influence. The power to act. The power to serve. And the power to Lead. Use it. Please. (The world demands no less of you!).
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
10 Examples of Tremendous Business Leadership
Great leadership can be hard to come by. With all the politics and blaming that can go on within an organization, many companies are lacking good, solid leadership from people who are willing to stick to their word.
That's why it's always refreshing to see examples of great leadership in our society. Here are 10 examples of top-notch leadership from leaders who ultimately led by example, letting their actions (and bottom lines) speak for themselves.
1. How Southwest Handled 9/11
Southwest is known for their customer service. In an industry fraught with awful customer service, Southwest distanced itself from other airlines by putting the customer first, no matter what the situation.
On September 11, 2001, airlines were forced to shut down for days while the rest of the nation recovered from the terrorist attacks. This meant that all airline passengers, flight attendants and pilots were stranded with the planes across the country. Instead of merely sitting and waiting, Southwest employees were encouraged to take passengers bowling or to the movies to pass the time.
Many airlines started cutting jobs in the months following 9/11. The airline industry had been badly damaged, and many airlines were forced to cut their workforce by up to 20%. Instead of following the trend, Southwest made an announcement only three days after 9/11 that Southwest would be keeping all of their employees and starting a $179.8 million profit sharing payment to employees.
Southwest CEO James Parker believed that because Southwest had built their company on sound business principles for the past 30 years, they were able to handle crisis better than other airlines.
2. Toyota's Digg Transparency During The Recall
Toyota recently announced that they would have to recall 2.3 million vehicles for faulty brakes. Outrage ran rampant across the media and public. Complaints were filed and lawsuits were made. It appears as if the Toyota brand has been tarnished for many years to come.
Instead of letting a PR team handle the issue with only press statements and interviews, Toyota turned quickly and offered a live conversation on one of the most popular communities on the web: Digg.
The community behind the social news site Digg is generally quite hostile to corporations. So it came as a shock to many that the Toyota CEO Jim Lentz would appear on a Digg Dialogg to be asked all sorts of questions about the company and the recall. Over a thousand hard questions were submitted from consumers and even past employees, and Mr. Lentz answered as many as possible in the given time. The questions were asked in order of votes, and none were filtered. It was a totally transparent interview.
While the fallout of the recent recalls are massive, Toyota's openness will greatly help with minimizing the damage to the company's reputation.
3. The Redfin Blog Saved the Company
Glenn Kelman knows a thing or two about being humble. In fact, it's a method he's utilized to successfully bring his company into the online real estate industry.
Redfin is an online real estate brokerage firm that gives back two-thirds of the commission that traditional agents charge. Real estate agents hated it, and started blacklisting anyone who used the service.
So, instead of keeping the problem quiet, Kelman started a company blog that focused on many of the awful aspects of the real estate business. He also posted about internal struggles within the company, and even criticized himself on many occasions. The blog was raw and authentic.
Customers loved the transparency. They appreciated the fact that a CEO could make fun of himself and the dirty parts of his industry. Since starting the Redfin blog in 2006, business has grown dramatically. Kelman gave his reasoning to the openness in a Wired article.
"I honestly believe that if Redfin were stripped absolutely bare for all the world to see, naked and humiliated in the sunlight, more people would do business with us."
And they have.
4. Costco's CEO is the Normal Guy
Over the past five years Jim Sinegal has shepherded his company Costco to impressive returns. Costco's stock has doubled, and revenues continue to grow at an impressive rate.
Yet Sinegal might be better known as a man of the people at Costco. His name tag plainly says "Jim," he answers his own phone, and his plain office at the company headquarters doesn't even have walls. While other CEO's are spending tens of thousands of dollars just decorating their offices, Sinegal's pays himself a yearly salary of $350,00. Most CEOs of large company are paid in the millions. His simple contract is only a page long, and even includes a section that outlines how he can be terminated for not doing his work.
So how did he come up with that number? He figured he shouldn't be paid more than 12 people working on the floor.
His employee turnover rate is the lowest in the retail industry, over five times less than rival Wal-Mart. In an age where CEOs are paid in the millions and would never be seen in the "trenches," Jim Sinegal is an anomaly. And his workers love him for it.
5. How Starbucks' CEO Handled Company Tragedy
Starbucks is known for its exceptional treatment of employees, offering things like insurance to even part-time workers. When tragedy struck the company, it's no surprise that their CEO was able to comfort a hurting store and community.
