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 […]
Continue ReadingEverything’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 ReadingOverwork, Underperform: Why More Hours Leads to Less Productivity — PEN Dec 2018
People are overworked. Maybe it’s because we reset after the last recession and are all asked 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 […]
Continue ReadingThe Power of Professional Gratitude — PEN Nov 2018
The year was 1623. About half of the Plymouth colony died that year. And while the community was about ready to head into another difficult winter, recent fall rains ended what was a challenging and persistent drought. So Governor William Bradford called a gathering – a three-hour “staff meeting” of sorts. The main purpose of […]
Continue ReadingKeeping Score: Best Practices in Organizational Measurement — PEN Oct 2018
If you don’t know it, I’m a diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan. Third generation season ticket holder (yes, while living 400 miles away in Minneapolis). And if you’re not into football – or just not fully aware of what’s going on in the NFL this season – the Chiefs are in the middle of what […]
Continue ReadingAdapt or Die: Most Corporate Failures are Self-Inflicted — PEN Sept 2018
What do the American mastodon, Woolly mammoth, and Arizona jaguar all have in common? Here’s a hint: they all suffered similar fates to Hostess Brands, Circuit City, and Blockbuster. Yes, they all went away. Extinction. Vanished. Disappeared. But I think the companies could all take a lesson from the animals that died before them: organizations […]
Continue ReadingThe Key to Disney’s World Class Service: Part Art, Part Science, and Part Magic — PEN August 2018
As the story goes, a guest at Disney World once asked “what time is the 3 o’clock parade?” That’s a peculiar question, mainly because it normally would lead to an obvious answer. But Disney Cast Members (their word for employees) are trained to probe beyond the obvious so that they can provide an extraordinary Guest […]
Continue ReadingA Powerful Professional Development Opportunity: Consider Becoming a 2018 PEN Evalautor
Are you interested in learning more about what makes organizations excellent — go from good to truly great? Are you interested in helping other organizations — such as schools, hospitals, non-profits, and businesses — around the region improve their performance? Are you interested in helping Minnesota and North/South Dakota become more competitive? Are you interested […]
Continue ReadingThe Key to Sustained World Class Performance: Deliberate Practice — PEN July 2018
Everywhere you look, standards are rising. In business, in sports, in education, in healthcare – really in all aspects of human and organizational achievement – what is considered world class continues to increase. For example… It used to take 72 hours by plane to cross the Atlantic (1913); it now takes just over six. […]
Continue ReadingGovernor Recognizes SDDOT for Continuous Improvement, Performance Excellence
July 16, 2018 For Immediate Release PEN Contact: Brian Lassiter, President Performance Excellence Network 612-868-3519 brian.lassiter@performanceexcellencenetwork.org SDDOT Contact: Kristi Sandal South Dakota Department of Transportation 605-295-0150 Kristi.sandal@state.sd.us SDDOT Receives Recognition for Continuous Improvement 2017 Performance Excellence Award Presented by Governor Daugaard PIERRE, SD, July 16, 2018 – At a celebration hosted by […]
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