How To Stay Relevant In A Fast-Changing World

Alan Adamson, co-author of the book, Shift Ahead, says that “the ability for companies and organizations to stay relevant is being significantly challenged by the accelerating pace of change – and new ways of doing things – that are emerging with every passing day.” At a speed of change unlike every before.

That’s why this book, sub-titled, How the Best Companies Stay Relevant in a Fast-Changing World, is a both a timely and pertinent read.

The book is based on the hands-on experience of both authors, Adamson, a branding expert, and Joel Steckel, a professor of marketing and vice dean of doctoral education at NYU Stern School of Business.

And most significant, it’s based on academic research and more than 100 interviews/case studies with senior management, business leaders and category experts from a wide spectrum of applicable fields who have lived through change or analyzed the phenomenon.

For example, you’ll discover the lessons learned by Kodak, Xerox, BlackBerry, Delta, Barnes & Noble, Marriott International, FedEx, New York University, Greenwich Public Library and dozens more. And, how uncovering those lessons, success and sometimes struggles help chart the course for other businesses.

As you read the book, you’ll discover how to:

Read the signs that it’s time to shift business strategy.
Overcome financial, cultural, and psychological barriers to change.
Turn threats into new ways to extend a band’s promise.
Stay aligned to your “True North.”
Evolve to meet the times and the marketplace.

Equally important, Shift Ahead, chronicles and clarifies for you how the most successful businesses and organizations shifted the focus of their endeavors without losing focus on what they stand for in the minds of customers.

The teachings are beneficial for brick-and-mortar establishments as well as online enterprises. And, applicable to small start-ups and nonprofits, as well as multinational organizations.

Comments

The Fresh, New Approach For How Governmental Leaders Achieve Unparalleled Success

The new book, Bridgebuilders , should be on the reading list of every public official, CEO, and civic leader. That is because throughout the book, authors William D. Eggers and Donald F. Kettl share compelling and instructive stories about some of today’s most successful bridgebuilders—federal state, and local government leaders who transcend boundaries and partner across sectors, to achieve success and meet their goals. “Bridgebuilding is the fresh, new approach that strengthens institutions, and government agencies by breaking free from organizational boxes and rigid, top-down leadership,” explains Eggers and Kettl. “Furthermore, the outdated model that worked well at one time—identifying a problem and creating a program designed to solve it—is giving way to new, muti-sector approaches to create public value.” The authors stress that leaders need to manage horizontally, making connections with other departments, as well as with stakeholders outside government to create ne

How To Lead With Heart

Those who lead with heart consistently have discussions with their teams about their unexpressed needs, fears, desires, gifts, and sense of purpose , explain the authors of the compelling book, Leading With Heart . CEO coaches and authors John Baird and Edward Sullivan share that anyone can learn how to make an authentic connection with their teams in order to drive better outcomes. And their book provides readers clear and practical insights to help them succeed in making those connections. Be sure to read the highlighted key principles and takeaways at the end of every chapter. Baird and Sullivan further share that workers today want to feel respected, seen and appreciated for who they are. That’s why companies with the best retention, morale, and productivity are led by leaders with heart. As Alexander Den Heijer said, “ When a flower doesn’t bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower .” “In heart-based cultures, people feel safe pushing back and

A Guide To Superior Management Effectiveness

Forbes named, A New Way To Think , as one of the 10 must-read books for 2022. In the book, authored by Roger L. Martin , he urges business leaders to toss out the old ways of thinking, and instead try new models in every domain of management – from competition and customers to strategy, data, culture, talent, mergers and acquisitions, and everything in-between. More specifically, within 14 chapters, Martin explores his recommended new ways of thinking about: Competition Stakeholders Customers Strategy Data Knowledge Work Corporate Functions Planning Execution Talent Innovation Capital Investment Mergers and Acquisitions Roger L. Martin Recently, Martin answers these questions for us: Question: As The Great Resignation rages on, what is the most important thing leaders must know about recruiting and retaining top talent? Martin : Leaders need to keep two things in mind in dealing with The Great Resignation. First , a key driver is adverse reaction to talent being forced back

How To Be A Go-To Person At Work

Bruce Tulgan ’s book, The Art of Being Indispensable at Work is all about how to win influence, beat overcommitment, and get the right things done in your workplace . Tulgan says that what truly sets “go-to people” apart is how they think and what they do, including: They understand the peculiar mathematics of real influence – doing the right thing for the long term. They lead from wherever they are – going vertically before going sideways (or diagonally). They know when to say no and how to say yes . They work smart – creating checklists, step-by-step instructions, and professionalizing everything they do. They finish what they start . They get better and better at working together . They promote “go-to-ism” – finding other indispensable people throughout the organization and building new go-to people whenever there’s a chance to do so. Other characteristics of indispensable people , are: Maintaining a positive attitude Doubling down on hard work Taking personal res