In 1997 three employees were killed in a bumbled robbery of one of their Washington D.C. stores. Instead of issuing a press release or calling legal counsel, CEO Howard Schultz flew straight to D.C. and spent the entire week with the employees and their families in the area. Schultz's compassion and incredible leadership helped heal those closest to the tragedy.
6. IBM Encourages Blogging
At a time when the idea of "business blogging" was brand new (and usually feared), IBM encouraged their 320,000 employees to start company blogs. IBM leadership drafted a corporate blogging policy that encouraged employees to be themselves, speak in first person, and respect their coworkers.
The result? A marketing bonanza for IBM. Their company blogs are some of the most trusted technology blogs and generate tons of pageviews and links back to IBM. Instead of fearing the new technology, IBM embraced it, making their customers and employees very happy.
7. How Nelson Mandela's Father Made Tribal Decisions
Nelson Mandela is easily the most recognizable name in the Mandela family. Few people know of Mandela's adoptive father, Chief Jongintaba. Mandela credits Chief Jongintaba as a major source of leadership learning, and Mandela learned how to make important decisions based on how his father interacted with his tribe.
Chief Jongintaba was a tribal king, and would frequently hold meetings of the court. Men from all walks of life would gather in a circle and express their opinion. The Chief waited until every everyone had spoken before he would enter the conversation.
Mandela would later use his father's technique, gathering leaders at his kitchen table or in his driveway and holding discussions. Mandela would always listen first, and speak last.
8. TDIndustries Avoids Bankruptcy by Trusting Employees
TDIndustries is employee-owned and consistently on Forbes' Best Companies to Work For list. But the company almost didn't make it through the late 1980's without savvy leadership.
Many Texas banks were failing in the late 1980's, and TDIndustries was hurting greatly by the lack of funds needed to do large construction jobs. The company leadership informed their employees that instead of filing for bankruptcy, they were going to pay out the Defined Retirement Plan to its employees, and asked employees to use that money to reinvest into the company.
Because of the company's transparency and trust in their employees, the employees responded by giving back 30% more than what the company asked for. The money helped stabilize the company, and they weathered the rough financial spell.
9. Sun's CEO Fights for Internet Transparency
Jonathan Schwartz recently resigned his post at Sun with a Haiku tweet. While he was at Sun though, he was a major proponent of more transparency from CEOs. Schwartz was one of the first Fortune 500 CEOs to start a blog and opened up large companies to an excellent example of corporate blogging.
One of Schwartz's biggest moves as CEO was hosting a public debate on openness for companies on the Internet. Schwartz and SEC chairman Christopher Cox had an open debate on their blogs about the Regulation Fair Disclosure not including the Internet (or blogs like Schwartz's). By fighting for more openness from the SEC, Schwartz gave other customers and companies reason to trust his leadership.
10. Toro Adds Empathy to a Lawsuit Policy
Toro was going through major financial troubles in the late 1980's, and after a series of firings placed Ken Melrose as the CEO. Melrose was able to cut serious costs on lawsuits against the company by making a slight change: he added empathy.
Toro manufactures commercial lawn and golf course management equipment, and because of the machinery experiences many lawsuits. The company yearly sees around 100 serious injuries on average. Toro started sending a company representative to meet with the injured person and their family to see what went wrong, express the company's sympathy and try to attend to any needs the injured family might have.
Before they instituted the change, around half of the injuries resulted in a lawsuit. After the change, that number dropped to only a single lawsuit since 1991.
Wise Bread is a leading personal finance community dedicated to helping people get the most out of their money. Get daily money tips by following Wise Bread on Facebook or Twitter.
Photo credit: Aldo Murillo
Tags: glen stansberry, leadership, management, wise bread
That's why it's always refreshing to see examples of great leadership in our society. Here are 10 examples of top-notch leadership from leaders who ultimately led by example, letting their actions (and bottom lines) speak for themselves.
1. How Southwest Handled 9/11
Southwest is known for their customer service. In an industry fraught with awful customer service, Southwest distanced itself from other airlines by putting the customer first, no matter what the situation.
On September 11, 2001, airlines were forced to shut down for days while the rest of the nation recovered from the terrorist attacks. This meant that all airline passengers, flight attendants and pilots were stranded with the planes across the country. Instead of merely sitting and waiting, Southwest employees were encouraged to take passengers bowling or to the movies to pass the time.
Many airlines started cutting jobs in the months following 9/11. The airline industry had been badly damaged, and many airlines were forced to cut their workforce by up to 20%. Instead of following the trend, Southwest made an announcement only three days after 9/11 that Southwest would be keeping all of their employees and starting a $179.8 million profit sharing payment to employees.
