We can probably all agree that many businesses often operate with scarce resources and limited expertise, sometimes making it challenging to navigate complex business decisions. However, if a business owner had the opportunity to solve this problem by consulting a team of experts solely dedicated to providing guidance based on previous experiences, wouldn’t they take it? I am … [More]
Expanding Workforce Development
Businesses benefit from workforce development programs for disadvantaged and underrepresented populations
A hot topic these days is businesses’ difficulty in filling open positions. Creating a pipeline or directly supplying workers are organizations who contribute to workforce development through their focus on serving disadvantaged or underrepresented populations. Disadvantaged Bring Unexpected Strengths Phoenix-based One Step Beyond, Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization … [More]
Navigating Murky Waters?
‘Sacred Six’ principles will help you succeed like a shark
Whenever we open a news app, we’re inundated with headlines on foreboding topics. Looming recession. Political turmoil. Social unrest. Climate change. It seems there’s no end to the doom and gloom. In times like these, the path toward success isn’t just murky; it seems to have fallen away altogether. How can leaders navigate the challenges ahead — and come out on top — if we … [More]
Build a Culture of Safety and Human Reliability
Seven practical steps that take good ideas from talk to action
A technician spills a toxic chemical. She isn’t injured, but easily could have been. The Hazmat cleanup costs more than $10,000, and shuts down a critical building for a week. An electrical engineer flips the wrong switch in a substation control room. He isn’t injured. But within seconds, a $50,000 transformer is destroyed. Three financial clerks in two different … [More]
HR Pitfalls and the Dangers of ‘Quiet Promotion’
Giving responsibility or taking advantage?
Thanks to all the talk of “quiet quitting” hitting the news cycles recently, many managers are newly suspicious of their employees’ intentions. As it turns out, the suspicions may go both ways. According to a new JobSage survey, a whopping 78% of American workers report receiving a “quiet promotion” — an increased workload without increased pay. And most of them are not happy … [More]
HR Pitfalls and How to Avoid Flatlining Deserving Employees
Flatlining is an age-old obstacle to talent management
In a tight labor market, businesses want to fill open positions with new talent but may have in-house talent that fits the bill. However, these in-house applicants do not always receive the encouragement or take the initiative to apply. Over time, this can result in “flatlining,” which is when successful, deserving employees are stalling in their careers without forward … [More]
Hyperinflation: If You Are Reading This, You Are Already Behind
As we enter a phase of hyperinflation, no one has the muscles or experience to navigate this new business climate, which means CEOs and their leadership teams need to figure out a new way to lead and win. The hyperinflationary toolkit is drastically different from the one that has been applied for the past 30 years, with steady 1% to 3% inflation combined with a cost of capital … [More]
The ABCs of ADUs in Phoenix
Phoenix appears to be poised to open the doors wider to accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and for good reason. These freestanding backyard structures — also known as in-law suites, granny flats, casitas and cottages — create additional living spaces at a cost of about 40% less than a traditional renovation or home remodel. With water, sewer and electrical service, ADUs are homes … [More]
Partnering with Your City Can Help Your Business Grow
For many businesses, the recent economy has presented opportunities for growth, but unexpected challenges may still be standing in the way. Whether a company is a brand-new small business looking to get started or an established giant needing to expand quickly to meet new needs, local municipalities have a surprising number of resources dedicated to helping businesses in their … [More]
Five Key Elements of Digital Transformation Payback
Digital transformation as we see it is the business transformation of a firm/corporation. These transformations have five characteristics. Design/Strategy Numerous frameworks and strategy approaches have evolved over time, become the hype of the day, and then vanish again (Mintzberg, Ahlstrand, and Lampel 1998). No matter what the approach chosen actually is, one thing I have … [More]
Workplace Trends to Watch in 2023
The future of work is dynamic. One would need an entire book to describe the many forces affecting trends in the workplace now and in the years to come. Unfortunately, by the time that book made it to print, its contents would be out of date. So rapid are the forces of change, many organizations in the United States are still reckoning with the effects caused by the COVID-19 … [More]
Why B2B E-Commerce Needs IT Voices at the Table
When COVID-19 arrived on our doorstep, the shift in B2B buying preferences from in-person to online was already well underway. The pandemic simply sped up the tide of change by pressing the digitally reluctant to take the leap. Newbies soon found that B2B e-commerce offered them a slew of advantages. For buyers, online purchasing made it easier to identify suppliers and … [More]
Attract Executive Talent in a Post-Pandemic Recruitment World
Much talk of labor challenges, employee turnover and the Great Resignation this past year has focused on rank-and-file workers and mid-level talent. But CEOs and other top executives have not been immune to these forces. The Great Resignation Spreads to the C-Suite Nearly 70% of executives are seriously considering leaving their jobs, according to a recent Deloitte report. … [More]
A Successful International Marketing Strategy Can Make a World of Difference
I get it: Expanding internationally can seem daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. In a world more connected than ever, technology and infrastructure make international growth incredibly accessible for organizations. By having the right outlook and asking the right questions, expanding globally can accelerate next-level growth — helping companies extend their reach beyond an … [More]
How Employers Can Rehabilitate a Toxic Workplace
A McKinsey study from July found that toxic workplace behavior is the strongest predictor of employee burnout and intent to resign, with more than 60% of negative workplace outcomes resulting from toxic workplace behavior. In fact, according to a study from MIT Management Review, a culture employees describe as toxic is 10 times more likely to lead to turnover than … [More]
Five e-Commerce ERP Integrations Improve Business Performance
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems now hold a prominent place in the tech stack of any enterprise, enabling organizations to consolidate data from different sources and thereby control and optimize various internal business processes. According to the 2021 ERP Report from Panorama Consulting Group, 96% of enterprises that implement ERP solutions report improvements in … [More]
Messaging a Warm Reception
We all know that if there is one set of instructions and five people listening to those instructions, it’s a virtual certainty that different people will perceive and interpret those instructions differently. Said more plainly, the information will be received differently. The reason leadership communication is so difficult is leaders can expect the number of people they … [More]
Reduce the Risk of Business Email Compromise
Understand the Risk Business email compromise (BEC) scams are a type of online payment fraud that targets businesses and can result in significant financial loss. BEC involves gaining unauthorized access to a legitimate email, text message or social media account or an attempt to spoof or fake a legitimate account. The purpose is to enable the criminal actor to send a … [More]
