(207) 739-9540

Category

Navigating Turbulent Times: Innovation, Optimization, or a Balanced Approach?

Strategies for Companies Facing Economic Uncertainty

In reading news apps this week, it is apparent that the economic environment is in turmoil. One report showed massive layoffs in well-known companies and predicts more. Another story reported on the January jobs report that showed stronger hiring in certain industries. Then there’s the situation with new rules at the Panama Canal and the conflict around the Suez Canal—both of which promise to impact global supply chains and drive costs even higher. And then there’s crippling inflation which squeezes companies relentlessly as they find themselves squeezed between rising costs and consumers who can’t pay more. [Read more…]

Six Steps to Strategically Reset Manager and Supervisor Roles

overworked businesswoman

In recent years, organizations of all sizes and at all stages of development have faced competitive, excruciating external pressures in dealing with disruption and economic upheaval. At the same time, employees have come to demand a kinder, gentler workplace with managers and supervisors who demonstrate more compassion. The result is a disturbing trend. I want to say that managers and supervisors “balance” too many responsibilities, but it goes further than that. These leaders have more and more tasks and responsibilities assigned to them—often far too many to execute. 

[Read more…]

Revitalizing Corporate Performance: 4 Steps for Re-defining Strategy

The past three years have led organizations through one disruption after another. Leaders had come to believe that proactive planning and decision making were made impossible by the roller coaster environment. More than ever, proactive planning around strategy and execution is vitally important. Customers, suppliers, stakeholders, and employees at all levels of the organization are in dire need of rejuvenation that comes with sound organizational direction and stability.  Four questions we should be asking to help build an intentional strategy are: [Read more…]

Four Steps for “Doing More with Less.”

With recent layoffs, crushing inflation, and cost cutting across organizations, leaders at all levels of organizations are dealing with belt tightening. More and more they are being asked to do more with less. Easier said than done. Is that request realistic, or does it mean demanding more and more from employees—perhaps to the point of jeopardizing retention?

How can your organization truly do more with less, get the work done, meet goals–all while having sustainable workloads? It is possible, and there are four steps to follow to get there. [Read more…]

Do You Have the Leadership Pipeline to Achieve Your Strategy?

At some regular interval, your organization reviews and refreshes its strategic plan. Now that we are well past the end of Q2, how much have you thought about a key factor that will help you execute your strategy: your organization’s leadership pipeline? Do you have that nagging question in the back of your mind that you may not have the leadership needed to achieve the long-term strategy? Do you have a structure and process in place to develop the leaders you’ll need? Current leadership development processes and programs in your organization may be doing a good job of developing today’s leaders, but what about tomorrow’s?

[Read more…]

The Two Things that Frustrate Employees Most

In response to uncertainty, inflation, and a slowing economy, many organizations have become leaner—squeezing employees and managers to the breaking point—bringing burnout to an all-time high.

There are a number of approaches that could alleviate the situation and re-energize employees and the organization; however, you may want to consider fixing the two things that frustrate employees most. [Read more…]

4 Steps for Rethinking Hybrid Work

 

Many organizations have explored and experienced the advantages of hybrid work: better flexibility and life balance, along with reduced commute time. For employers, hybrid provides an edge in recruitment and retention, and allows them to source talent globally. However, some companies are finding the current economic environment challenging—with layoffs, the economic downturn, and global insecurity eroding performance. Leaders report their organizations seem more fragmented and teams seem to be losing the momentum gained during early days of hybrid work, and leaders are considering doing away with hybrid work entirely. It’s time to rethink hybrid work. Begin with these four steps: [Read more…]

Are you disappointed in your team performance?

In the current business climate of disruption, uncertainty, and historically high inflation, organizations are looking to make innovative improvements, boost output, and trim cost–all at the same time. They’re counting on their teams to get it done; and in many cases, leaders are more and more disappointed by their teams’ performance.

When we read success stories of high performing teams, they are characterized by certain attributes: they meet or exceed challenging goals, they improve morale and reduce employee churn, and members hold each other accountable.

Why don’t more of our teams measure up? Although there are many contributing reasons, three stand out. [Read more…]

3 Reasons Why C-suite Executives are Fed Up

In recent weeks, more and more executives are voicing frustration, and it’s been building for a long time. COVID forced remote work when most organizations had no idea how to design and implement virtual work, and managers were ill equipped for managing it. Since then, companies have had to grapple with various hybrid models and employees demanding more pay, more flexibility, and more perks. Now, declines in productivity, shrinking profit margins, layoffs, and cost-cutting are bringing levels of frustration to the breaking point. In recent client conversations, executives tell me there are several factors that contributed to this situation, but three are key: [Read more…]

How Cost Cutting Misses the Mark

In the current turbulent, uncertain business climate, countless organizations are belt-tightening and laying off employees. Because of how the business environment has evolved in recent years, traditional forms of cost cutting may not “cut it.” While cutting costs, organizations need to be more agile, resilient, and innovative as they face the future.

One question we should be asking is, “Are we cost cutting in the traditional way, with an eye to the short term?  Or are we cost cutting to yield long-lasting results, allowing us to be innovative and nimble?” Too often we cut costs for short-term gains. We need to rethink how we approach cost cutting so that we can accelerate growth, foster innovation, and bring enduring results to our businesses. [Read more…]

(864)761-4141