Archive for 'Management'

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Tools

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Tools

Tools

The typical business consultant sells business tools.  Like a hardware store sells hammers, business consultants sell business tools.

The challenge is that all too often, the consultant’s hammer is often heralded as the “cure all” for all business ailments.

Most people have the common sense to know that a hammer will not saw wood, drill holes, or router a decorative edge on a piece of wood.  It is used for driving nails.

But when it comes to business, neither the business malady nor ...

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19
AUG
0

Categories: Blog, Business Consulting, Business Development, Business Growth, Business Process, Business Startups, Management, Problem solving

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Excellence As An Ideal

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Excellence As An Ideal

Excellence As An Ideal

Something’s amiss.  Sometime, in a galaxy far, far away, something changed.

As far back as I can remember, we were equipped for excellence.  The pursuit of perfection.  Excellence as an ideal.  I seemingly and simultaneously straddle two generations: The Baby Boomers and Generation X.  It depends upon who you ask.  It depends upon what chart you look up.

I was born in the summer of 1965 – my birthday often falling on the last day of the school year.

Things ...

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27
MAY
0

Categories: Blog, Leadership, Management

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The Problem with Self Reflection

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The Problem with Self Reflection

Dedication

This article is dedicated to all present and future clients of Blue Elevator™.  Business is a tough sport.  And sparingly, there are few courageous enough to embark on the ongoing process of rigorous business advisory.  You have taken the road less traveled by.  This article is dedicated to you.

The Problem With Self Reflection

There is a problem with self reflection.  The very exercise itself is almost guaranteed to reveal an opportunity to improve.

Why the Trouble?

Reflecting back on the past several years, ...

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1
JAN
0

Categories: Accelerate, Blog, Business Consulting, Business Growth, Innovate, Leadership, Management, Management Action Items, Problem solving

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SALY

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SALY

SALY

A short title, yes.  But, it’s a short title with big implications.

What is SALY?

SALY is not the name of your sister, mother, wife, or girlfriend.  After all, it’s not even spelled correctly.

SALY is simple: It stands for Same As Last Year.

Where did SALY Come From?

SALY is a term I came across ages ago when I was discharging my duties as a CPA.  I was privileged to work with a firm called Coopers & Lybrand – a Big Eight firm.  Back ...

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29
NOV
0

Categories: Blog, Business Growth, Business Process, Business Process Consulting, Business Startups, Management, Management Action Items, Startups

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A Primer on Hiring

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A Primer on Hiring

A primer on hiring

When I was little boy, the neighborhood kids would play cowboys and Indians.  The Old West wasn’t too far a distant memory back then.  And, if you are in the politically correct crowd, don’t get too excited.  This article isn’t really about cowboys and Indians.

It’s about an idiom: “Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians.”  This translates to “Too many managers and not enough workers.”  And, let’s address this right away.  This article doesn’t insinuate that mangers ...

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15
SEP
1

Categories: Business Consulting, Business Process, Management, Replicate

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Ready to Engage

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Ready to Engage

Ready to Engage?

In a preceding article, Business Consulting – Then and Now, we made the case for cutting-edge business advisory.  We finished with the question: Are you ready to engage?  Generally speaking, the answer is usually “Yes!”

  1. “Yes, let’s go!”
  2. “Yes, I would like to, but … things are slow right now and I need to close a few more deals so I can build some cash to start work.”
  3. “Yes, I would like to, but ...
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31
OCT
1

Categories: Blog, Business Consulting, Business Growth, Business Process, Business Process Consulting, Business Startups, Leadership, Management

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Business Consulting – Then and Now

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Business Consulting – Then and Now

Business Consulting: A Recent History

For the past four decades business consulting has been associated with three phenomena:

  1. A business owner comes to realize his business is broken.  He can’t fix things and he is finally ready to ask for help.
  2. A C-level executive (or Board of Directors) decides to hire an outside business consulting firm to validate his opinion.  Or, he needs to hire a scapegoat for some difficult decision the organization needs to make.
  3. A business needs to implement a new process ...
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29
OCT
1

Categories: Blog, Business Consulting, Business Process, Business Process Consulting, Management

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Vision and Leadership and Effectiveness – Oh My!

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Vision and Leadership and Effectiveness – Oh My!

Vision and Leadership and Effectiveness – Oh My!

Vision and leadership and effectiveness are the proverbial lions and tigers and bears of business and life.  All are big things in and of themselves – even more so, when taken together.  Whether you are a student, a solo entrepreneur, or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, all these are necessary for success.

Vision

Vision is where you want to go.  Every successful endeavor must have an end goal in mind.

Where there is no ...

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2
OCT
0

Categories: Blog, Business Process, Business Process Consulting, Business Startups, Management, Management Action Items, Startups

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The Three Secrets to Business Success

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The Three Secrets to Business Success

The Three Secrets to Business Success

Would you want to know the three secrets to business success?  For as many people would want to know, some would not.  The reason is, knowing the three secrets to business success would impose upon you the implied responsibility to act.

For to know, and then not act, would mean that you would have intentionally missed the mark.

Do You Want to Know?

If you are among those that do want to know, ...

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11
JUN
2

Categories: Blog, Business Development, Business Growth, Business Process Consulting, Management, Marketing

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Help Wanted or Not?

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Help Wanted or Not?

Help Wanted or Not?

When It Comes to Getting Help, There are Three Types of People:

  1. People that don’t believe they need help.
  2. People who know they need help – but are afraid to ask.
  3. People who know they need help – and are willing to ask for it.

We ALL need help.  I need help.  You need help.  Chances are, you make a living helping people.

  • Taxi drivers drive.
  • Accountants account.
  • Chefs cook.
  • Pastors shepherd.
  • Painters paint.
  • Plumbers plumb.

It is a blessing to be able to help people doing something ...

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7
JUN
0

Categories: Blog, Business Growth, Business Process, Management

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