Leadership for Change — Aligning Resources and Setting Expectations
In this series on change leadership, we’ve talked so far about creating a vision, identifying key initiatives, and limiting active initiatives to a manageable number. Another critical task for leadership is to make sure that functional departments are aligned with active initiatives.
DST Asks: Is Your Company Part of a Technology Users’ Group
Scientists can’t actually agree on when mankind first discovered fire. Some think as recently as 100,000 years ago, but others claim evidence of campfires as old as 1.6 million years by carbon-dating them. In any case, whenever fire was discovered, everyone is in agreement that the first thing needed was a users’ group to share knowledge and techniques about this new, mysterious technology. Cavemen and their cavewomen traveled far and wide to assemble and discuss fire and trade new ideas and stories about its benefits. Can’t you just imagine the program agenda for that first Users’ Group? Probably workshops with titles like “Cooked Meat: A Whole New Paradigm” and “Heating Your Cave: Why a Chimney is a Good Idea” and “Stay Awake after Dark with a New Source of Light.”
Herman Trend Alert: Exploratory Job Seeking
Some workers are engaging in more exploratory job seeking. We’re hearing from employers that the rate of flow of resumes and query letters and calls has increased, a sign of restlessness and hopefulness on the part of unhappy workers. Sensing the improving economy and new job opportunities that will be opening, the “A players” are testing the waters, probing for possibilities.
Leadership for Change — Selecting Your Initiatives
Last time we kicked off a series of articles on the subject of leadership for change. We identified critical responsibilities for change leadership, and talked about creating a vision. This week we’ll talk about how to convert that vision into action-through selecting and launching the right initiatives.
DST Asks: How Do You Track Sales Force Activity?
In his movie role as a high-maintenance NFL star in “Jerry Maguire,” Cuba Gooding Jr. won an Oscar and created an enduring pop culture catch phrase with his unique delivery of that memorable line — four words that perfectly sum up the objective of a successful sale. In the final analysis, sales management is all about maximizing the ability of your sales force to “Show me the money!!”
Herman Trend Alert: The New Recruiting
Recruiting has increased across industry lines in recent weeks. The numbers are not dramatic yet, but the trend is steady. That signal is positive, compared to the fluctuating numbers we have seen recently.
Leadership for Change
This week we start a series of articles on the subject of leadership for change. Whether you’re a senior executive whose goal is to transform the entire organization, or a first-time manager trying to improve your department’s performance, we think you’ll find something useful.
“DST Asks: Do You Get Everything You Need from Your Current Computer System?
We’re going to go out on limb and make the assumption that the goal of your business is to make a profit by acquiring customers, selling and servicing them, and retaining them for generating future revenue. If this is not the goal of your business, there’s no need to read further in this week’s column – although if that’s the case, we would love to hear what actually is the goal of your business.
Herman Trend Alert: Competitive Intelligence
A central strategy for many companies today is to push productivity higher and higher. They accomplish this objective by creatively applying technology and driving employees to perform at higher levels and work longer hours. These practices are risky, exposing the companies to an over-dependence on technology and high stress, burn-out, and dissatisfaction among employees.
DST Asks:Does Your Multi-Store Business Management System Capture and Consolidate Operating Information?
It’s the American way. Start your own business. Perfect your methods. Hire good people. Grow your customer base. Perfect the idea at one location, then expand by adding new locations that share the same business model. Thousands of successful retail enterprises have started in exactly this way. It’s a fundamental way to apply the principle we all learned in Economics 101 – economies of scale. Business 101 would call it leverage. Good entrepreneurs call it survival!