In a longitudinal study shared with me by one of my Fortune 500 clients, more than 120 teams were studied over a threeyear period at a cost of several million dollars. These teams were selected because

In business today, all work is done by teams. Your ability to function well as part of a team, or as a team leader, is a critical factor in determining how far you go and how fast you get there. The most

In military strategy, the commander relies upon his perception of the relative strength and disposition of the forces against him. One of the rules of military intelligence, especially in the area of

Create a competitive analysis grid comparing yourself and your products and services to each one of your competitors. Be brutally honest with yourself. Rate yourself on a scale of one to ten, with one

Do everything possible to determine the dispositions, plans, strengths, and weaknesses of the enemy, plus know the terrain and all other factors that could affect the outcome of the engagement. Use every

There are three triggers to personal creativity: 1) intensely desired goals; 2) pressing problems; and 3) focused questions. You should use all three of these to keep your personal creativity functioning

Brainstorming is one of the most powerful creative thinking exercises that a group of people can engage in together. Many companies and groups that have used brainstorming have achieved successes beyond

This is one of the most powerful creative thinking tools of all. It is simple, effective, and easy to use. You begin by creating a partial sentence that requires you to complete the statement. Here is

Ideas are your keys to the future. One new idea can change the entire direction of your life or your business. One breakthrough can completely change the focus of your company. One flash of insight, from

People have a natural tendency to fall in love with their own ideas, and with the ways of doing things to which they have become accustomed. Psychologists call this your “comfort zone.” A basic rule in

Evaluate Every Person Apply the KWYNK formula to every person who works with you and every company that you do business with on the outside. “Is there anyone who, knowing what you now know, you would not

The management guru Peter Drucker always recommends that you examine every part of your business regularly to determine if there is anything that you are doing that you wouldn’t get into again today if

Here is an exercise: make a list of everything you do at work. Ask yourself, “If I could only do one thing on this list, which one task contributes the greatest value to my company?” Once you have identified

Imagine a curve that slopes down from a high point on the left to a low point on the right. This is your “Productivity Curve.” At the high end of the curve, the things you do have great value. At the low

Every great success is an accumulation of many small efforts and actions that no one ever sees or appreciates. It is the little things you do each day, every day, that eventually add up to a great life.

Just as a company requires core competencies to survive and thrive, both in the present and in the future, so do you. Identify your special talents and skills. What are your natural abilities and interests?

The key to personal success is for you to do more and more of those things that you enjoy the most, and get paid the most for doing, and simultaneously, for you to do fewer and fewer of those things that

Most companies sell a variety of products and services. The danger in being a “mini-conglomerate” is that you can very easily lose track of the exact costs of producing a product or service and selling

In every business, and in every part of the business, there are a few critical success factors or benchmarks that you can use to measure performance and results in each part of the organization at any

As your market changes, you should regularly take time out to identify your most profitable products and services. What are they today? What are they likely to be tomorrow? What could they be? What should