Nearly every organization uses strategic planning. Few, however, leverage its full power. Too often people adopt the “usual” definition of strategic planning that goes something like this: strategic planning is a plan or a blueprint for achieving a vision or overarching goal. While this is true and important, I would contend that strategic planning, at [...]

[This is part 2 of a two part series. Check out part 1 here.] You’re the manager of an assembly line in a modern factory. Your mean yield rate is running at 82% over the last quarter and today it is at 91% so you stop the machines to discover why. Or you’re the project [...]

By Jen Hetzel Silbert November 28, 2011 I recently heard from a longtime friend and colleague in Guyana, South America.  His name is Samuel, and more than a successful businessman, Samuel is a father, husband, son and devoted Guyanese citizen.  Like many Guyanese, Samuel gained an appreciation for democracy the hard way – growing up [...]

What form of governance exists in your company or network? How do you think about governance? What is the role of governance and who is involved in carrying out that role? The answers depend on what we see as current reality. My Nov. 8 blog on this topic (Part One) described Appreciative Governance (AG) at [...]

Your boss just left your office. She told you that production on your shift is down 15% this quarter and you need to find a way to fix that … and quickly. You sigh. You’ve been through these problem solving exercises before and they always suck the energy out of you. Worse yet, the solutions [...]