ValuExecBlogValuExecBlogValuable topics, discussions and tips on execution excellence that will help executives achieve the results they want, from Ian Campbell.
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It's Business as Un-usual
2008-12-06 19:32:00 Last week I sat through a client's strategic planning session and watched as the management team tried to make sense of the current economic climate, its impact on their business and the corresponding outlook of the business 5 years hence.... More About: Business
Keeping Me Honest
2008-12-06 19:32:00 I have the utmost respect for anyone who creates a tool or product for the greater good of man or beast so when someone asks me to review or comment on a new product, I do so gladly but only... More About: Honest
Learning from The Master
2008-12-06 19:32:00 In the October 2008 issue of Toastmaster, the monthly publication of Toastmasters International Inc., there is a wonderful interview by Craig Harrison with Coach John Wooden, Head Basketball Coach, University of California, Los Angeles - on lessons in leadership. Inspired... More About: Learning , Master , The Master
The Great Corporate Clam Up
2008-12-06 19:32:00 I was saying to my business partner the other day that we have got to be the dumbest people in the world. First, we are in the consulting business which contrary to popular belief is difficult and in the current... More About: Corporate , Great , Clam
Just a thought!
2008-09-28 19:45:00 I don't know about your bank, but if I sneeze - mine charges me a fee. For years now, CEOs of our large banks have taken home vast pay packages as they drive profits that almost put the oil companies... More About: Thought
Stat Quote of the Day
2008-09-28 19:45:00 Today's Stat Quote of the Day comes from Harvard Business Publishing which will, on September 22, 2008 launch The Daily Stat that for 5 days a week will bring you 'facts and figures offering a quick, sometimes quirky perspective on... More About: Quote Of The Day
Stat Quote of the Day
2008-09-28 19:45:00 Some stats on e-mail: 75% of workers prefer to email colleagues rather than speak to them face to face 78% use email because they don't want to get out of their seat 80% blame email for their poor health and... More About: Quote Of The Day , Stat , Quote
"Shut up! You had me at hello."
2008-09-28 19:45:00 There is a wonderful scene in the movie Jerry Maguire where Jerry, played by Tom Cruise, is standing before his estranged wife, played by Renee Zellweger and he is rambling on about his undying love for her and the fact... More About: Shut , Shut Up
Stat Quote of the Day
2008-09-28 19:45:00 The Stat Quote today looks at that wonderful thing called 'Trust.' Research shows: > Only 51% of employees have trust and confidence in senior management> Only 36% of employees believe their leaders act with honesty and integrity> Over the past... More About: Quote Of The Day
Daily Stat Quote
2008-09-28 19:45:00 Not exactly a statistic but a comment that I thought worth sharing: 'What you do not know is more relevant than what you know.' Source: CustomerCentric Selling / Sales Benchmark Index; Best Practices of World Class Sales Organizations ian More About: Daily , Stat , Quote
Ode to the Statistic
2008-09-28 19:45:00 Have you noticed how easily people throw stats at us. You can not pick up a newspaper or read a business article without being confronted by at least one statistic that will take your breath away. I should know since...
Aligning incentives to strategy
2008-09-28 19:45:00 It is generally a well known fact that people will give priority to those activities for which they are rewarded. I have written before that if you want to change culture, change the incentives or metrics by which you measure... More About: Strategy , Incentives
This is Your Captain Speaking ....again!
2008-09-28 19:45:00 Boy, I sure know how to pick them! On November 5, 2007 I wrote about Chiquita Brands in a blog entitled 'Slipping up on their own skins.' In it I raised concerns about their restructuring plan and their focus on... More About: Speaking , Captain
This is your captain speaking...
2008-09-28 19:45:00 There has been a lot of news coverage recently about the Qantas jet that suffered a gas explosion whilst in flight. Most of the coverage has been on trying to find where to lay the blame with very little coverage... More About: Speaking , Captain
Why we need to Topgrade
2008-06-05 00:00:00 There is a mistaken belief out there that you can not fill every position in a company with an 'A' player; that to do so would be expensive and border on the insane. Humbug. You can and some companies are...
Lost in Translation!
2008-05-30 00:00:00 There is an old saying that 'we judge others by their actions, and ourselves by our intentions.' I suspect that also applies to companies. I had the wonderful experience today of sitting through the launch of a new concept by... More About: Lost , Translation