Southwest CEO James Parker believed that because Southwest had built their company on sound business principles for the past 30 years, they were able to handle crisis better than other airlines.
2. Toyota's Digg Transparency During The Recall
Toyota recently announced that they would have to recall 2.3 million vehicles for faulty brakes. Outrage ran rampant across the media and public. Complaints were filed and lawsuits were made. It appears as if the Toyota brand has been tarnished for many years to come.
Instead of letting a PR team handle the issue with only press statements and interviews, Toyota turned quickly and offered a live conversation on one of the most popular communities on the web: Digg.
The community behind the social news site Digg is generally quite hostile to corporations. So it came as a shock to many that the Toyota CEO Jim Lentz would appear on a Digg Dialogg to be asked all sorts of questions about the company and the recall. Over a thousand hard questions were submitted from consumers and even past employees, and Mr. Lentz answered as many as possible in the given time. The questions were asked in order of votes, and none were filtered. It was a totally transparent interview.
While the fallout of the recent recalls are massive, Toyota's openness will greatly help with minimizing the damage to the company's reputation.
3. The Redfin Blog Saved the Company
Glenn Kelman knows a thing or two about being humble. In fact, it's a method he's utilized to successfully bring his company into the online real estate industry.
Redfin is an online real estate brokerage firm that gives back two-thirds of the commission that traditional agents charge. Real estate agents hated it, and started blacklisting anyone who used the service.
So, instead of keeping the problem quiet, Kelman started a company blog that focused on many of the awful aspects of the real estate business. He also posted about internal struggles within the company, and even criticized himself on many occasions. The blog was raw and authentic.
Customers loved the transparency. They appreciated the fact that a CEO could make fun of himself and the dirty parts of his industry. Since starting the Redfin blog in 2006, business has grown dramatically. Kelman gave his reasoning to the openness in a Wired article.
"I honestly believe that if Redfin were stripped absolutely bare for all the world to see, naked and humiliated in the sunlight, more people would do business with us."
And they have.
4. Costco's CEO is the Normal Guy
Over the past five years Jim Sinegal has shepherded his company Costco to impressive returns. Costco's stock has doubled, and revenues continue to grow at an impressive rate.
Yet Sinegal might be better known as a man of the people at Costco. His name tag plainly says "Jim," he answers his own phone, and his plain office at the company headquarters doesn't even have walls. While other CEO's are spending tens of thousands of dollars just decorating their offices, Sinegal's pays himself a yearly salary of $350,00. Most CEOs of large company are paid in the millions. His simple contract is only a page long, and even includes a section that outlines how he can be terminated for not doing his work.
So how did he come up with that number? He figured he shouldn't be paid more than 12 people working on the floor.
His employee turnover rate is the lowest in the retail industry, over five times less than rival Wal-Mart. In an age where CEOs are paid in the millions and would never be seen in the "trenches," Jim Sinegal is an anomaly. And his workers love him for it.
5. How Starbucks' CEO Handled Company Tragedy
Starbucks is known for its exceptional treatment of employees, offering things like insurance to even part-time workers. When tragedy struck the company, it's no surprise that their CEO was able to comfort a hurting store and community.
In 1997 three employees were killed in a bumbled robbery of one of their Washington D.C. stores. Instead of issuing a press release or calling legal counsel, CEO Howard Schultz flew straight to D.C. and spent the entire week with the employees and their families in the area. Schultz's compassion and incredible leadership helped heal those closest to the tragedy.
6. IBM Encourages Blogging
At a time when the idea of "business blogging" was brand new (and usually feared), IBM encouraged their 320,000 employees to start company blogs. IBM leadership drafted a corporate blogging policy that encouraged employees to be themselves, speak in first person, and respect their coworkers.
The result? A marketing bonanza for IBM. Their company blogs are some of the most trusted technology blogs and generate tons of pageviews and links back to IBM. Instead of fearing the new technology, IBM embraced it, making their customers and employees very happy.
7. How Nelson Mandela's Father Made Tribal Decisions
Nelson Mandela is easily the most recognizable name in the Mandela family. Few people know of Mandela's adoptive father, Chief Jongintaba. Mandela credits Chief Jongintaba as a major source of leadership learning, and Mandela learned how to make important decisions based on how his father interacted with his tribe.
Chief Jongintaba was a tribal king, and would frequently hold meetings of the court. Men from all walks of life would gather in a circle and express their opinion. The Chief waited until every everyone had spoken before he would enter the conversation.
