Customer First: Finding the Balance Between People and Profit

Customer First: Finding the Balance Between People and Profit

Losing touch is easy; we are busy people with tons going on. We have our projects and products, stakeholders & shareholders. We track budgets and risk, and compliance. We work with teams for research and analysis, teams for architecture and security, delivery, and QA.  Managing this requires process and meetings, documentation, and sign-offs – and driving it all is a massive list of things…

Is Hubris Killing Innovation at Your Organization? Why Humility is Key

Is Hubris Killing Innovation at Your Organization? Why Humility is Key

  Innovation is a buzzword that is often thrown around in the business world, but how many companies are truly innovative? Many of the most successful companies we see today have a significant pivot story early in their history. Many of the most successful companies we see today have a significant pivot story early in…

Achieve More With Less in an Economic Downturn

Achieve More With Less in an Economic Downturn

  Your company needs to do more with less. This is especially true in economic downturns, during which layoffs may leave you short-handed and the pressure to cut costs is high. Your organization’s ‘addiction to more’ may be the biggest obstacle to getting more out of your teams.  “Your organization’s ‘addiction to more’ may be…

Stuck in the Middle: Navigating Tradeoffs to Manage Workload

Stuck in the Middle: Navigating Tradeoffs to Manage Workload

  Many managers face a conflict that encourages them to do something that’s not in the best interests of their company, its customers, and its employees.  In a previous post, ‘Addicted to More’, I shared thoughts about a problem many organizations suffer from – the condition of being compelled to do more – at any…

Addicted to More: Overcoming Overcommitment

Addicted to More: Overcoming Overcommitment

  Overcommitment may be killing your teams’ productivity, your employees’ morale, and ultimately – your ability to compete. The need for ‘more’ is greater than ever. If your team, your group, your org or your company doesn’t have more to do than they can possibly get done, then this probably won’t be very interesting reading…

Companies Can’t Afford Predictability

Companies Can’t Afford Predictability

  The Misunderstanding of Agility Once again, there is a misunderstanding about Agility in the world today, this time it’s about commitment and what that means. This issue is best recognized by buzzwords like “predictability”. Agile was created to accommodate frequent changes and flexibility especially when innovative products are being developed. The Agile Manifesto builds…

A fitness tracker represents the importance of measuring what matters in an organization.

Measure What Matters

I did it! I reached my 10k steps today. My watch congratulated me; I am so healthy! I will do it again tomorrow, and maybe even sign up for an ultra-marathon! Some people may realize that taking 10k steps a day is not an accurate indicator of how much exercise you get each day or…