Category: Consulting skills

Value Creation: The Foundation Of Business

Value creation makes or breaks a business model. It is the key metric that investors, shareholders, and other stakeholders look at when they consider long term returns. But the term itself is somewhat broad. Value is ultimately in the eye of the beholder, and the value creation definition has changed in recent years. Specifically, the…

How to Stay Focused

Learning how to stay focused takes practice. It would be wonderful if each day we knocked out each item of our to do list in less than two hours, took time to meditate, and then got in a hardcore workout all before noon. Yes, this would be lovely, but as far as we know, this…

Industry 4.0: What Is It?

Chances are you have heard the term “Industry 4.0” thrown around in an online form recently - or maybe you are wondering how you missed Industry 1.0 - 3.0. In either case, the term, even though sometimes seen as a buzzword, deserves our attention for a bit. In this article, we’ll clear things up around…

Myers Briggs: Improve Workplace Communication

The Myers Briggs test has become something of a meme in academic and corporate environments over the last twenty years. If you’ve worked in an office in that time, you’ve likely overheard coworkers discussing the test or their “personality type.” Used correctly, the Myers Briggs test can deliver powerful insights about personality traits and the…

How to Give Feedback

Learning how to give feedback is one of the most important leadership skills you can develop. The ability to give actionable, constructive feedback – to peers, leaders and subordinates – in a way that they will receive will set you apart as a change agent inside of your organization. As you grow as a leader…

Active Listening Skills: The Practice of Communication

Active listening skills are vital for excelling in any field and any industry - from consulting to entrepreneurship to hospitality. They allow you to relate to and understand your clients and deliver solutions that genuinely serve them. As we engage in listening, we increase the efficacy of our communication and the strength of our relational…

Strategic Intent: Definition, Overview, & Example

You’ll hear an organization talk broadly about its strategy, or its strategic planning process – but what about strategic intent? Sure, a baseline level of execution and delivery is important. But often we see organizations launch a “vanilla” strategy that seeks to imitate competitors rather than differentiate from competitors. In this article we’ll look at…

Business Core Values: More than Just Business

Business core values are deeply ingrained principles that become cornerstones for your organization. They are often an integral part of building a successful business culture. When core values are well-defined, they will filter throughout your business, set you apart from your competition, and become a guiding light for employees. This shows that company core values…

Employee Motivation: Is Money, Vision, or Mission the Primary Motivator?

Employee motivation is one of the things every manager thinks about most. It’s not because all managers are naturally empathetic. Rather, the manager’s job is to oversee the harmonious operation of an organization’s material and human resources. In other words, managers must try to encourage people to work hard. Material resources are much more predictable…

How to Confront Someone

Most of us don’t enjoy it, but knowing how to confront someone is a life skill that encourages productivity in the workplace, strengthens relationships, and builds trust. While confrontation has often had a reputation as being harmful or a relationship killer, the truth is, learning how to calmly confront someone is necessary for healthy relationships…