Mandela would later use his father's technique, gathering leaders at his kitchen table or in his driveway and holding discussions. Mandela would always listen first, and speak last.
8. TDIndustries Avoids Bankruptcy by Trusting Employees
TDIndustries is employee-owned and consistently on Forbes' Best Companies to Work For list. But the company almost didn't make it through the late 1980's without savvy leadership.
Many Texas banks were failing in the late 1980's, and TDIndustries was hurting greatly by the lack of funds needed to do large construction jobs. The company leadership informed their employees that instead of filing for bankruptcy, they were going to pay out the Defined Retirement Plan to its employees, and asked employees to use that money to reinvest into the company.
Because of the company's transparency and trust in their employees, the employees responded by giving back 30% more than what the company asked for. The money helped stabilize the company, and they weathered the rough financial spell.
9. Sun's CEO Fights for Internet Transparency
Jonathan Schwartz recently resigned his post at Sun with a Haiku tweet. While he was at Sun though, he was a major proponent of more transparency from CEOs. Schwartz was one of the first Fortune 500 CEOs to start a blog and opened up large companies to an excellent example of corporate blogging.
One of Schwartz's biggest moves as CEO was hosting a public debate on openness for companies on the Internet. Schwartz and SEC chairman Christopher Cox had an open debate on their blogs about the Regulation Fair Disclosure not including the Internet (or blogs like Schwartz's). By fighting for more openness from the SEC, Schwartz gave other customers and companies reason to trust his leadership.
10. Toro Adds Empathy to a Lawsuit Policy
Toro was going through major financial troubles in the late 1980's, and after a series of firings placed Ken Melrose as the CEO. Melrose was able to cut serious costs on lawsuits against the company by making a slight change: he added empathy.
Toro manufactures commercial lawn and golf course management equipment, and because of the machinery experiences many lawsuits. The company yearly sees around 100 serious injuries on average. Toro started sending a company representative to meet with the injured person and their family to see what went wrong, express the company's sympathy and try to attend to any needs the injured family might have.
Before they instituted the change, around half of the injuries resulted in a lawsuit. After the change, that number dropped to only a single lawsuit since 1991.
Wise Bread is a leading personal finance community dedicated to helping people get the most out of their money. Get daily money tips by following Wise Bread on Facebook or Twitter.
Photo credit: Aldo Murillo
Tags: glen stansberry, leadership, management, wise bread
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Leadership
Leadership is having the tenacity and conviction to pursue your vision on a daily basis and solicit others to help in that endeavor. http://edwardknab.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
9 Things You Must Absolutely Do To Having Winning Relationships At Work:
9 Things You Must Absolutely Do To Having Winning Relationships At Work:
1. Act Like a Human
Organizations run by a closed group of executives hovering above in the "C - suite" are falling. Leading Without A Title, where everyone is a key player is the new way to win in business. This fresh method of leading means that leaders not only master the essential skills but also understand how to act human. You can't treat human beings like capital - you will lose your greatest talent.
Acting human engages people - human engagement facilitates others towards their brilliance. A refreshing burst of humanity at the office outlasts and outshines the paycheck, the office with the view, or driving the company car. As the lights go out on the stage of old-school leadership, acting human is your game-changing solution.
2. Be One of the Few Who Perfect the Endangered Craft
It's an amazing time to be alive. Revolutionary technological innovation to enhance our lives, freedom of choice to create the life you love, and the daily opportunity to choose from an endless list of beautiful rewards. Yet an insatiable hunger still lingers inside each one of us - the hunger to be heard. I'm talking about the transformative experience that happens when someone truly listens and totally gets where you are at. I'm talking about listening at the level you feel like the listener is hanging onto each one of your words like they are the most important words in the world.
The new leadership is all about relationships with people. And you can't relate without listening. It's impossible. Yet engaged listening is a craft rarely mastered by leaders. You can have the most competent leader in the world, but if he doesn't listen his leadership potential will go unrealized.
Feeding the hunger to be heard brings out the best in people. People will trust you, respect you and shatter their limitations for you when you give them the gift of listening.
3. Be Scarce
We tend to value that which is scarce. We put a premium on objects and experiences we believe will run out: a Limited edition Gucci Ronson sneaker, a two week showing of Michael Jackson's This Is It. Reserve wine. We are impacted and motivated most by that which we don't come across everyday or that which comes in a limited supply. If you are seeking to create long term loyalty in your business relationships, ask yourself what is noticeably scarce? Is it generosity? Authenticity? Encouragement? Spot the scarcity and rock it.
