In the wake of the last “Great Recession” in the 1980s (though we didn’t call it that back then), America was in economic trouble. The country suffered a two-phase recession in 1980-82 – one that left unemployment high and interest rates even higher (recall credit cards and mortgages well beyond 20%!). The economic challenges were […]
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Everything’s a Process, So Everything Can Be Improved — PEN Jan 2019
[Ok, don’t freak out — this article was written a few years ago! But hopefully it still offers great insights…] I’m on Day 22 in dealing with a concussion. I guess now that it’s been three weeks, it probably isn’t considered minor – the kind that resolves itself in a few hours or days. But […]
Continue ReadingSeeing around Corners: The Power of Big Data & Predictive Analytics
Does the name “Nate Silver” ring a bell? It should: he is the statistician who correctly predicted the winner in all 50 states and DC for the 2012 presidential election (and something like the last nine consecutive presidential elections before that, dating back to Reagan). He’s also developed a powerful system for predicting the performance […]
Continue ReadingLearn What Drives Organizational Excellence: Become a 2016 Performance Excellence Award Evaluator
Are you interested in learning more about what makes organizations successful? Are you interested in helping other organizations — such as schools, hospitals, non-profits, and businesses – in the Upper Midwest improve outcomes? Would you be interested in networking, learning, and sharing with others who feel the same way? The Performance Excellence Network is […]
Continue ReadingThe Secret Sauce of Leadership: 9 Traits that All Good Leaders Have
Leadership matters. It’s what separates the good organizations from the bad and the great organizations from the good. Good leadership is critical for optimizing resources, maximizing employee engagement, aligning organizational activities, and achieving and sustaining high performance. In fact, research shows that leadership is the number one driver of superior organizational outcomes. Or, said another […]
Continue ReadingExcellence Decoded: Insights from PENworks 2016
Last week, the Performance Excellence Network hosted our annual (sold out!) PENworks 2016 conference. The event featured 31 local, regional, and national speakers, each sharing best practices and insights to improve organizational performance and personal and leadership effectiveness. Some speakers were from large, complex organizations (Cargill, State of MN); some were from small nonprofits […]
Continue ReadingPerformance Excellence Network Recognizes Four Minnesota Organizations
For Immediate Release Performance Excellence Network Recognizes Four Minnesota Organizations 2015 MN Performance Excellence Awards Presented at PENworks 2016 Conference; Governor Celebrates Excellence in Minnesota ST. PAUL, Minn., April 20, 2016 – The Performance Excellence Network (PEN), formerly the Minnesota Council for Quality, today honors four recipients of the 2015 Performance Excellence Award (formerly […]
Continue ReadingPartnership Brings Good Leadership Skill Development to Performance Excellence Network
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 20, 2016 Partnership Brings Good Leadership Skill Development to Performance Excellence Network Program Helps Organizations Hardwire “Soft” Leadership Skills Brooklyn Center, MN — The Performance Excellence Network (PEN) and Good Leadership Enterprises launched a partnership today at the annual PENworks conference bringing Good Leadership training to PEN members. The move […]
Continue ReadingPEN to Form Partnership with Good Leadership Enterprises
Performance Excellence Network to Form Partnership with Good Leadership Enterprises April 16, 2016 By Neal St. Anthony, Star Tribune Training organization will form partnership with leadership group to round itself out The Performance Excellence Network (PEN), formerly the Minnesota Council for Quality, and Good Leadership Enterprises will announce a partnership this week at PEN’s annual […]
Continue ReadingThe Science of Happiness: Improving Your Career, Your Organization, Your Life
Are you happy? No, I mean really happy – the type of happy that makes you feel like you’re floating through most days. The type of happy that has you whistling while you work (or while you play), so to speak. Most of the time, you can’t wait until tomorrow, but you still savor every […]
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