Posted by: Ken Moll
I have been blessed with a long and storied career in business. I have found business to be very challenging. And, thank God, I have also found it to be very rewarding.
But, I have also found it to be very lonely at the top. Here’s why: When you are the leader of the organization, sometimes it’s hard to find the right person to talk to.
Let’s say you are a Controller or CFO. An Executive Director. ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ken Moll
When it comes to making decisions, it’s important to realize that change is multi-dimensional.
In life and in business, we often come to a crossroad or a decision point. We try to weigh the pros and cons – and then, make the best decision possible. And it is here where we pause for caution, as not every decision has its desired consequence or outcome. Or, rather, the decision itself introduces some other unintended consequences. Change is multi-dimensional.
The ability to ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ken Moll
This article could have also been titled A False Sense of Security. But hopefully you’ll understand the title selection in a bit.
When I was a kid, I would enjoy an annual pilgrimage to my parent’s home state – Arkansas. I would enjoy my grandmother’s freshly-boiled sweet corn, french fries, fried okra, and all other types of Southern comfort food. But what I didn’t enjoy so much were grandpa’s fresh shot, squirrel and dumplings. I didn’t like ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ken Moll
I am constantly entertaining the tension between two words: simple and easy. At face value, the two words would appear similar. Synonyms.
But they are not.
As we grow in business and life, these words begin to carry more impact. Easy could mean simple. But simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy.
In actuality, these words couldn’t be more different. In fact, they could be antonyms.
Once upon a time, there was a valiant soldier named Naaman. He was the commander of ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ken Moll
In the cycle of life, a plateau is called maturity. The cycle of life is this: birth, growth, maturity, decline, and then ….
The business cycle follows this same natural cycle. Start-up, growth, maturity (e.g., a plateau), decline. Left unto itself, your business or organization is likely going to follow that natural progression.
Ask your typical entrepreneur. Start-up is fun. Growth is pretty cool. Plateaus and declines – not so much.
You and your organization are somewhere in the ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ken Moll
In life and in business, we often notice the symptoms before the causes. Symptoms are by-products. They are not causes. And though symptoms will make you miserable, they are not causational.
Fever is a sign of infection. Where is the infection? Smoke is a sign of fire. What is on fire? Those are the real questions.
In business, a lack of sales is a sign that something is amiss. The lack of sales is a symptom. The inability of an ...
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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 ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ken Moll
At Blue Elevator™, our collective history has put us in touch with hundreds – even thousands of individuals – and the businesses they represent.
Some might ask, “What’s the secret to success?”
And here’s the secret: there is no secret. It’s hard work. Working smart, yes – but also working hard.
So, this is why we thought we would share with you what hard work looks like.
To illustrate this point, I have the distinct honor ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ken Moll
If I hit the rewind button, I am back in Little League (actually, Pony League). And no, not my Little League years, but my son’s. My son loved baseball. Everything about it. And in baseball, you get to bat. And when you bat, you get to hit home runs – if you’re lucky.
Or is it? Luck, that is.
Hitting home runs isn’t so much about strength as it is about technique. That is, proper hitting mechanics will trump brute ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ken Moll
Starting and growing a business is a lot like taking a long journey on foot. There are many parallels:
A ...
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