DASHBOARD GROUP

Archive for 2010|Yearly archive page

A Foundation of Trust

In About on December 30, 2010 at 9:29 pm

At The Dashboard Group, our goal is to become our client’s most trusted advisor.

Years ago, we decided to implement a unique customer satisfaction-based billing model.  This model allows our client to multiply our invoice amount by their satisfaction percentage, and then just pay what they feel the services were worth.

Of course, some people thought we were crazy for doing this.  They argued that the clients would take advantage of us.  (In fact, just the opposite has happened.)

This model works because it is built on a foundation of trust.  After all, how can we expect our clients to trust us if we don’t trust them?

We got some nice coverage in the Never Stop Marketing blog about this.  You can read the story here:  http://neverstopmarketing.com/.  (Thanks to Paul Farrell, CEO of Moreover Technologies (www.moreover.com) and a member of our board for the plug.)

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

Shift Points

In About on December 27, 2010 at 6:45 am

Eighteen months ago, we started writing this blog.  Our goal was simply to share everything we were learning about building high-performance organizations.

Our first posting was called Shifting Gears.  We discussed how taking your business to the next level requires a shift … in strategy, in operations, in sales and marketing … all at the same time.  It was this idea that inspired the name, Shift Points.

And I am excited to report that The Dashboard Group is now at one of those Shift Points ourselves.  You will be hearing lots more about all of the exciting news in the coming weeks.

For now, let me close the year by thanking all who have brought us to this point.

  • Our fantastic clients taught us a great deal.  It has been our honor to be a part of their teams.
  • Our world-class board provided invaluable insights and wisdom.
  • Our many friends and followers encouraged us to press on through the difficult times.
  • Our dedicated staff made it all possible.  Together, we are living the dream.

Full speed ahead!

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

Jesus: The Ultimate People Developer

In Leadership on December 20, 2010 at 4:40 pm

It is Christmas week, so it seems appropriate to write about Jesus.

Awhile back, I did a 3 year study of the life of Christ.  It ended up as a course called In His Steps which has over 600 PowerPoint slides.  It has also fueled several other follow-on studies, including one on the process that Jesus used to develop people.

Jesus invested three years developing His team.  In this, He set the example for all leaders.

In particular, Jesus used ten specific strategies to transform Simon – an impetuous coward with a “foot sized mouth” into Peter (The Rock) – the courageous, visionary leader of the early Christian faith.

Following Jesus’ example, you can dramatically improve the performance of your organization.  People will walk taller, perform better, arrive sooner, work harder, and complain less.  You will be also able to recruit and retain the best employees.  This creates the flywheel effect and you’ll be on your way to greatness.

If you would like a copy of Jesus: The Ultimate People Developer, just drop me a line.

I wish everyone a blessed, Christ-centered Christmas.

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

 

TSATWASIIS

In Strategy on December 13, 2010 at 7:58 am

I love working with entrepreneurs.  The great ones see things that others don’t see.  They see opportunities where others see roadblocks.  They get in the car and put the pedal to the metal.

They take risks and explore new horizons.  Often dozens of them all at the same time.  They think like oil wildcatters … if we drill enough holes, one of them will be a gusher.

I like to call this strategy, “TSATWASIIS,” which is shorthand for Throw Stuff (or worse) At The Wall And See If It Sticks.

And this can be very effective … until the start-up becomes a real organization.  In my experience, this break-point is around 20 people.  That is roughly when the one start-up team has to be divided into smaller teams.

When the start-up is small, it works like a SWAT team.  Everyone is on exactly the same wavelength.  Communications among the team is almost instantaneous.

But when the organization grows, the SWAT team fragments into multiple departments, often called divisions.

And divisions, by definition, create division.

The Dashboard Group has spent the last year working on a new concept called, Design One Strategy.  It helps entrepreneurial organizations design a clear, compelling strategy and aligns all the divisions into one team who can execute it.  More on this idea in the coming weeks.

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

More is Less

In Leadership, Strategy on December 6, 2010 at 6:56 am

Many entrepreneurial organizations are consumed with tactics.  If they even have a strategy, it could be summarized as “more.”  More markets, more proposals, more products, more cities, etc.

The problem is that sometimes, more is less.

More markets often results in never fully understanding of any of them.  As a result, you assume and presume … often incorrectly.

More proposals often results in dividing your attention, and never really designing the right solution for any of them.  Consequently, your win rate goes down.

More products often results in diluting your limited R&D resources.  You end up building five mediocre products, rather than one great market-defining flagship.

I once worked for a leader who said, “The most important word in a leader’s vocabulary is no.”  I’m not sure if that is true, but it might be a good discipline for leaders tempted to always pursue more.

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

Talking Turkey

In Leadership, Strategy on November 29, 2010 at 11:43 am

After a long weekend of eating turkey,* now is the time to “talk turkey.”

Most organizations are doing far too much.  They are pursuing too many markets.  They are designing too many products.  They are running in too many directions.  They are dropping too many balls.  They are struggling to effectively run one business … yet they are focused on starting three more.

The hard truth is that these organizations would be infinitely better off if they were more focused.  This requires some reverse logic and a leap of faith:

  • The best way to increase revenue is to pursue fewer markets.
  • The best way to improve profits is to develop fewer products.
  • The best way to improve productivity is to ask your employees to do less.

Pick one market.  Develop one killer product.  Give your employees one clear strategy.  Become number one.

