Getting People Back in the Building is Job One
Last week, I had the opportunity to spend two days inside a corporate HQ facility. Like many corporate facilities these days, it seemed like an empty shell. Some floors were dark, few people were in the building, and a sense of urgency or intensity was nowhere to be found. The conversations I had with leaders and the low energy vibe made it plain that the business is not running on all cylinders. The common theme in these discussions was: “We want people back in the building.”
Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch
Peter Drucker is widely credited with saying “Culture eats Strategy for lunch.” Others opine that it is not merely a one meal feast. The truth is that culture does eat strategy, and that we must have both.
Is That Assumption Really a Lock?
I now take it as a given that there isn’t a whole lot we can take for certain anymore. I do know that the love of my wife and children is unshakeable, that the sun will always rise in the east, and that I am unlikely to ever acquire a taste for broccoli. Beyond that, much of life seems to be like the proverbial bowl of jelly I keep trying to nail to the wall. But the fact that I cannot foretell the future and therefore prepare for it perfectly, does not mean that I cannot be prepared for the future.
Bootstrap Your Business Continuity Plan
Business Continuity is a critical function for all facility managers, yet many if not most delegate it to consultants who are not knowledgeable of organizational culture, alignment, or strategy. Business Continuity planning is best done by facility managers who are most intimate with the imperatives of their business, its priorities, and mechanisms.
Taking Care of Business: A Customer’s Perspective
All business is based on a simple progression: Relationship and integrity build trust, trust builds commitment, and commitment drives performance. Break the chain and you risk losing your customer.
Serving Through Desire
Desire to do one’s best in all circumstances is a powerful motivator. Last week I attended a ministry conference which drew hundreds of people from around the globe to a small host church and saw first-hand how desire influences performance. The conference was awesome, but equally impressive in its own way was how the local congregation served the attendees.
What Happened at the Recycling Bin?
One of the best explanations of what happened to the recycling business comes from 99% Invisible. If you are a fan of the podcast as I am you know it is dedicated to exploring and explaining design’s influence on social and everyday matters, and what lies unseen below the surface.
Strategy or Execution?
That may seem like a simplistic question with an obvious answer, but I wonder what the answers would be if we knew we were free to speak our minds on how strategy is developed, communicated and implemented in our own organizations.
The Value of Regimen and Rigor
Regimen and rigor combine to elevate preparation, a necessary part of any endeavor we undertake. In today’s pace, however, they are too often overlooked or given short attention. The results can be unfortunate or even unsettling. In the worst cases, failures to act through diligence have far reaching and impactful consequences. The opposite of this equation is just as true, however. When applied with serious intent, regimen and rigor lead to better outcomes and less regret.