Blog
Selling Your Company: Ten Lessons for a CEO-Owner
While selling your company can be exhilarating, it’s also fraught with potential missteps. A savvy CEO-owner understands that careful preparation and discipline are crucial in turning a potential triumph into a true success, rather than a costly disappointment. These ten tips, distilled from years of experience on both sides of deals, won’t guarantee success—but they … Continue reading Selling Your Company: Ten Lessons for a CEO-Owner
Why It’s Hard to Keep Three Things in Mind at Once—and How W-W-W Makes It Possible
Leaders and teams often juggle multiple priorities at once, but maintaining focus on three completely different things simultaneously—especially for extended periods—is much harder than it seems. This challenge isn’t just anecdotal; it’s rooted in how our brains process information. And this is precisely why frameworks like W-W-W (WHAT-WHO-WHY) are so critical, yet often underutilized. The … Continue reading Why It’s Hard to Keep Three Things in Mind at Once—and How W-W-W Makes It Possible
W-W-W and Go-to-Market Fit: Essential Partners for Success
As organizations grow, leaders are often faced with strategic questions that may seem similar but address different parts of the business. One question that often comes up is whether frameworks like W-W-W (WHAT-WHO-WHY) and concepts like go-to-market fit are two ways of addressing the same challenge, or if they are fundamentally different. Given the increasing … Continue reading W-W-W and Go-to-Market Fit: Essential Partners for Success
Understanding Two Perspectives: Differentiating the MtL WHY and Sinek’s Why
In business and leadership, understanding your “Why” is pivotal for success and meaningful connections. This newsletter compares two distinct perspectives—the MtL WHY and Simon Sinek’s Why—that drive your organization’s purpose and strategy. The MtL WHY: Understanding Your Customer The Manage to Lead (MtL) WHY is based on the principles outlined in the book Manage to … Continue reading Understanding Two Perspectives: Differentiating the MtL WHY and Sinek’s Why
How to run a meeting.
Effective meeting management increases organization performance and efficiency. Conversely, poorly managed meetings drain resources and hinder progress. This post explores the three stages of a successful meeting, outlines key meeting roles, and provides strategies to develop and implement a robust meeting plan that enhances the likelihood of success. Stages of an Effective Meeting All meetings … Continue reading How to run a meeting.
Business Writing Tips
Collected from various sources over a lifetime, these tips will help you write clearly and avoid misunderstandings: Writing Style Use present tense. Avoid words ending in -ing, -ly (e.g., really), or -y (e.g., very). Avoid words with a “z” (e.g., utilize). Do not use contractions. Frame points positively. Avoid hedging language like “possibly,” “perhaps,” or … Continue reading Business Writing Tips
Contract & Govern: The Keys to Leadership Success
A leader’s success hinges on two critical responsibilities: Achieving clarity about what they want from each team member. Effectively communicating their clarity. Too often, leaders neglect to take the time to define their expectations, leading to confusion and misalignment within the team. Stephen Covey’s principle of “Begin with the End in Mind” underscores the importance … Continue reading Contract & Govern: The Keys to Leadership Success
Ensuring Progress on Strategic Initiatives Amid Daily Pressures
A common challenge faced by leaders is the struggle to advance strategic initiatives due to the overwhelming demands of day-to-day responsibilities. This issue often arises because initiatives are viewed as discretionary tasks rather than integral components of job roles. Addressing this requires a shift in perception and management strategy to ensure that strategic objectives are … Continue reading Ensuring Progress on Strategic Initiatives Amid Daily Pressures
Unlock Your Potential with Manage to Lead: The Path to Breakthrough Performance
A staggering 97% of employees and executives believe that a lack of alignment within a team adversely affects the outcomes of tasks or projects (McKinsey). While business leaders agree that clarity and alignment are crucial for growth, research also indicates that less than 33% of top teams are fully aligned across operating functions. In this context, … Continue reading Unlock Your Potential with Manage to Lead: The Path to Breakthrough Performance
Strategic Alignment Verification: A Method to Ensure Your Team is on Board
To maximize organizational effectiveness and ensure strategic alignment, it is essential for a leader to regularly verify their team’s understanding and commitment to their vision—even if they believe alignment is already achieved. Leaders should consider engaging facilitative help to objectively navigate this verification process, regardless of their certainty about team alignment. This impartial facilitation not … Continue reading Strategic Alignment Verification: A Method to Ensure Your Team is on Board
Elevate Your Skills: Don’t Just Build—Create a Legacy
The most successful professionals don’t just list skills when pitching a prospect—they frame their expertise as a solution to an urgent business problem. Whether you’re laying bricks or building castles, the labor may be the same, but the way you present it changes everything. By shifting from listing tasks you will perform to solutions you … Continue reading Elevate Your Skills: Don’t Just Build—Create a Legacy
Growth is Good: Why Growing Your Business is Essential for Success
In the fast-paced world of early-stage businesses, leaders often find themselves caught up in the daily grind of delivering their product or service, whether it’s making pizzas or developing software. However, focusing solely on the day-to-day operations can hinder long-term success. It’s crucial for businesses to not only work in the business but also on … Continue reading Growth is Good: Why Growing Your Business is Essential for Success