This requires the biblical principle of pruning, and it is one of the most difficult disciplines to master.

* No turkey for us this year.  Instead, it was Twee’s amazing braised short ribs.  The recipe starts with three bottles of wine and gets better from there.  Drop me a line if you want the recipe.

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

Are you “Executive-Grade” – Part 2

In Leadership on November 22, 2010 at 7:29 am

Virtually every one of our clients is struggling to build a high-performance executive team.  Often, they ask us to help evaluate potential candidates.  This list (continued from last week) helps us decide who is truly, “Executive Grade.”

1.       Executive-grade energy. Being an executive is not a 40 hour / week job.  Executives must set the example, working long and hard.  They must attend social functions on nights and weekends.  They travel, often extensively.   Therefore, they must have high energy levels and a “big tank.”

2.       Executive-grade decorum. Executives realize that they are always “on-stage.”  Therefore, they conduct themselves with decorum.  They dress appropriately.  They use appropriate language.  They only discuss things that are appropriate … with the appropriate people.

3.       Executive-grade networking. Executives build relationships with other senior executives.  They have a unique ability to connect and leverage those connections to create value for their organizations.  This deep, executive-grade rolodex is one of their greatest assets.

4.       Executive-grade decision making. Executives are forced to make tough decisions.  In fact, if the decision is easy, it probably should have been made by someone lower in the organization.  To make the tough decisions, executives apply wisdom to gather information, evaluate the options, and make the call.

5.       Executive-grade development. Executives must be developers of people.  They must have an innate ability to spot talent and potential in others, and then invest themselves in helping people develop to the maximum of their potential.  Often, they see developing people as their greatest achievement.

To win, your organization must develop the #One executive team in your industry … leaders who are truly “executive grade.”   You can do it.  We can help.

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

Are you “Executive-Grade”

In Leadership on November 15, 2010 at 7:09 am

GMC Trucks has an advertising slogan, “We are professional grade.”  (A great brand position, by the way.)

High-performance organizations are led by people who are “executive grade.”  These executives demonstrate a rare mix of skills, abilities, and behaviors.  Here are some of the most important ones:

1.       Executive-grade results. First and foremost, executives deliver executive-grade results.  They sign up for “the big number” and then build organizations to deliver it.  They earn the organization’s respect … not because of their position, but because of their results.

2.       Executive-grade strategic thinking. It has been said that, “leaders are readers.”  Executive-grade strategic thinking is driven by continuous learning, reading, seminars, etc.  The best executives are humble enough to know that they don’t know everything … and that humility fuels their quest for knowledge.

3.       Executive-grade perspective. Executives have a breadth of perspective that extends beyond their departmental responsibility.  They understand the interdependencies of all elements of the organization, and understand the needs of the organization supersede the needs of their own department.

4.       Executive-grade expertise. Executives have functional expertise developed at the highest level.  They are truly best-in-the-world at their function.  This deep expertise allows them to recruit top talent for their departments … because the best want to work for the best.

5.       Executive-grade communications. Executives are polished communicators.  They know what to say, and how to say it.  They have a mastery of language which allows them to paint compelling word-pictures to inspire followers to charge the hill.

More on this next week.

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

Zero Tolerance – Part 2

In Leadership, Strategy on November 8, 2010 at 7:13 am

Last week, we wrote about the importance of not tolerating behaviors that are inconsistent with your values.

This presumes, of course, that your organization has a set of values.  (The Dashboard Group has developed a specific process to help leaders sort through the challenge of codifying values.  And if you know anything about our approach, you won’t be surprised to learn that the process is driven by your strategy.)

But, assuming that your organization does have a set of values, here are a few suggestions for making them real:

1.       Make sure your values are clear … crystal clear.  Recently, I saw a few minutes of the movie, “A Few Good Men”.  Tom Cruise asks Jack Nicholson whether his orders were clear.  Nicholson replies, “Crystal.”

2.       Make sure you talk about them constantly.  Most leaders under-communicate their strategy by a factor of 10.  And they under-communicate their values by a factor of 100.

3.       Make sure you only hire people who share your values.  Jim Collins was asked, “How do you get people to share your values?”  His reply was perfect, “You don’t.  You make sure that they share your values before you hire them.”

4.       Make sure you only promote people who personify your values.  Nothing undermines your commitment more than promoting people who “make the numbers” but don’t share your values.

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

Zero Tolerance

In Leadership, Teamwork on November 1, 2010 at 7:48 am

High-performance organizations are fanatical about their values.  Their values are more than words on a web site … they are their defining DNA.

But, far too often, we see leaders who tolerate all kinds of destructive, dysfunctional behaviors (in themselves and in others) that are inconsistent with organization’s values.

Some of these behaviors include:

1.       Badmouthing teammates (one leader even described their teammates as “evil”)

2.       Judging motives … and assuming the worst

3.       Focusing on finding blame vs. solving the problem

4.       Bypassing the chain of command

5.       Passing the buck

6.       Missing deadlines and deliverables

7.       Talking about people behind their back

8.       Complaining about clients

9.       Second-guessing decisions

10.   Avoiding difficult conversations

We advise our clients to have a zero tolerance policy on these kinds of behaviors, especially among those in leadership positions.  Confronting dysfunctional behavior is difficult, but tolerating it will destroy you.

The Shift Points blog is designed for Fast Lane leaders who want to leave their competitors in the dust.

Shift Your Thinking … Accelerate Your Results.

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