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 I’m also very lucky that it wasn’t more major: it is progressively healing, and I’m much better off than many […]
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Toilet Paper Up or Down? The Power of Comparative Data
I ran across an interesting statistic recently: 68% of Americans place their toilet paper in the holder with the roll coming over the top (rather than underneath). Interesting. I guess I’m “normal” (not that placing it the other way is necessarily abnormal). But I guess it’s been a long debate – Wikipedia has 133 footnotes […]
Continue ReadingThe Value of Core Values
Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Who knows where these powerful – and timeless – 12 words come from? Anyone who has raised his right hand with three fingers up (or has/had a son, grandson, or other family member or friend do so) will recognize them as Boy […]
Continue ReadingChange is Difficult; Not Changing is Fatal
Last month, I wrote about how critical it is for organizations to manage change (The Change Imperative: Organizational Survival is Optional). With all organizations facing an extraordinary level – and accelerating pace – of change, and with nearly 75% of change efforts failing, successfully managing change today could be the difference between success and failure. […]
Continue ReadingThe Change Imperative: Organizational Survival is Optional
“Across almost all sectors and regions, [organizations] face unprecedented disruption. The competitive advantages that once gave [organizations] a defensible position – their product lineup, scale, or legacy position – are no longer as secure as they once were. In the face of this volatility and complexity, most [organizations] must transform, meaning a comprehensive change in […]
Continue ReadingI Never Said Most of the Things I Said: The Wisdom of Yogi Berra
Last week, baseball lost a legend. Yogi Berra participated in 18 All-Star Games and 14 World Series (winning 10 of them, the most in baseball history). He was a three-time MVP (most ever for a catcher), had a lifetime .285 batting average, hit 358 home runs, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame […]
Continue ReadingOverwork, Underperform: Why More Hours Leads to Less Productivity
People are overworked. Maybe it’s because the post-recession “New Normal” is forcing all of us to do more with less. Maybe it’s because 10,000 Baby Boomers are retiring EVERY Day, forcing all of us to do more with less. Maybe it’s because wages really haven’t kept up with inflation the last 30-40 years, forcing all […]
Continue ReadingSustaining American Excellence
Earlier this month, we celebrated our 239th birthday as a nation. Most of us probably had a picnic with family, enjoyed a parade, or watched fireworks with friends. But all of us enjoyed the freedom – the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness that has made this country strong for nearly a quarter millennia. Let’s […]
Continue ReadingThinking Inside the Box: How Organizational Innovation Really Works
A recent Wall Street Journal article captured the challenges most organizations face in trying to be innovative. Authors Drew Boyd (a former J&J executive and current professor at University of Cincinnati) and Jacob Goldenberg (a professor at Hebrew and Columbia University and author of “Inside the Box: A Proven of Creativity for Breakthrough Results”) reveal […]
Continue ReadingPerformance Excellence Network Recognizes Six Organizations
2014 MN Performance Excellence Awards Presented at PENworks 2015 Conference; Coach Jerry Kill Offers Remarks; Governor Celebrates Excellence in Minnesota ST. PAUL, Minn., April 30, 2015 – The Performance Excellence Network (PEN), formerly the Minnesota Council for Quality, today honors six recipients of the 2014 Performance Excellence Award (formerly the MN Quality Award), five from […]
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