Reviewing results and improving the processes that led to them are hallmarks of “continuous improvement” in many organizations. TQM, Six Sigma, ISO, even job costing and budget variance reports – these are all designed to take a look at what you did, the results you produced, and then take action to do it even better… Read more »
Business Management Blog
Becoming a Breakthrough Leader
When Bellrock is helping companies solve their biggest challenges, whether they are sales, operations, or people related, sooner or later someone asks how we know the solutions will work. The answer is simple. Best practices work (by definition) but the impact they will have is always determined by the strength of the leadership. The next… Read more »
3 Tips for Great Negotiations
Most business leaders spend the majority of their time negotiating. This includes: Convincing customers that the company’s offering will solve their problems Encouraging staff to supply that offering in the best possible way Ensuring contracts are fair to all parties Persuading investors that the company offers the desired return Influencing regulators to support the company’s… Read more »
Answers To Your Top Advisory Board Questions
High-quality, independent advice can have a significant positive impact on a business, yet the Business Development Bank of Canada’s 2014 study of Canadian small and medium-sized businesses found that 76% have neither an Advisory Board nor a Board of Directors. An Advisory Board is an excellent way to get ahead of your competitors. Here are… Read more »
Better Meetings Today
In 2012, London Business School and Harvard Business School teamed up to study the “span of activity” of several CEOs.[1] This is academic speak for the question, “what do business leaders do all day?” Their findings concluded that CEOs spend 1/3 of their time in meetings. No shocker there. Communication is the cornerstone of any business’s operating… Read more »
How to Describe What You Do
Imagine that you have just been introduced to someone – at a party, a business event, or even a child’s soccer match. When you’re asked what you do for a living, what is your response? If you’re too vague about your job title, you might shut down the conversation, but if you talk too long… Read more »
3 Solutions to Leadership Team Doldrums
The strength and ability of the leadership team is an important predictor of long term corporate success. Teams are made of people, people are in relationships and relationships have a natural ebb and flow. Even the best leadership teams fall into slumps of sub-optimal performance from time to time. People get tired or complacent –… Read more »
4 Steps to Implement Values
Part of your strategic planning process is to develop (and confirm) your company’s values statements. But after you do that, what’s next? Surely you can do more than paint them on the wall where people will ignore them until they become just part of the wallpaper. As with everything in business, the ideas are helpful,… Read more »
Does Your Company Have Broken Windows?
Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point popularized the “Broken Windows Theory” with a story about New York City in the 1990s. Crime was rampant, but the police force did not have the budget or other resources they felt necessary to address the problem. Parts of the city looked like war zones, bombed and burned out, and New… Read more »
Sales Training: Who Are the Best Sales People?
Finding a great sales person is tricky. They need to have strong technical knowledge of your industry, be personable, and be willing to report their activities back to head office. You’d like them to be terrific at hunting and prospecting for new clients, but they should also provide outstanding customer service and be excellent at… Read more »