People are naturally seduced by a “deal”. We gravitate to signs in stores and on billboards that proclaim, 50% off” or “Buy-one Get-one”. We like to think that we are paying far less for something that we have a right to – that somehow we got the “better” of our opponent. We take a smug…
In all of my years in business – both as an employer and as a consultant – I have never seen anyone hire someone who was uninspired and not wanting to work for the company that just hired them. Over just as many years, I have heard managers say, “These people are lazy”, or “They have to…
“Coachability” is the willingness to be coached, to listen, to respect instruction and act on it. Coaching (another set of eyes) lets you see what’s missing which, if you act on it, could make a big difference. These days, many people know that coaching is a good idea. They listen to it politely but never…
Many people confuse effectiveness with efficiency. Organizations strive to be more efficient and in doing so, forget about how effective their actions really are. It should not come as a surprise that often the price for greater efficiency is less effectiveness. One of the first steps to take is to understand what efficiency and effectiveness…
Recently, whilst working with the Global Planning Team of a major oil company, we were asked, “What is the cost of complexity and what is the effective range on this cost?” At one level, the answer is easy; “It is the cost associated with having more than one customer and product. The more complex the supply chain,…