10 Questions you have just got to ask!
2008-04-28 02:25:00 As I sat across the table from the MD of a large global beverage organization, I realized that the door of opportunity was slowly closing and that it was only a matter of time before I was shown the elevator. The MD was adamant that they were executing their plans effectively; that everyone was aligned behind strategy and although he confessed to having some issues (hey! no-one's perfect) they were not related to execution. But, the whisperings around the corridors told me a different story. Morale was down; there was confusion as to what their strategy really was; and they were losing people. And still, I could see that door closing. And then, I asked the 10 questions! 10 questions that you should be asking of your company. On a scale of 1:10, with 1 being 'Not very important' and 10 being 'Extremely important' - where would you rate 'Execution of Strategy?' On a scale of 1:10, with 1 being 'Not at all well' and 10 being 'Excellent' - where would you rate your company ... More About: Questions
Jumping Through Hoops
2008-04-03 08:14:00 I thought I had 'died and gone to heaven!' There sitting in my in-box were two articles on Strategy and Strategy Execution that were a good read and which I now share with you. The first was an article from The Sunday Times dated March 23, 2008 by Andrew Stone entitled 'Keep sight of your vision' and the second was from the Toledo Free Press dated March 22, 2008 written by Eric Kurjan entitled 'Jump-start your plan of strategy.' Stone highlights a number pertinent points that should be followed when formulating a strategic vision - a few of which are: Have a clear vision around which the whole business (i.e., every department) is designed The vision should be able to be communicated simply to everyone (employees and suppliers) Have a strong group of people around you to help you achieve your strategy (vision) Have an understanding of what the vision means for every level of the business Revisit the vision often Remain true to your vision. Stone points to a recent su... More About: Hoops , Jumping
Compelling Reasons
2008-03-27 12:00:00 I was reminded the other day as to the importance of the notion of 'compelling reasons.' I was cold calling a prospect and thought that I knew the compelling reason as to why the prospect would buy the particular service that we were offering. It wasn't the two questions of "why should I buy your service?" and "what's in it for me?" that had me a little nervous because, quite frankly, I was prepared for them; rather it was the numerous "So what!'" comments that seemed to follow my every response that had me squirming over the phone and really tested my understanding of what our 'compelling reason' really was. It was only after my response to the tenth 'So what!' that I finally struck gold and had the compelling reason that satisfied my prospect and which lead to the sale. I was lucky that I had a prospect who was willing to keep on asking the questions. On another day, I could have so easily have lost the prospect after the first question. It... More About: Reasons
And the Winner is....
2008-03-20 00:00:00 Normally, I would gloss over the attached article but this one is filled with so many gems on execution excellence that if you were to implement just one of them, I have no doubt your company's performance would improve. Three... More About: Winner
What is it with these Chefs!
2008-03-19 00:00:00 What is it about these chefs that makes them such damn good teachers? First is was Charlie Trotter and now it is Gordon Ramsay. If you have not yet seen an episode of 'Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares', try and get to...
Bringing the Customer inside the Organization
2008-03-17 00:00:00 Too often in organizations, the voice of the customer is heard only by a select few. This is unfortunate because there is much that can be learned and therefore gained from what is communicated between customer and employees at all... More About: Organization , Customer , Inside
"Slipping up on their own skins" - Revisited
2008-02-08 00:00:00 Ok! So I got it wrong. In a previous blog I posted entitled 'Slipping up on their own skins,' I wrote 'If Chiquita management believes that their restructuring plan and their management changes are the answer to implementing their previously... More About: Skins
If you are serious about talent
2008-01-21 00:00:00 Some time ago I was interviewed for a senior role in a large pharmaceutical company. Why I was there in the first place is of no consequence, but I was. Sitting across the table from me was the HR Director... More About: Talent
The trouble with holidays
2008-01-21 00:00:00 The attached article is simply a side dish but I thought I would include it because as I was writing the article, the concept became more and more intriguing to me. The article comes from the January 2008 edition of... More About: Holidays
Beware the wolf in sheep's clothing
2008-01-10 00:00:00 I had the misfortune recently of joining a one hour teleclass that was touted as providing valuable lessons in the marketing of products on-line but which was nothing more than an infomercial for the host's numerous products and an opportunity... More About: Clothing , Beware , Wolf
Deja Vu ~ Spilling the Beans
2008-01-10 00:00:00 What is currently unfolding at Starbucks has left me with a sense of Deja Vu. The Starbucks saga reminds me of the return of Steve Jobs to Apple when he came back to lead that company out of the black... More About: Beans
The Web of Execution Excellence ~ What Nature Teaches Us
2008-01-03 00:00:00 Picture if you will, a spider's web. Arising from a central core, are a few large, strong vertical strands that spread from the centre of the web to its outer fringes and which are attached to the external environment (be... More About: Nature , Execution
The Layman's Guide to Goal Attainment
2007-12-26 00:00:00 I have often wondered what makes a winning team, or a successful athlete or simply for that matter, what enables one person to achieve their goals whilst another fails. As we reflect back on the year at our successes and... More About: Guide , Goal , Atta
The Ghost of Christmas Past
More articles from this author:2007-12-06 00:00:00 In the December edition of Valuable News (our monthly e-magazine available on our website at www.valufacturesolutions.com) I wrote about the 5 valuable lessons coming out of 2007. Two lessons were of particular note and which I am sure will raise... More About: Christmas , Ghost , Past , The Ghost , The G 1, 2 |
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