As an organization grows, internal support structures evolve to handle certain services that are needed throughout the company. It needs HR to manage hiring and employee relations. It needs IT to keep the company’s technology assets running efficiently. It needs an accounting department to handle day-to-day financial functions. Teams across … Read more
Deals are happening all the time – many with lots of hype from investors, analysts and executives. The right acquisition can combine break-through capabilities to deliver distinctive capabilities to the market. However, too often the promises of the deal never pan out. Each week I talk to executives who are … Read more
When we invest in an organization transformation, we want to see lasting results. However, nothing can be worse than a perfect design that seems to have a hard time gaining traction in your organization. So, how do you know if your change transformation is starting to take root in your … Read more
Many businesses look to shared services to optimize their performance and help them meet the bottom line. When properly designed and implemented, shared services can increase efficiency, cut costs, maximize synergies, improve performance, and/or enhance your services and capabilities. With so much to be gained, it is worth making sure … Read more
The medical definition of strategy is, roughly, change that contributes to successful evolution. Think about this in terms of your business. Isn’t that the end goal – successful evolution? What’s notable here is that nature evolves through a series of trials and errors, and the organisms that adapt in more successful … Read more
It is hard to overstate the benefits of organization alignment. Aligned organizations better implement and realize their strategies, can do more with fewer resources, are faster, and generally perform better in the marketplace. However, it is important to realize that not all alignments are equal in their power to produce … Read more
How do you differentiate your products from your competitor’s offerings? How can you continue to grow in a more crowded market? How can you get your products/services to the right customer base? These are the kinds of questions that keep executives up at night trying to find new sources of … Read more
Strategic thinking is essential for an organization to differentiate and ultimately win in the marketplace. However, strategic thinking is much more than the ability to apply data, trends, and themes or envision big ideas. While these skills are certainly important for leaders of an organization, they don’t ensure that these … Read more
Every organization struggles to make trade-offs. Naturally, it is hard to say no to good opportunities. However, intuitively we know that we can’t be everything to everybody, that our resources are limited, and that not everything will fit onto our work plate. Fortunately, many businesses recognize the need for trade-offs … Read more
True organization transformation requires more than mere structural change. It demands that the organization does things differently and that executives, leaders, and ultimately every employee understands the organization’s intentions and strategic “difference.” This calibration of actions and thinking to drive a consistent strategy is organization alignment and leads to true … Read more