4. Be the Most Positive Person in the Room
Today there is perpetual buzz about the state of the economy, the shock of once-admired organizations collapsing before our eyes and the alarming daily rate of bankruptcy. Yes this is current reality however, focusing relentlessly on negativity is subscribing to failure.
Powerful leaders neutralize the infectious cycle of negativity; they deploy hope where it's seemingly forsaken. Enlisting yourself as the most positive person in the room breaks the binds of negativity. Change the music and people will either stop dancing or start dancing a new step. Either way, it will set a precedence - "negativity is what everybody else is doing - we are the organization that refuses its limitations." Utilize the power of positivity to step up and make today better than yesterday.
5. Go Bigger than Your Paycheck
Just when we thought Apple couldn't wow us anymore they showcased innovation with the iPad, the tablet computer. Amazing. You might not love the design but you have to love how Apple delivers surprise above and beyond. Have the audacity to go bigger than your role. If a colleague is struggling to meet a deadline or lagging in productivity, don't be the first to point out the deficiency, be the first to roll up your sleeves and do whatever it takes to help out. Knock the status quo "it's not my job" to its knees and do more than you are paid for.
6. Be the Perfect Investment
When it comes to your relationships, be a dream investment: low cost with exceptional high return. Prove to be a no gossip, no games, no regrets, no maintenance investment of other people's time and focus. Manage yourself with others at the highest level possible - a.k.a with grace.
7. Get Naked in Your Conversations
Make your conversations count. Speak with candor. Brave the real issue. Say only that which is helpful: don't use your words to criticize or divide. Anybody can do that. Be radically honest, define reality. Trust is born out of the truth. Sloganeering and masking the truth breeds mistrust and disrespect. Go to the difficult truths and people will go the mile with you.
8. Get Famous for Reliability
Next time a teammate or department is unexpectedly riding the wild rapids, be the person out in the water risking the rapids with them. Become known for acts of reliability.
Every single person needs to take ownership of the organization's results. Everyone needs to take responsibility for what does or does not get accomplished in a day. Anyone can reach success if they consistently do the right things. Reliability, no matter what, is the right thing. Reliability translates into ownership and taking ownership is a way to present yourself as a leader.
9. Turn Everyone Into a Cover Story
Commit to noticing everyone. The young new associate in the elevator on Monday morning, the CFO's assistant, the receptionist, the customers, the interns... Remember everyone's contributions, what's important to her, what he does well, and what makes everyone smile. Everyone is worthy of being the next cover story and leaders show it.
1. Act Like a Human
Organizations run by a closed group of executives hovering above in the "C - suite" are falling. Leading Without A Title, where everyone is a key player is the new way to win in business. This fresh method of leading means that leaders not only master the essential skills but also understand how to act human. You can't treat human beings like capital - you will lose your greatest talent.
Acting human engages people - human engagement facilitates others towards their brilliance. A refreshing burst of humanity at the office outlasts and outshines the paycheck, the office with the view, or driving the company car. As the lights go out on the stage of old-school leadership, acting human is your game-changing solution.
2. Be One of the Few Who Perfect the Endangered Craft
It's an amazing time to be alive. Revolutionary technological innovation to enhance our lives, freedom of choice to create the life you love, and the daily opportunity to choose from an endless list of beautiful rewards. Yet an insatiable hunger still lingers inside each one of us - the hunger to be heard. I'm talking about the transformative experience that happens when someone truly listens and totally gets where you are at. I'm talking about listening at the level you feel like the listener is hanging onto each one of your words like they are the most important words in the world.
The new leadership is all about relationships with people. And you can't relate without listening. It's impossible. Yet engaged listening is a craft rarely mastered by leaders. You can have the most competent leader in the world, but if he doesn't listen his leadership potential will go unrealized.
Feeding the hunger to be heard brings out the best in people. People will trust you, respect you and shatter their limitations for you when you give them the gift of listening.
3. Be Scarce
We tend to value that which is scarce. We put a premium on objects and experiences we believe will run out: a Limited edition Gucci Ronson sneaker, a two week showing of Michael Jackson's This Is It. Reserve wine. We are impacted and motivated most by that which we don't come across everyday or that which comes in a limited supply. If you are seeking to create long term loyalty in your business relationships, ask yourself what is noticeably scarce? Is it generosity? Authenticity? Encouragement? Spot the scarcity and rock it.
