Ever tried to microwave a bag of popcorn and waited, hand on hip, for that magical moment when one or two lonely pops suddenly cascade into a flurry of buttery explosions? That’s critical mass. And it doesn’t just happen in physics or snack preparation. It’s a real thing in business – that elusive, powerful point […]
Critical Mass: The Tipping Point that Changes Everything Read More »
I wrote about the topic of change many years ago and reflected on why it can be so disliked and resisted. I’m back to discuss the same word, but from a different perspective, one of relevancy. This topic occurred to me a few months ago when the question was asked (I forget the context): if
Is Change really a thing anymore? Read More »
Have you ever been pushed in a toboggan or sled, that starts slow, then suddenly it’s going 60 kilometers/hour and you’re hanging on for dear life, trying not to crash into two little three year-olds at the bottom of the hill, or worse, the oncoming truck that’s on the road just past the hill? That,
Scaling Fast, Steering Blind Read More »
Have you ever tried to walk across a freshly waxed floor in socks? That’s not just your lack of grace and coordination (yes, or mine). 🙂 That’s physics. Specifically, friction is taking a coffee break. Friction is one of those everyday miracles we love to hate. Like alarm clocks. Or deadlines. Or the corner piece
The Drag We Never Knew We Needed Read More »
There’s a law in physics that’s always stuck with me, probably because it doesn’t just apply to thermodynamics, but to everything from businesses to relationships to processes and culture. It’s the Second Law of Thermodynamics, and it says this: Entropy never decreases in a closed system. In plain business terms? Without intentional input, things fall
Energy Will Beat Entropy – Every Time Read More »
“Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” That C.S. Lewis quote has followed me around like a gentle nudge on the shoulder throughout my career. As someone who straddles the line between my pointed, efficient German heritage and the more relaxed, community-minded culture of my Nova Scotian roots, I’ve come to
Leading with Less Ego: The Strategic Strength of Humility Read More »
Why clarity, iteration, and calm decision-making matter more than ever. Chaos Isn’t New – But It Feels Different Now We’ve always lived with uncertainty. Twenty years ago, VUCA was the latest buzzword about change and uncertainty. Then it became BANI. Lately, however, the pace and volume of change have been overwhelming, especially in business. Whatever
Structured Thinking amidst Chaos Read More »
If you’re a child of the 70s or 80s, I’m sure that opening image grabbed your attention. The Schoolhouse Rock series was classic Saturday morning TV (fun and educational). But no worries, I’m not going to start writing about law, government, or politics; there is already enough of that going on. I will discuss evolution
When you think of a Business Operating System (BOS) or read my recent articles, you likely think of phases like Strategy Creation, Strategy Deployment, and Operational Execution, or frameworks like Balanced Scorecards, OKRs, or PDSA cycles. These are vital, no doubt, but they’re often treated as procedural rather than cultural frameworks. What if a BOS
Patrick Lencioni’s Books – BOS, Organizational Health or both? Read More »
I last wrote about governance and purposely left a key aspect for a separate article. This article will focus on the related topics of accountability, performance measures, and reviews. I’ll only briefly touch on performance measures, as I discussed them at length in the article on KPIs: Strategy Deployment: Finding the right key(s) Most organizations
Operational Execution: Establishing cadence Read More »
