Changing People’s Behaviors to Activate Strategies at Scale Super Bowl commercials. They’re 30 seconds long and cost $8 million. Yet there is plenty of willingness by companies to pay this
I keep seeing the same pattern across organizations. It’s not a lack of strategy. It’s not a lack of ambition. And it’s not a lack of investment. It’s execution. Leadership
I have the privilege in my role of facilitating more than 20 strategic planning and alignment sessions a year with various senior teams, and the even greater privilege of raising
This is part of a series of articles written by Aastha Minocha (Principal, Health Transformation) and John Schantz (Managing Director, Strategic Accounts) focused on the topic of Strategy Activation. Part
This series of articles is focused on the topic of Strategy Activation. It is based on conversations that Aastha Minocha (Principal, Health Transformation) and John Schantz (Managing Director, Strategic Accounts)
Zealot is a strong word, but over the last 25 years, I’ve become obsessed with understanding how to help organizations activate their growth strategies and help people achieve their full
This series of articles is focused on the topic of Strategy Activation. It is based on conversations that Aastha Minocha (Principal, Health Transformation) and John Schantz (Managing Director, Strategic Accounts)
This series of articles is focused on the topic of Strategy Activation. It is based on conversations that Aastha Minocha (Principal, Health Transformation) and John Schantz (Managing Director, Strategic Accounts)
Your pride is lying to you. It’s telling you things like, “I know what I’m doing,” “I’ve heard that before,” and “I’ve been there, done that,” when actually, you have
I know this sounds drastic coming from someone who wrote a book on the art of engagement and who has said many times, “The things that get measured get done.”
In my experience, strategy is about building new enterprise capabilities – new capabilities that, when brought to market, can unlock new revenue streams, help optimize cost, and drive margin expansion.
The purpose of strategic planning is not to make plans. It is to change the way that we think and act. If newly formed visions and strategic plans are intended
You can increase the candor, authenticity, and generation of innovative ideas in your meetings if you truly focus on the art of thinking together. William B. Isaacs, author of an
At the risk of dating myself, I’ll share that when I was in high school, the wildly popular television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer was coming to an end. If
At the “campfire!” For centuries, humans have gathered around campfires to share food, drinks, and stories – stories that compel us to connect, empathize, learn, and reach higher. They have
Hundreds of books have been written about leadership and high-performance teams, but rarely do they adequately address the art of great decision-making. But one very important aspect of governance for
The pattern is everything. In the movie The Imitation Game, a young woman makes a joke about a pattern in the code she intercepts from a particular German radio operator.
A number of years ago, when Clemson University’s football team was in the College Football National Championship game, I caught a pregame story about head coach Dabo Swinney. As I
Any organization that wants to change, transform, or grow beyond market rates requires, first and foremost, a high-performance senior team. When the next-level-down leaders of many organizations are asked what
It’s a tale as old as time: Your strategy is crafted. The leaders who designed it toast to their collective brilliance. But then it sits in a folder on a
Layoffs suck. They really, really suck – most obviously for those whose livelihoods are affected. People put their trust in their employers and make personal sacrifices only to be told,
As you logged back on last week coming off the slower pace of the holidays, you likely hit the ground running with all the carefully laid plans you made for
Many organizations take advantage of the holiday season to celebrate their employees, but companies with excellent culture celebrate and engage their employees year round. When people feel appreciated and connected
While preparing for a new calendar year is nothing new, the challenges facing leaders this year are unlike those in the past. Work as we knew it shifted greatly in
The brutal reality that should concern anyone leading a team or an organization today is that 60%–90% of all strategies are never brought to life. They just don’t materialize. The
At this point in our careers, we’re likely well-versed in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). According to Oxford Language, a Key Performance Indicator is “a quantifiable measure used to evaluate the
It’s no secret that organizations have put extra emphasis on change, change management, and change adoption. For over 100 years, change management has been studied, observed, and hypothesized. From the
When we started Root more than 30 years ago, we really didn’t know where our adventure would take us. Our future was a work in progress. The journey took many
How is your organization doing when it comes to growth and change? If you’re succeeding, consider yourself one of the lucky ones because it has never been more challenging for
In 2021, the business world saw an unprecedented surge in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity. The Accenture blog post, “Take these four actions to help prepare your workforce for hypergrowth,”
The last three years have felt like a decade of their own. With a global pandemic, political polarization, economic pressure, and increased government regulation, one can never be certain what
I recently had the honor of being a part of Karin Blair‘s Game Changer Series which is designed to inspire game-changing strategic leadership – an elite level of performance estimated
Leaders have dedicated themselves to solving the mystery of employee engagement for years. The COVID-19 pandemic further complicated the matter, pushing the hybrid workspace to the forefront, giving leaders more
All organizations have business processes that govern their activities and behaviors, and today’s organizations are constantly trying to transform. But if you ask organizations for the process that guides the
When it comes to retaining employees, one of the most effective tactics an organization can leverage is offering people access to compelling learning and development initiatives. Employees recognize that training
Recently Accenture released a report, The Human Paradox: From Customer Centricity to Life Centricity, detailing the current mindset of consumers. After surveying over 25,000 people across 22 countries and conducting
The internet is ablaze once more with a buzzword: quiet quitting. As business publications catch up to the TikTok phenomenon, you can now read about the trend everywhere from Forbes
Accountability may be the single most common response when leaders are asked to define the one aspect of their organizational culture that they would like to change. Leaders often comment
Using the E + 3 C’s Orientation Framework to Improve Your Onboarding Program “First impressions matter.” You’ve probably heard this phrase many times. This quote echoes in my head from