4. Be the Most Positive Person in the Room
Today there is perpetual buzz about the state of the economy, the shock of once-admired organizations collapsing before our eyes and the alarming daily rate of bankruptcy. Yes this is current reality however, focusing relentlessly on negativity is subscribing to failure.
Powerful leaders neutralize the infectious cycle of negativity; they deploy hope where it's seemingly forsaken. Enlisting yourself as the most positive person in the room breaks the binds of negativity. Change the music and people will either stop dancing or start dancing a new step. Either way, it will set a precedence - "negativity is what everybody else is doing - we are the organization that refuses its limitations." Utilize the power of positivity to step up and make today better than yesterday.
5. Go Bigger than Your Paycheck
Just when we thought Apple couldn't wow us anymore they showcased innovation with the iPad, the tablet computer. Amazing. You might not love the design but you have to love how Apple delivers surprise above and beyond. Have the audacity to go bigger than your role. If a colleague is struggling to meet a deadline or lagging in productivity, don't be the first to point out the deficiency, be the first to roll up your sleeves and do whatever it takes to help out. Knock the status quo "it's not my job" to its knees and do more than you are paid for.
6. Be the Perfect Investment
When it comes to your relationships, be a dream investment: low cost with exceptional high return. Prove to be a no gossip, no games, no regrets, no maintenance investment of other people's time and focus. Manage yourself with others at the highest level possible - a.k.a with grace.
7. Get Naked in Your Conversations
Make your conversations count. Speak with candor. Brave the real issue. Say only that which is helpful: don't use your words to criticize or divide. Anybody can do that. Be radically honest, define reality. Trust is born out of the truth. Sloganeering and masking the truth breeds mistrust and disrespect. Go to the difficult truths and people will go the mile with you.
8. Get Famous for Reliability
Next time a teammate or department is unexpectedly riding the wild rapids, be the person out in the water risking the rapids with them. Become known for acts of reliability.
Every single person needs to take ownership of the organization's results. Everyone needs to take responsibility for what does or does not get accomplished in a day. Anyone can reach success if they consistently do the right things. Reliability, no matter what, is the right thing. Reliability translates into ownership and taking ownership is a way to present yourself as a leader.
9. Turn Everyone Into a Cover Story
Commit to noticing everyone. The young new associate in the elevator on Monday morning, the CFO's assistant, the receptionist, the customers, the interns... Remember everyone's contributions, what's important to her, what he does well, and what makes everyone smile. Everyone is worthy of being the next cover story and leaders show it.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Are you Tough Enough?
Ways to Get Mentally Tough
1. When you face a setback, think of it as a defining moment that will lead to a future
accomplishment.
2. When you encounter adversity, remember, the best don?t just face adversity; they
embrace it, knowing it?s not a dead end but a detour to something greater and better.
3. When you face negative people, know that the key to life is to stay positive in the
face of negativity, not in the absence of it. After all, everyone will have to overcome
negativity to define themselves and create their success.
4. When you face the naysayer?s, remember the people who believed in you and spoke
positive words to you.
5. When you face critics, remember to tune them out and focus only on being the best
you can be.
6. When you wake up in the morning, take a morning walk of gratitude and prayer. It will
create a fertile mind ready for success.
7. When you fear, trust. Let your faith be greater than your doubt.
8. When you fail, find the lesson in it, and then recall a time when you have succeeded.
9. When you head into battle, visualize success.
10. When you are thinking about the past or worrying about the future, instead focus your
energy on the present moment. The now is where your power is the greatest.
11. When you want to complain, instead identify a solution.
12. When your own self-doubt crowds your mind, weed it and replace it with positive
thoughts and positive self-talk.
13. When you feel distracted, focus on your breathing, observe your surroundings, clear
your mind, and get into The Zone. The Zone is not a random event. It can be created.
14. When you feel all is impossible, know that with God all things are possible.
15. When you feel alone, think of all the people who have helped you along the way and
who love and support you now.
16. When you feel lost, pray for guidance.
17. When you are tired and drained, remember to never, never, never give up. Finish
Strong in everything you do.
18. When you feel like you can?t do it, know that you can do all things through Him who
gives you strength.
19. When you feel like your situation is beyond your control, pray and surrender. Focus on
what you can control and let go of what you can?t.
20. When you?re in a high-pressure situation and the game is on the line, and everyone is
watching you, remember to smile, have fun, and enjoy it. Life is short; you only live
once. You have nothing to lose. Seize the moment.
