Core Business

Core Business is about creating and leading better businesses in today's uncertain environment. It presents just enough concept to enable a pragmatic how-to guide. There are four main themes:

A deeper understanding of leadership:

It is a process.

A leader is stronger and performs better when certain underlying behavioral competencies are present, strong, and balanced.

When those same competencies are not strong or lacking, the leader can become self-limiting in terms of ineffective behaviors that create lack of trust, confusion, and demotivation.

Self-motivation and self-improvement are prime characteristics of the leader striving for leadership mastery.

While management is necessary and important to the achievement of organizational success, leadership is different in nature and often, particularly in volatile times, more important than good management for organizational success.

A view of strategy that emphasizes the complete spectrum of what it entails and the work required to build an effective one.

It starts with the leader and her vision of the future. What does it look like? How will we know when we get there? How can we reduce that to long-term goals that are actionable enough to build strategies off?

Defining the appropriate time frame for providing boundaries for successive strategies. These must be consistent with the volatile characteristics of the environment you are operating in.

Building a strategy statement that provides a competitive advantage the firm can execute.

Building a business model that creates that advantage in a consistent and scalable fashion.

As an addition, we will look at several popular approaches put forth by leading strategists in the past several decades.

A pragmatic approach to creating a productive culture. We will look at four mindsets that can contribute greatly to a strong culture.

Install better leadership at the frontline level.

Help employees meet their higher-level needs and create more engaged employees.

Make better choices for hiring and promoting employees who are well suited to their jobs and roles.

Make employee development, especially future leaders, a priority.

A deep look at decision-making and problem-solving. These are core skills fundamental to making all the other elements discussed in the book achievable.

Written by an experienced executive and consultant, the book provides actionable guidance to begin working on tomorrow morning. It is not about quick fixes. It is for committed leaders who want to grow personally and professionally. Join the journey!