Use the Strategic Plan as a Daily Management Tool

May 27, 2014 | Strategic Planning

Keep in mind, when you use the strategic plan as a daily management tool... The Vision is "The Big Goal." It's THE thing you are working to achieve together. The Mission explains what you do as an organization. The Values are "The House Rules." As long as employees take paychecks from your organization, they - by default - are bound to abide by the values. If they don't like the values, fine. They need to find someplace else to work. The Strategic Goals are the big projects that need to occur...

Quit Working So Hard

May 22, 2014 | Strategic Planning

Are you exhausted at the end of every work day? Do you lay in bed at night worrying about how you're going to get everything done? Are you regularly trying to identify new ways to bring in more sales, increase business, or in some other way "get ahead"? If so, join the club. You're like most hard-working managers and leaders. Notice, I said you're like most 'hard-working' managers and leaders. I didn't say you're like most 'successful' managers and leaders. There's a big difference and the...

Mentoring: Why & How

May 13, 2014 | Leadership Development

I’m often asked by my clients how to start a mentoring program. When I ask them why they want a mentoring program, I'm often on the receiving end of blank stares as in: Why wouldn't we want a mentoring program? Like strategic planning, if you don't know why you want or need the program, it’s pretty hard to ensure you design and provide the right program to meet your objectives. To help you get clear on why you may (or may not) want to start a mentoring program and how to do it, take a look at...

Done is Better Than Perfect

May 6, 2014 | Leadership Development

When I recently came across this quote by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, “Done is better than perfect,” it stopped me in my tracks. I think it’s one of the most succinct messages many of us in management and leadership positions need to hear. Too often, I catch myself spending too much of my time revising an article, blog, book manuscript, or speech to ensure it’s “just right.” I’ve also allowed my team to develop the habit of reworking material to get it “just right,” for a client –...