“Availability trumps ability every time.”— Michael Eshelby “Time is of the essence” readily implies a need for immediacy, urgency, and action. It is not a phrase that is easy to ignore. But “time is of the essence” is also a term used in business planning, contract law, medical procedures, and other situations where forethought, deliberation, […]
When time is of the essence accessibility matters. Read More »
“80 percent of success is just showing up” — Woody Allen “It’s not often one is motivated by wisdom offered up by Woody Allen. And to be quite honest, I thought his quote about the importance of showing up was actually the product of the inimitable Yogi Berra. Nevertheless, there is honest value in the
Enthusiasm and Persistence are how excellence is delivered. Time and again. Read More »
“Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.” ― William Shakespeare W. Edwards Deming — long considered the originator of Total Quality Management (TQM) movement that spawned Six Sigma, LEAN and other best business practices, often lectured on the futility of being late for an on-time train. Whether you are one minute or
There is No Time Like On-Time Read More »
“Fast is fine but accuracy is everything.” — Wyatt Earp According to one prominent NFL scout, when asked about evaluating quarterbacks, it’s definitely “accuracy over arm strength.” An NFL coach told ESPN, “functional intelligence, natural decision-making and accuracy” are his top three needs when evaluating college quarterbacks. Both opinions echo the guiding mantra
Accuracy Ensures Quality Performance While Facilitating Decision-Making Read More »
“The little things in life make the biggest difference.” — Sandy Gennaro Rock and Roll drumming legend Sandy Gennaro says “every single business on this planet exists to bring value to other people. Your product [or service] must enhance other people’s lives.” Gennaro speaks from experience gleaned over 52 years recording and performing in
The Rock and Roll of Delivering Excellence Read More »
Agility accelerates teamwork College football coach P. J. Fleck gained national notoriety with a highly motivational style fueled by a very simple call-to-action: “row the boat.” Fleck now head of the University of Minnesota football program, says “row the boat represents hope, energy, and purpose.” According to an interview broadcast by ESPN radio, Fleck attributes
In an Agile organization everybody rows the boat. Read More »
“Agility energizes teamwork.” Agility is a popular word in today’s business lexicon. According to McKinsey’s Aaron De Smet “agility is the ability of an organization to renew itself, adapt, change quickly, and succeed in a rapidly changing, ambiguous, turbulent environment.” De Smet, a principal in McKinsey’s organization design group goes on to say that “agility
Agility isn’t Automatic — It’s an Outcome. Read More »
The agile organization focuses on teamwork as the primary means of melding people, process and technology into an environment of elevated performance and continuous improvement. Christopher Mims, Technology columnist with the Wall street Journal, writes; “Alongside life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, you can now add another inalienable right: two-day shipping on practically everything.
Agility enables and elevates teamwork Read More »
“A symphony must be like the world. It must contain everything.” Gustav Mahler, Composer and Conductor Imagine an orchestra comprised of flutes only. Or a choir entirely composed of baritones. What if Beethoven used but one note in composing a symphony? Complete nonsense, right? Like most things in life, music is at its best when