It’s great to have a huge vocabulary of industry-specific terms, acronyms, and buzzwords, but the greater value is making sure that your listener (your customer) understands exactly what you are saying. It is not always the business that has the best product or service that makes the sale, it is the salesperson or representative who…

Article from Forbes on how to hire your first COO and if a Fractional COO is right for you. The right time to hire a chief operating officer (COO) is just before trouble appears in your company. The reality is that most businesses realize they need a COO too late. Signs that you need a…

There are two kinds of problems in business and life: Complicated and Complex Each kind requires a different approach. Complicated problems require finding a definitive solution. Complex problems require constant management. Mixing them up is what creates frustration.  People expect specific solutions to resolve complex problems. Complicated vs Complex A complicated process is predictable and adheres to…

Developing an effective strategy for your organization is vital for growth and sustainability. However, coming up with a strategy that can work is only part of the battle – making it happen is a whole different challenge. Several factors affect strategic implementation. In this article, we’ll break down the barriers that stand between your strategy…

A huge part of developing a strategic plan is a reliable, in-depth strategic analysis. In this article, we’ll cover: What is strategic analysisWhy conducting a strategic analysis improves your strategy formulationA strategy formulation case studyHow to conduct a strategic analysisThe core concepts of strategic analysisStrategic analysis tool examplesHow to choose the right strategic analysis tool What is…

No matter how foolproof your strategic plan is, it won’t survive first contact with reality. Planning a strategy and implementing it are two very different stories.  What is Strategy Implementation? Simply put, strategy implementation is the term used to describe the process or activity that ensures that strategic planning is actually executed. In other words, it’s DOING what you…

This is the time of year when people start thinking about their “goals” for 2022. So I thought I would republish one of my most popular posts. ————————————————————————– I don’t have “goals.” I don’t believe in “goals.” I don’t allow the people I work with to have goals. Wait – what? I don’t have goals?…

Every comprehensive strategic plan starts with the corporate strategy level. What is Corporate Strategy? Corporate strategies are arguably the most fundamental and broad-ranging strategy level within an organizational strategy. The corporate strategy level concerns itself with the entirety of the organization on a more or less abstract level, where decisions are made about the overall…

Are you ever approached by people wanting your advice on how to start a business? They see you running a successful company and think, “Wow, I’d like to do that.” Their only stumbling block is that they don’t have an “idea” for a business. They refer to an idea like it’s this mythical creature that comes along…

All businesses require teamwork in order to achieve optimum efficiency and productivity. Even a small business with a limited number of employees needs everyone working together to achieve goals, service customers, and make sales. When this occurs with repeated frequency, the business becomes viable, profitable, and provides jobs. Even when employees work remotely, employees can…

Organizations that lead the market align everyone towards their desired direction. Identifying your destination and developing your strategic plan to reach it is the easy part of strategy. Executing that plan is the hard part. Only when you achieve company-wide organizational alignment can you successfully do it. In this article, we’ll discuss the following topics: What is…