Eights Ways To Demonstrate You Value Your Employees

There are eight specific actions business leaders can take to show that they value their employees , according to Andrew Leigh , author of the book, Ethical Leadership -- Creating and Sustaining an Ethical Business Culture . Those eight behaviors are: Attention -- Pay attention to what people say to show your interest. Listen -- Make time to hear what colleagues, peers and employees have to say to show you care. Positive Language -- Find words and phrases to show employees they're needed. Examples are, "We couldn't have accomplished this without you," "That was really useful." Document -- Put praise in writing to increase its impact. Make clear where the credit belongs. Micro Sessions -- Create two-way communication sessions. Visits -- Schedule visits to teams and work areas. Stories -- Share stories that highlight unusual contributions and provide your personal response to them. Invite -- Ask people to contact you directly with their issue

Effective Listening: Do's And Don'ts

Here are some great tips from Michelle Tillis Lederman's book, The 11 Laws of Likability . They are all about: what to do and what not to do to be a leader who's an effective listener : Do : Maintain eye contact Limit your talking Focus on the speaker Ask questions Manage your emotions Listen with your eyes and ears Listen for ideas and opportunities Remain open to the conversation Confirm understanding, paraphrase Give nonverbal messages that you are listening (nod, smile) Ignore distractions Don't : Interrupt Show signs of impatience Judge or argue mentally Multitask during a conversation Project your ideas Think about what to say next Have expectations or preconceived ideas Become defensive or assume you are being attacked Use condescending, aggressive, or closed body language Listen with biases or closed to new ideas Jump to conclusions or finish someone's sentences

6 Ways To Seek Feedback To Improve Your Performance In The Workplace

Getting feedback is an important way to improve performance at work. But sometimes, it can be hard to seek out, and even harder to hear. “Feedback is all around you. Your job is to find it, both through asking directly and observing it,” says David L. Van Rooy, author of the new book, Trajectory: 7 Career Strategies to Take You From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be . As today's guest post, Van Rooy offers these six tips for how to get the feedback you need to improve performance at work . Guest Post By David L. Van Rooy 1. Don’t forget to as k : One of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming things are going perfectly (until they make a catastrophic mistake). By not asking, you’re missing out on opportunities for deep feedback: the difficult, critical feedback that gives you constructive ways to improve. 2. Make sure you listen : Remember, getting feedback is about improving your performance, not turning it into a “you versus the

How To Unleash Your Full Potential

To accomplish something great, author Matt Higgins says you need to toss your Plan B overboard and burn the boats . “You have to give yourself no escape route, no chance to ever turn back. You throw away your backup plans and your push forward, no longer bogged down by the infinite ways in which we hedge our own successes.” You’ll learn plenty more about what it means to burn the boats, how to unleash your full potential, and how to tear down your barriers to achieving success in Higgins’ new book, Burn The Boats – a business-advice and self-help book. Five of the most powerful takeaways are these according to Higgins: Trust your instincts and reject conventional wisdom : We are the only ones who know the full extent of our gifts, and the paths we are meant to follow. Proprietary insights are the keys to game-changing businesses : you don’t need a unique project to start an empire, just an intuition all your own. Your deepest flaws can be fuel for your greatest triumphs : Your

Four Favorite Leadership Quotes From Cashman's The Pause Principle

Today, I share some of my favorite quotes from Kevin Cashman's new book, The Pause Principle . "What sleep is to the mind and body, pause is to leadership and innovation." "Managers assert drive and control to get things done; leaders pause to discover new ways of being and achieving." "Managers require competency to drive results; leaders embody character to build a compelling, sustainable future." "Managers accelerate to keep pace with the competition; whereas leaders paradoxically step back to go beyond the competition."

How To Deliver Excellent Customer Service This Holiday Season

Leading a customer service team? Have the team members use these 9 tips for delivering excellent customer service this holiday shopping season: Rely on winning words and soothing phrases. A simple but sincere “Thanks for your patience” or “I’m listening” can go a long way toward defusing a holiday shopper’s frustration, anxiety, or panic. Develop a repertoire of short, easy to remember phrases around issues that are important to customers. Practice until the words come naturally. Communicate with silence. Remaining silent while your customers are talking is a basic courtesy, and nodding tells them you’re listening and understanding what you hear. An occasional “uh huh” or “I see” tells them you’re still listening without interrupting. Make customers feel seen. Making eye contact acknowledges that you see your customers as individuals. But there’s a balance to be struck here: staring can make your customers uncomfortable, too. Also keep in mind that eye contact is governed

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog