Running a business without strategy is like driving your car without a clear destination and map to get there. It is both confusing and inefficient. Business isn’t something you make up as you go along. The leader needs ensure he/she is well informed about external industry dynamics and the needed related internal capabilities. The best leaders anticipate, then create the future using a well-informed strategy to make it happen. They also ensure everyone in the organization is clear about this direction and why it’s important.
During a Vistage coaching session today, I revisited a tool I’ve used many times over the years. It reminded me of something simple: Sometimes the old tools are still the best tools—especially when…
Growth Regardless of Obstacles: How Small Business Leaders Build Sustainable Growth in Any Economy Growing a business is rarely a smooth, predictable process. In fact, most business growth happens during seasons that feel…
My Journey with Capacity Building: A Look Back Before Looking Forward Recently, I was going back through my notes—old books, highlighted passages, workshop materials, training videos, and years of conversations with business leaders…
The winners over the next 3–5 years won’t be the ones with the fanciest tech or the biggest marketing budgets. They’ll be the ones who operationalize these four levers across their business—one strategic…
Growth by itself isn’t the goal. Sustainable, balanced growth that outperforms your market and strengthens your business foundation—that’s the win. “You’re not in business just to stay busy. You’re in business to build…
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” — Albert Einstein Running a business is never a straight line. Some years, things hum along smoothly. Other times, the landscape changes—customers evolve, the competition stiffens,…
Contingency planning isn’t about living in fear. It’s about being smart. It’s about protecting what you’ve worked so hard to build—your people, your reputation, your financial stability—so that when the wind shifts, you…
As we approach the end of 2024, it’s an important time to step back and take a comprehensive look at the past year and plan for 2025. Intentional reflection and forward-thinking vision mark…
By adapting your leadership style to the needs of your business at each stage, you can navigate the challenges and guide your organization to sustained success. Keep learning, stay flexible, and always lead…
Not all risks are equal. Prioritize them based on their likelihood and potential impact on your business. Focus your resources on high-probability risks that would leave you significantly vulnerable, while having contingency plans…
In business, uncertainty is a given. But while we can't always predict or control external factors, we can control how prepared we are to face them. A strong balance sheet isn't just a…
Scaling and replication are two different approaches to organically grow your business. Scaling involves increasing the size and scope of your existing business operations. In contrast, replication involves creating a duplicate of your…
Growth is hard work. For the past 27 years, I’ve worked as an executive coach, Vistage Chair, trainer or management consultant with hundreds of organizations. They have varied in size from just under…
In business, there is often no shortage of opportunities for a leadership team to consider. With numerous options, it can be challenging to determine which ones are worth pursuing. When considering a business opportunity, it…
Courage still matters in business and in life. Many of us avoid the difficult decisions or talk ourselves out of taking risks. We strive for comfort where only pain and discomfort exists. It's…
There's a broad continuum that business leaders can use when deciding how to work with another organization. Not every strategic partnership needs to end up in a joint venture, merger, or acquisition. In…
Even though all waves do crash to shore, most of the water still returns to the ocean to once again reform in a new wave configuration. Cycles follow patterns. Thank goodness, business leaders…
Leadership isn't rocket science. Creating the conditions for business success is actually pretty basic: be clear about where you are going and why; define what success looks like and track performance; make sure…
Without a plan, your business is like a tumbleweed blowing in the wind. You are uncertain about its final destination, and the path it takes to reach there is determined by external factors.…
Things rarely work out exactly as planned. We often attempt something with the best of intentions, only to run smack into a less accommodating reality. In decision-making and negotiation situations, it is advisable…
Armstrong walks you through the layered approach, showing how great leaders don't just build businesses; they build other leaders. The book breaks down how to intentionally create layers of leadership that align with…
The New Makers of Modern Strategy reminds leaders that strategy isn’t a binder—it’s a living set of choices you make under pressure. Read it to sharpen your judgment, tighten your plans, and align…
In a world full of slide decks and “big ideas,” the winners are the teams that ship. Bossidy and Charan cut through the noise and show you how to build a culture where…
Layered Leadership by Lawrence R. Armstrong Book Excerpts INTRODUCTION Leadership, whether of a startup; Small, mid-sized, or large firm; team; church; or any organization, must work as a whole across the continuum…
Five Stages of Decline: Hubris Born of Success Undisciplined Pursuit of More Denial of Risk and Peril Grasping for Salvation Capitulation to Irreverence or Death “The concept of hubris is defined as…
I have been a Charles Handy fan for many years and find that his work only becomes more prescient and meaningful with time. It’s amazing how he could envision the world we would be doing…
Central Thesis Leadership is layered, not linear. Enduring organizations align several layers—self‑leadership, team development, clear strategy, disciplined execution, market focus, innovation, culture, and succession—so each layer reinforces the others. The leader’s ongoing task…
By understanding and addressing the stages of hubris born of success, undisciplined pursuit of more, denial of risk and peril, grasping for salvation, and capitulation to irrelevance or death, companies can avoid decline…
The transition from good to great is not easy, but it is possible with the right mindset, leadership, and culture. By embracing Level 5 Leadership, focusing on the right people, confronting the brutal…
By understanding the nature of illusions, their causes, and strategies for addressing them, managers and leaders can foster a more truthful, effective, and dynamic work environment. Implementing these principles helps create a culture…
For small business owners, this book offers actionable insights that can transform how you position your brand in the marketplace. It's a reminder that in the race to be noticed, being different isn't…
"Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies" by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras offers invaluable insights into what makes some companies enduringly successful while others fall by the wayside. The principles…
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