Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

In 100 Words: What’s Trending?

Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 by AdvisorCatalyst

Trend spotting is imperative in the world of fashion and design – move quickly or miss out.  For most organizations trends are less faddish, but no less important.  Does your leadership team value the discipline of watching and weighing the impacts of significant trends?

  • Are you considering both macro and micro trends in demographics, the economy, technology, society, and the regulatory environment?
  • Do you think through the influence these trends might have in the lives and businesses of your customers (2nd level impacts)?
  • Are these trends accelerating or slowing?

Your team should regularly assess key trends to remain alert and relevant.

“Facts are stubborn things.”   Ronald Reagan

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In 100 Words: Work Your Craft Daily

Tuesday, August 1st, 2023 by AdvisorCatalyst

Your craft is the technical work through which you produce value for others – external customers or internal team members.  It is also work you enjoy and gives you energy.  You may get tired, but this work doesn’t drain you.

What is your personal craft?  How much time do you work your craft each day?  How can you:

  • Fill your schedule with more of your craft?
  • Build support systems which facilitate smooth transitions into your craft and keep you in the zone?
  • Identify tools and processes which help you excel at your craft?
  • Develop your skills to improve in your craft?

“Real success is finding your lifework in the work you love.”  David McCullough

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In 100 Words: When to Say No to Good Opportunities

Monday, February 1st, 2021 by AdvisorCatalyst

Most organizations rarely experience a shortage of good opportunities. What is not rare, though, is a shortage of attention span, time, and resources. Despite these limitations, leaders hesitate to keep resources focused on developing the opportunities already in process and say NO to new opportunities.

We get excited and over-value potential returns of the new opportunities. This reveals the flip-side – we under-value the harvest to be gained by bringing our current BEST opportunity to fruition. Fully invest in the opportunity selected as BEST for now until it is mature. Once it is harvested, plenty of new opportunities will be waiting.

“The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.” Tony Blair

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In 100 Words: Consciously Carve Out Think Time

Saturday, January 31st, 2015 by AdvisorCatalyst

Leaders commonly bemoan their lack of time to think. They know dedicated think time is a prerequisite for high value producing activities – creating, innovating, problem-solving, planning and prioritizing.

However, days are spent juggling tactical, low value producing activities. Even efficiency gains (many via technology) are easily squandered on other technologies which add little to no value (e.g., email).

The solution is simple – schedule think time in your calendar. Then, avoid the temptation to over-ride these commitments. Turn off email and phones. Even a couple hours of focused, uninterrupted thinking time two or three days each week will make an impact.

“Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

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