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Systems Thinking in Strategic Planning
By Robert W. Bradford
One of the most useful tools for good strategy analysis is systems thinking. Some people think this means you have to treat your business like a computer program, but really it's simply a way to think through all of the connections that affect your business and how it both operates and competes in the marketplace.
Challenging Old Paradigms and Achieving Success
By Denise Harrison
That won't work! We've tried that before! The idea is then rejected without consideration. Yes, sometimes you should learn from history, but what if something has changed and history no longer reflects the potential of this idea?
Succession Planning in a Family Business
By M. Dana Baldwin
Good friends of mine were the fourth and fifth generation of their family in a very successful business. I interviewed one of the fourth generation some years ago about how they went about doing succession planning for their company. These are the "rules" that they had literally written out many years ago which governed their approach to the involvement of the next generation in the family business.
What is Strategic Thinking?
By Robert W. Bradford
As you may know from Simplified Strategic Planning, strategy is the course or direction of an enterprise. In business, this revolves around three basic questions:
- What do we sell?
- To whom do we sell it?
- How do we beat - or better yet, avoid - competition?
Strategic Alignment: Why Isn't Everyone on the Same Page?
By Denise Harrison
Communicating strategy and gaining buy-in enables an organization to truly execute the strategic plan. As President of a financial services firm, I communicated regularly but was stymied by the lack of understanding and buy-in of the strategic plan. What could I do differently?
Why Do Your Customers Buy From Your Company?
By M. Dana Baldwin
Many companies have a stable, often diversified, list of B2B customers who repeatedly do business with them. Their strategies are focused on satisfying the needs and preferences of those core companies. They often take particular care in their strategic planning to be sure they satisfy their repeat customers.
Planning With Estimates
By Robert W. Bradford
Estimates are, simply put, numerical assumptions. In strategic planning, we must deal with a variety of estimates. Some of these estimates are partially under our control (such as our sales number for the coming year) and some of them are completely out of our control (such as the growth rate in the domestic economy).
How do you keep good employees? Hint: It may not be what you think.
By Denise Harrison
A CEO was perplexed by recent attrition in his customer service area. What was causing this outflow of talent? Pay was at or above the norm for positions in this area, yet several of his key employees had left. Has this happened to you? Are you concerned that some of your key talent might leave as the economy picks up and there are more opportunities out there?
Is an Executive Coach Worth the Time and Cost?
By Dana Baldwin
As a C-level Executive, life in the office can be a lonely experience. Each executive has few peers, and each of their peers has different responsibilities, different skills, different work atmospheres and different personalities. While each C-level executive shares some of the same inputs and motivations, each one has his or her own challenges and opportunities.
Building Customer Preference
By Robert W. Bradford
Customer preference is the currency that most of us in business seek. But what do we know about customer preferences - and how can we manage them, strategically?
Made the "Nifty Fifty" New Product List and Fought to Make a Dime - Lessons Learned in Protecting Intellectual Property and Partnerships
By Denise Harrison
Your new product makes the "nifty fifty" list of innovative new product introductions; you envision your picture on the cover of Fortune magazine; and then....you end up in legal battles and with little money. Here are some lessons learned from one company as it tried to capitalize on its innovative new product.