1. When you face a setback, think of it as a defining moment that will lead to a future
accomplishment.
2. When you encounter adversity, remember, the best don?t just face adversity; they
embrace it, knowing it?s not a dead end but a detour to something greater and better.
3. When you face negative people, know that the key to life is to stay positive in the
face of negativity, not in the absence of it. After all, everyone will have to overcome
negativity to define themselves and create their success.
4. When you face the naysayer?s, remember the people who believed in you and spoke
positive words to you.
5. When you face critics, remember to tune them out and focus only on being the best
you can be.
6. When you wake up in the morning, take a morning walk of gratitude and prayer. It will
create a fertile mind ready for success.
7. When you fear, trust. Let your faith be greater than your doubt.
8. When you fail, find the lesson in it, and then recall a time when you have succeeded.
9. When you head into battle, visualize success.
10. When you are thinking about the past or worrying about the future, instead focus your
energy on the present moment. The now is where your power is the greatest.
11. When you want to complain, instead identify a solution.
12. When your own self-doubt crowds your mind, weed it and replace it with positive
thoughts and positive self-talk.
13. When you feel distracted, focus on your breathing, observe your surroundings, clear
your mind, and get into The Zone. The Zone is not a random event. It can be created.
14. When you feel all is impossible, know that with God all things are possible.
15. When you feel alone, think of all the people who have helped you along the way and
who love and support you now.
16. When you feel lost, pray for guidance.
17. When you are tired and drained, remember to never, never, never give up. Finish
Strong in everything you do.
18. When you feel like you can?t do it, know that you can do all things through Him who
gives you strength.
19. When you feel like your situation is beyond your control, pray and surrender. Focus on
what you can control and let go of what you can?t.
20. When you?re in a high-pressure situation and the game is on the line, and everyone is
watching you, remember to smile, have fun, and enjoy it. Life is short; you only live
once. You have nothing to lose. Seize the moment.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Are There Hidden Risks in your Supply Chain?
Many organizations have spent years streamlining operations, reengineering processes, integrating with partners, implementing enterprise systems, and moving production to low-cost, offshore locations. They have done all of this in an attempt to improve the service they provide to customers at a more competitive cost. However, creating a global supply chain has brought new risks that you may not have encountered before.
More recent events such as terrorism, strikes, piracy, political instability in Third World countries, and last year's shutdown of West Coast shipping docks—have awakened managers as never before to supply chain risks, some of which had been introduced or heightened by the very actions companies had taken to drive costs out of their supply chains. Currently there are a number of significant well-documented challenges facing international and domestic transportation markets such as rising freight rates, infrastructure disrepair, and the new cost of security in both time and money.
The simple fact is that in today's longer, more global supply chains, product moves over greater distances and across more borders than in the more localized supply chains of the past. The coordination and execution required for international shipments has always been a challenge, but now we find that market conditions, security considerations, and regulatory pressures are converging in such a way that increase risk significantly. But "Many risk factors have developed from a universal pressure to enhance productivity, eliminate waste, remove supply chain redundancies, and drive for cost improvement," says , of Productivity Constructs of Palm Springs, California.
Today an inverse relationship between risk and efficiency supply chains has been established; supply chain managers can no longer focus solely on cost reduction—any calculation of a supply chain's return on investment must also take customer satisfaction into account. "We're trying to make sure we operate the supply chain more efficiently and decrease costs as we increase service levels to customers," says Roy Strauss of Strauss Consulting. Risks exist across the entire length of supply chains, and are as diverse as political instability, exchange rates, carriage capacity, shelf life, and customer demand. The risks will be the subject of future Supply Chain Experts blogs but include:
Terrorism
Piracy
Currency Fluctuation
Government Instability
Strikes
Quality Considerations
Energy Cost
Transportation Problems
Natural Disasters
Rework Costs
Supply Chain Complexity
Global Interdependence
Balancing these competing priorities means that it's impossible to eliminate risk entirely. But there are steps you can take to mitigate risk while keeping your supply chain costs as low as possible. First, however, a little background on the nature of risk and how companies seek to deal with it. It may be time for you to rethink your global supply chain strategy in a manner that mitigates some of these risks and optimizes your ability to consistently deliver product to your customer at the lowest possible cost.
So, what can you do to mitigate these risks while insuring low cost leadership? You can call Supply Chain Experts who will help you assess the risks in your supply chain;
they will help you think strategically about risk versus cost,
they will help you broaden the cooperation with the trading partners in your supply chain,
help your organization understand the trade-offs and make better decisions that will insure your ability to take care of your customers,
and help your organization understand that you cannot ignore risk solely because it is difficult to quantify.
