Your Value Chain are those activities that your firm engages in as you transform inputs into outputs. There are two types of activities as part of your value chain, primary activities and support activities. Primary activities are those that are associated with generating revenue for your firm and often include […]
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Your stakeholders are those people who have an interest in the performance or survival of your organization and who might influence or be influenced by your business outcomes. In the context of business analysis, organizations focus a great deal on current customers, and many businesses anchor activities to serve current […]
Clear and compelling vision and mission statements are important in the context of strategic planning. They help to provide the foundation and guide for your forward-looking efforts. Ideally, the scenarios, ideas, and opportunities that are developed and pursued in your organization are aligned with your vision and mission statements. But […]
If you are not around people who openly talk about their insecurities or fears, it can be easy to think that you are the only one who experiences feeling confused, lonely, or scared in life. As you continue to get older, you will realize that everyone is on a learning […]
There is a special skill that is required to be a true visionary. Your head has to be a bit in the clouds to dream of options beyond today’s possibilities, but you also must position yourself to ensure that those ideas are executable. There are many examples of people who […]
The year was 2006. Sheryl Sandberg, a then 37-year-old vice president at Google had just made an error that cost Google several million dollars. After she realized the magnitude of her mistake, she decided to inform Larry Page, Google’s co-founder. Even though she knew she was doing the right thing, […]
For many people, the idea of spending time on updating the organization’s vision sounds like a waste of time. It can be perceived as a “check the box” type of activity. Once it is complete, it may not be reviewed. Executives, leaders and business employees often place a much higher […]
Leading tech companies often have employees engage in innovative work as part of their weekly routines. Whether it is part of their job description or a certain number of hours per week that they dedicate to exploratory projects, this time is usually focused on helping to achieve a long term […]
That’s not spelled wrong. While “serial entrepreneurship” refers to someone who starts many new businesses in a short period of time, “cereal entrepreneurship” refers to a certain boot strappyness that was displayed by Airbnb founders Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia when their company was floundering. After several launches that did […]
Jack Welch stated, “control your own destiny or someone else will.” One of the key elements of survival, and adaptation, is the willingness to self disrupt.
Have you ever been at a point in your life where you know that a change is coming, but you are not sure in what direction? Perhaps your job has ended and you are actively applying for new roles. Perhaps you found out that you are pregnant but are not […]
Did you know that what happens inside your company only impacts about 55% of the overall performance of your firm? Approximately 45% of your firm’s performance can be explained by what is happening outside of your company, in your industry or by other things outside of your control. A PESTEL […]
Strategy is the work that you do now to create a positive impact for yourself or for your business in the future. It means that you are setting aside time to think about the vision that you have, align your resources towards those objectives, and execute that work. As executives […]
Speak with anyone about decisions and it’s likely that you will get an eye roll. When I was young, I could not wait to grow up so that I could finally make more decision in my life. I had the type of childhood where many of my decisions were made […]
What is purpose, anyway? A lot of people are searching for it. Human beings are wired to find purpose, and meaning, in our experiences, in our work, and in our lives. When navigating significant levels of disruption, we often work to find meaning in that, too. In short, a purpose […]
Sometimes life can get hard. Maybe it’s just the monotony of the day that gets to you. Sometimes trying to accomplish a goal can be tiring…or, you are just ready for a change that isn’t happening yet. No matter what life throws at you, having the skills and the ability […]
For many professionals, we have been told over and over by our companies to make our goals SMART. SMART is an acrostic which stands for goal characteristics: Specific – narrow enough to result in effective planning Measurable – able to be tracked over time Attainable – achievable and able to […]
Failure is defined as non-performance – when you don’t achieve an outcome that you would like. This could include things such as not achieving your desired outcome on a plan, performance, financial goal, etc. It is important to learn, however, not to internalize situations that happen as a reflection of […]
According to a recent article by McKinsey, top performing companies have high ambitions about continuing to make investments in technology. This is not surprising. But how companies plan to leverage technology to differentiate their companies is what is noteworthy. There are several reasons why top performers usually keep an eye […]
As one ventures out in life and faces risks and adversity, it is helpful to learn from people who have traveled the road before you and have navigated the journey. The list below includes a few people from a variety of backgrounds who have overcome tremendous hardship and have been […]
A mentor is a trusted advisor. This person can offer you experience, guidance, advice, help, wisdom and encouragement as you travel your career or life journey. There is a very distinct difference between someone who gives you training vs. someone who mentors you. Training is usually led by someone with […]
Not many people talk about suicide, because it can be an uncomfortable subject to discuss. Every year, approximately 800,000 people die by suicide, which is approximately one person every 13 minutes. This is more deaths than all wars combined, and the third cause of death for people aged 15-44. It […]
When working to make a decision in life, especially if it is something important, it is helpful to have a few things in mind to reflect on as you get started. The following tips will help you think through your options and take care of yourself along the way. Tip […]
Think about each of the verses below, and in place of the words ‘you’ and ‘your’, put your name. You have the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 1 Pet 3:4 You are inwardly renewed every day. 2 Cor 4:16 […]
Confidence can be defined as a belief in yourself. It means that you believe you can meet the challenges that life brings your way, and are able to make decisions and act in a way that will help you meet your goals and succeed. Being confident means that you have […]