Dave Gardner’s “Thank God It’s Monday” 25JUL11

“Thank God It’s Monday” is to help companies thrive!

This week’s focus: business execution

From MSNBC.com on Saturday, July 23rd, comes this news:

“Amy Winehouse, the beehived soul-jazz diva whose self-destructive habits overshadowed a distinctive musical talent, was found dead Saturday in her London home, police said. She was 27.”



Everyone who admired her enormous talent has seen this announcement coming for years. We just didn’t know when the news would hit.

In the book WillFul Blindness, Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril,  Margaret Heffenmen writes:

“The biggest threats we face aren’t hidden or secret. They’re the ones we choose to overlook.”And, so it is for both people and companies.Saying, “Oh, that’s just Amy” or “Oh, that’s just a firm suffering from big company syndrome” does nothing to alter a self-destructive course.

Understanding this and working relentlessly to overcome a less-than-desirable status quo will help you and your company thrive.

Thought for the week:

“If politicians ran companies there would be little productivity and no profit.” – Alan Weiss

What do you think? I welcome your blog comments!

___

Dave Gardner, Gardner & Associates Consulting http://www.gardnerandassoc.com

© 2011 Gardner & Associates Consulting  All Rights Reserved

Note:  To receive an email version of “Thank God It’s Monday” to start your week, please subscribe here.  I would very much appreciate your suggesting to others that they subscribe.

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Dave Gardner’s “Thank God It’s Monday” 18JUL11

“Thank God It’s Monday” is to help companies thrive!

This week’s focus: configurable products and services

Since 1999, I’ve had a vision that, after configuring a product, up would pop a 3-dimensional image of the product reflecting the exact order configuration that could be turned, rotated, entered into, etc.  That product could be an automobile, a vehicle, a home, a ship, an airplane–you name it!

My vision is now a reality and it will be a game-changing differentiator for early adopters.  The process for configuring, pricing and quoting highly-configurable products has finally moved into the 21st century.

If your company offers highly-configurable products that require one or more drawings to help your customer understand their order configuration, contact me and I’ll show you how your company can thrive in a way that you, too, may have only dreamed about.

Thought for the week:

“It’s usually a dirt road that leads to the diamond mine.” – Mike Dooley

What do you think? I welcome your blog comments!

___

Dave Gardner, Gardner & Associates Consulting http://www.gardnerandassoc.com

© 2011 Gardner & Associates Consulting  All Rights Reserved

Note:  To receive an email version of “Thank God It’s Monday” to start your week, please subscribe here.  I would very much appreciate your suggesting to others that they subscribe.

Privacy Statement:  Our subscriber lists are never rented, sold, or loaned to any other parties for any reason.

Employee retention during economic recovery

Too many employees have become terribly frustrated in this current economy due to overwork, stress, lack of effective processes, poor leadership, etc.

One of my colleagues asks, “What should senior leaders do now to build engagement and ‘loyalty’ so they don’t lose their best people when market conditions change?”  Here are my thoughts:

• Focus on the self-interest of each individual and make sure those interests are being met–help them get what they want and they’ll help you get what you want
• Be ruthless about listening and communication
• Remember that people leave bosses more than companies
• Don’t be tolerant of known issues that need to be addressed

What do you think?

 

Dave Gardner, Gardner & Associates Consulting

http://www.gardnerandassoc.com

 

© 2011 Dave Gardner

Dave Gardner’s “Thank God It’s Monday” 11JUL11

“Thank God It’s Monday” is to help companies thrive!

This week’s focus: entrepreneurship

I joined 20 entrepreneurs over a long weekend to deeply understand the path each has been on during their lives.  Here’s what I heard about the essence of entrepreneurship:

• It’s about having an indomitable spirit, resiliency, resolve and unwillingness to accept any obstacles thrown up in life.

• Its about the support systems including our families that make it possible to do what we do.

• And, finally, it’s about connecting with people in a very authentic way.

Sound easy? It’s not. This is what helps entrepreneurs thrive.

Thought for the week:

“Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.” – Will Rogers

What do you think? I welcome your blog comments!

___

Dave Gardner, Gardner & Associates Consulting http://www.gardnerandassoc.com

© 2011 Gardner & Associates Consulting  All Rights Reserved

Note:  To receive an email version of “Thank God It’s Monday” to start your week, please subscribe here.  I would very much appreciate your suggesting to others that they subscribe.

Privacy Statement:  Our subscriber lists are never rented, sold, or loaned to any other parties for any reason.

Dave Gardner’s “Thank God It’s Monday” 04JUL11

“Thank God It’s Monday” is to help companies thrive!

This week’s focus: leadership

In biology, it is said that something is either growing or dying–there is no steady state.  The same is true for companies and departments within companies. Embracing the status quo is perilous. While the status quo feels comfortable, the comfort comes with a price.

The best corporations eschew the status quo and are continually on the lookout for opportunities to enhance their value-add and relationship with customers.  That’s what ensures their companies thrive.

Thought for the week:

“Never forget: the secret of creating riches for oneself is to create them for others” – Sir J. Templeton.

What do you think? I welcome your blog comments!

___

Dave Gardner, Gardner & Associates Consulting http://www.gardnerandassoc.com

© 2011 Gardner & Associates Consulting  All Rights Reserved

Note:  To receive an email version of “Thank God It’s Monday” to start your week, please subscribe here.  I would very much appreciate your suggesting to others that they subscribe.

Privacy Statement:  Our subscriber lists are never rented, sold, or loaned to any other parties for any reason.