A leader may be appointed by management but true influence and authority may emanate from the rank and file.Success begins and ends with leadership. Clearly, formal leaders are vital; however, it is important not to overlook the power of influence leaders. These folks are informal leaders who command significant [...]
Published January 2, 2015 On the 2nd day of 2015, I'm reminded of the power of relationships. I just finished a lunch with a wonderful, 20-year friend and former colleague, and this topic is top of mind. What could be more important in our personal and business lives? The [...]
Employees trust and follow proven leaders — those that motivate, communicate, and know what they’re talking about. As a tribute to my HR mentor who recently retired after a long and successful career in organizational development and HR (congrats Debra), I have to tip my hat (if I wore [...]
Published December 19, 2014 As I've been writing holiday cards for weeks now, keeping in touch is on my mind. Why go through all the work to send holiday cards? I think it is a great opportunity to take a minute or two to think about each person as [...]
Organizational change doesn’t have to be scary. It is an opportunity for innovation and creating a positive workplace as long as strategy and frequent communication are applied. Volatility is the new normal. Those organizations that can succeed with change will thrive. Thus, it is worthwhile thinking about how to [...]
Surviving and flourishing in today’s business environment increasingly demands more of the supply chain professional, including excelling at soft and technical skills. According to a 2013 Gallup poll, 70% of U.S. workers are not engaged. What a startling statistic! Through observation of clients, trade association members, and colleagues, I'd [...]
Having engaged employees improves everything about the work experience from job satisfaction to elevated performance levels According to a 2013 Gallup poll, 70% of U.S. workers are not engaged. What a startling statistic! Through observation of clients, trade association members, and colleagues, I'd agree with that statistic. During my [...]
Collaboration along the supply chain injects a steady flow of new ideas and solutions — key drivers in the quest for bottom line results. At the APICS 2014 International Conference, one of the keynote speakers was a futurist. He talked about the importance of a collaborative platform. I say [...]
We tend to think of the additional stress that the holiday season brings but wouldn’t it be better to flip it by focusing on the positive and spreading some cheer? As we head into the holiday season, I thought a few reminders might be in order: Remember your relationships: [...]
Are you prepared for success? We worry so much about failure that I find most clients are not prepared for success. You know what the lawyers say, “never go into a situation without knowing the answer and being prepared for anything that might come up”. It is proven that [...]
