Chasing Shadows & Long Term Consequences

Chasing Shadows & Long Term Consequences

Aesop once told a tale of a dog that found a wonderful piece of meat. He picked it up in his jaws and started to carry it back to his den. On the way back to the den, the dog walked on a log over a stream. This dog saw his shadow in the stream and, thinking it was...
Beating the Bush Causes Continuous Renewal

Beating the Bush Causes Continuous Renewal

Years ago I had a neighbor who had an apple tree that he loved. That apple tree had produced wonderful fruit for him for years. Then one year it didn’t even flower. He was very concerned. He spent a fortune on soil amenders, and hours checking his tree for any traces...
Horses or Zebras and Organization Strategy?

Horses or Zebras and Organization Strategy?

There is a saying in the medical community, “When you hear hoof beats, assume horses, not zebras.” This is a great phrase to help doctors when diagnosing a patient. It means that when looking at the symptoms that a patient has, think of the more common explanations...
The Drunken CEO

The Drunken CEO

While learning to play chess with my college roommate, I learned an important business principle – the power of a drunk CEO. This revelation came one night when she was so drunk, she had to stand up between turns, just to prove to herself that she could. Before this...
Designing The Fast Decision

Designing The Fast Decision

    Legendary General Motors CEO Alfred Sloan at the end of a GM senior executive meeting once said, “Gentlemen, I take it we are all in complete agreement on the decision here,” and everyone nodded their heads in agreement. “Then,” he said, “I propose we...
Cohesion: The Stuff That Binds Teams Together

Cohesion: The Stuff That Binds Teams Together

Vanessa was excited to join as a partner in “Robust,” a new consulting firm that offered innovative approaches to help organizations improve their performance. The 10 members of the new firm each had successful backgrounds that made them strong candidates for the...
Can Systems Thinking Make a Difference In A Turnaround?

Can Systems Thinking Make a Difference In A Turnaround?

We are all drawn to stories of successful turnarounds. A turnaround is basically an abrupt or unexpected change in direction. I know of many personal turnarounds.   Two of my friends have quit drinking alcohol. It has been hard, with relapses, suffering, and lost, but...
Leadership Value-driven Purpose People Processes Systems High Performance Culture