I get asked occasionally what is the single biggest reason organizations fail. Of course, there isn’t one right answer: organizations – even from the same sector or industry – have different cultures, different core competencies, different strategic challenges and advantages, different circumstances that contribute to success or failure. As a result, some organizations struggle with [...]
Excellence is a choice. It’s the result of intentional, humble and visionary leadership; systematic evaluation and improvement that leads to meaningful change; and capable, motivated, and fully engaged employees. It doesn’t happen by accident – at least not for long. It requires data-based decisions; true organizational alignment that optimizes resources and harmonizes on mission, strategy, [...]
Are you interested in learning more about what makes organizations successful -- what helps them achieve and sustain high performance? Are you interested in helping other organizations — such as schools, hospitals, non-profits, and businesses – in the Upper Midwest improve outcomes? Would you be interested in networking, learning, and sharing with others who feel [...]
2018 Performance Excellence Awards Presented at PENworks 2019 Conference ST. PAUL, Minn., May 6, 2019 – The Performance Excellence Network (PEN) honors two recipients of the 2018 Performance Excellence Award. The Award is based on the Baldrige Framework and is the culmination of a rigorous evaluation of an organization’s management and performance system. The evaluation [...]
In case you missed it, last month I shared 14 insights, tips, and best practices that leaders can do to create an environment that ensures workforce engagement, team effectiveness and productivity. This month, as part 2 of the of the blog (the proverbial other side of the coin), I’ll share 14 more strategies that we [...]
Nothing great is ever achieved without people. Think about it: organizations can only achieve with highly effective people running them; communities and nations can only achieve without highly engaged citizens and highly effective leaders setting a course for the future; projects, initiatives, task forces, scientific breakthroughs, inventions, and even sporting achievements are all the result [...]
In the wake of the last “Great Recession” in the 1980s (though we didn’t call it that back then), America was in economic trouble. The country suffered a two-phase recession in 1980-82 – one that left unemployment high and interest rates even higher (recall credit cards and mortgages well beyond 20%!). The economic challenges were [...]
[Ok, don't freak out -- this article was written a few years ago! But hopefully it still offers great insights...] I’m on Day 22 in dealing with a concussion. I guess now that it’s been three weeks, it probably isn’t considered minor – the kind that resolves itself in a few hours or days. But [...]
Does the name “Nate Silver” ring a bell? It should: he is the statistician who correctly predicted the winner in all 50 states and DC for the 2012 presidential election (and something like the last nine consecutive presidential elections before that, dating back to Reagan). He’s also developed a powerful system for predicting the performance [...]
Are you interested in learning more about what makes organizations successful? Are you interested in helping other organizations -- such as schools, hospitals, non-profits, and businesses – in the Upper Midwest improve outcomes? Would you be interested in networking, learning, and sharing with others who feel the same way? The Performance Excellence Network is [...]
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