Your organization should be concerned about supply chain risks and Supply Chain Experts can help your organization design an effective system that creates a balanced cost/risk relationship that will protect your organization and your customers today and into the future.
Dr. Edward F. Knab BLOG
Productivity Constructs, Inc.
800 660 8718 office
949 413 7333 mobile
ed@edwardknab.com
www.productivityconstructs.com
More Supply Chain Experts Blogs
Dr. Knab is an academic practitioner and seasoned Global Supply Chain expert whose company, Productivity Constructs, is focused on driving cost and inefficiency out of the Global Supply Chain. Dr. Knab can be contacted for speaking engagements, coaching, or consultation at efk@productivityconstructs.com, ed@ewardknab.com.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Productive Leadership
Productive Leadership Coaching
Productivity Constructs, Inc. offers highly effective managerial and executive business coaching for a variety of business organizations. We specialize in providing effective leadership coaching for entrepreneurial companies and family business's. Productivity Constructs provides cutting-edge leadership coaching and executive leadership training development. Our individual executive business coaching services are tailored to each participant and their company and/or industry.
Our executive business coaches serve as "thinking partners" for executives, providing the following individual business coaching services:
Provide leadership and productivity tools
In depth focus on key challenges
Perspectives to a leader's challenges
Developmental tools for the leader's team and key direct reports
Strategies for managing critical organizational issues
Accountability and encouragement for achieving goals
We also offer custom designed coaching for emerging leaders and seasoned professionals. All of our executive business coaching services and strategies can be designed for specific position within your organization.
Executive leadership coaching increases productivity 22%, when paired with coaching it increases productivity 88% - 400% (International Personnel Management Association, 2001).
In a 2002 study executive business coaching had a 5.7 times Return on Investment (ROI)
Individual business coaching helps enhance emotional intelligence in executive leaders.
In a survey of business executives, each were asked to comment on the benefits they believe resulted from the Executive Business Coaching they previously received. The list of benefits they observed and percentages of improvement were:
Working relationships with direct reports (77%)
Working relationships with immediate supervisors (71%)
Teamwork (67%)
Working relationships with peers (63%)
Job satisfaction (61%)
Conflict reduction (52%)
Organizational commitment (44%)
Working relationships with clients (37%)
Effective coaching builds employee skills, addresses shortcomings, develops leadership capability, and enhances executive performance. Surveys show that employees at multiple organizational levels find coaching very useful and are calling for more coaching and better quality coaching. Effective coaching requires developing a distinctive set of competencies. Our program will help you build the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to effectively enhance leadership and performance
Productivity Constructs, Inc. offers highly effective managerial and executive business coaching for a variety of business organizations. We specialize in providing effective leadership coaching for entrepreneurial companies and family business's. Productivity Constructs provides cutting-edge leadership coaching and executive leadership training development. Our individual executive business coaching services are tailored to each participant and their company and/or industry.
Our executive business coaches serve as "thinking partners" for executives, providing the following individual business coaching services:
Provide leadership and productivity tools
In depth focus on key challenges
Perspectives to a leader's challenges
Developmental tools for the leader's team and key direct reports
Strategies for managing critical organizational issues
Accountability and encouragement for achieving goals
We also offer custom designed coaching for emerging leaders and seasoned professionals. All of our executive business coaching services and strategies can be designed for specific position within your organization.
Executive leadership coaching increases productivity 22%, when paired with coaching it increases productivity 88% - 400% (International Personnel Management Association, 2001).
In a 2002 study executive business coaching had a 5.7 times Return on Investment (ROI)
Individual business coaching helps enhance emotional intelligence in executive leaders.
In a survey of business executives, each were asked to comment on the benefits they believe resulted from the Executive Business Coaching they previously received. The list of benefits they observed and percentages of improvement were:
Working relationships with direct reports (77%)
Working relationships with immediate supervisors (71%)
Teamwork (67%)
Working relationships with peers (63%)
Job satisfaction (61%)
Conflict reduction (52%)
Organizational commitment (44%)
Working relationships with clients (37%)
Effective coaching builds employee skills, addresses shortcomings, develops leadership capability, and enhances executive performance. Surveys show that employees at multiple organizational levels find coaching very useful and are calling for more coaching and better quality coaching. Effective coaching requires developing a distinctive set of competencies. Our program will help you build the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to effectively enhance leadership and performance
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