Gallup tells us that the success of an organization’s change “depends on their employees’ ability to adapt. Worn-out, anxious people have limited capacity to absorb information about change, much less
While talking with many HR and DE&I leaders, I’m hearing a reoccurring theme: You’re tired and frustrated because the leaders and managers (internal customers) you serve are not buying in
When a fast food brand decides to launch a new sandwich, do they just start selling it and hope word of mouth leads to sales? Not usually. Instead, that brand
Have you heard of a flea circus? Well believe it or not, in the mid to late 1800s, the flea circus was a popular attraction, particularly in England and Germany,
In our digitally powered world, digitally empowered consumers expect it all – access, information, assistance – 24/7. Organizations around the globe continually seek ways to leverage new technology to provide
Since co-founding Root, I’ve spent the last three decades with a front row seat as organizations around the world plan, define, and attempt to activate their strategic futures. Our teams
“None of the great work we are doing in our organizations should be a trade secret; we get better when we share things.” – In Light of Change executive participant
73% of NBA players are Black. Currently, 50% of NBA head coaches are Black. 58% of NFL players are Black. To start next season, 9% of NFL head coaches will
Retaining great employees has never been as important or as challenging as it is in 2022. A recent Harvard Business Review article revealed that 30% of new employees have left
Picture this. I’m standing at a podium in a meeting room at the headquarters of a Fortune 500 retail organization – presenting to one person. Yes, one individual who –
Silos in the workplace have typically been viewed as detriments to organizational success. When the world was first thrown into turmoil due to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, many
When it comes to getting support from employees when rolling out a new initiative, the one person you need most on your side is a personality type that is found
Leaders across the globe are continuously striving to do more and do better for their employees and the customers they serve. This results in an endless quest to craft and
Many leaders underestimate the importance of the skill of storytelling. In fact, storytelling is often viewed as a “soft skill” despite the critical role it plays in bringing strategies to
Last year, global M&A activity reached an all-time high of $5.9 trillion, smashing the previous record set in 2017. That means today, there are more companies than ever faced with
It’s no secret that organizations struggle with successful strategy activation. This issue has been a thorn in leaders’ sides for decades, and the global health and economic challenges of the
The Concept of Culture has Shifted For years, we’ve talked about culture as the summation of an organization’s mission, vision, and values. It’s “the way we do things around here.”
When we reflect upon the business world and how it has been impacted since the pandemic began in early 2020, we find that many Fortune 1000 organizations have actually achieved
We spend a great deal of time with frontline team members in our work in retail, hotels, and restaurants. Many of these team members are new to the workforce and
I have a question for all of the company leaders out there: Do you really have a finger on the pulse of the customer experience you’re delivering? I’m sure you’re
Being a leader in 2022 isn’t easy. It’s a tall order to recognize how employees want to work and make their wishes a reality, while also balancing business needs and
I’ve interacted with dozens of executive teams in my career, and it always happens. The seven, 10, or more men and women on the executive team each have an IQ
Did you know that learners forget 70% of training content within 24 hours and nearly 90% of what they learned after a month? Sad, but true. Accenture’s report Meeting the
It’s the start of 2022, and we’re still living through a global pandemic. One impact of this in the business world has been a steady stream of job resignations. In
OK, maybe not spell it. But you certainly can’t embrace heightened employee experience without change resiliency, especially knowing 83% of business leaders believe employee experience is important to their organization.
So you’ve hired new people during The Great Resignation. Congratulations—you are now the “better culture” your new hires were seeking. Can you live up to the hype? What makes a
One in every four employees is feeling indifferent and/or don’t understand their company’s mission*. That’s 25% of your employee population! Astounding, right?! How can the people who interact with customers
Over the past two years, leaders have been put to the test. They’ve had to keep their organizations afloat amid challenges no one saw coming. Executives everywhere have been forced
As the calendar year comes to a close, the business world is prepping for a successful Q1. To ensure your leadership team sets the right priorities, here’s a five-step exercise
It is sad that with the advent of social media and the reality that we spend a sizeable amount of time each day communicating with others, we still seem more
In 1993, Nobel Prize-winning Israeli psychologist Daniel Kahneman and American social psychologist Barbara Frederickson, along with two other noted psychologists, authored a paper providing evidence of what is known as
The pre-pandemic workplace we once knew no longer exists. The speed and frequency of technological breakthroughs, coupled with the many changes forced upon us by the pandemic, have created a
Decisions. We make them all day long. What time to wake up? Which route to take to avoid the most traffic? Who to invite to the 2022 planning meeting? With
According to a Harvard study, 85 percent of professional success comes from people skills. Therefore it’s a logical conclusion that one will have a very difficult, if not impossible time,
The current business environment seems to be making things pretty tricky for managers. With the business world operating in a variety of models — from everyone working from home, to
When we started Root 30-plus years ago, we really didn’t know exactly where our adventure would take us. Our future state was a work in progress. The journey took many
Activating Strategies Series #4: Ensure that Behaviors and Culture Support the Strategy Many leaders try to activate their future state strategies by simply proclaiming what they are and then sitting
Activating Strategies Series #1: Defining Reality for Building a Strategy for the Future You can’t define where you want to go unless you know exactly where you are today. Organizations
Changing People’s Behaviors to Activate Strategies at Scale Super Bowl commercials. They’re 30 seconds long and cost $8 million. Yet there is plenty of willingness by companies to pay this
I keep seeing the same pattern across organizations. It’s not a lack of strategy. It’s not a lack of ambition. And it’s not a lack of investment. It’s execution. Leadership
I have the privilege in my role of facilitating more than 20 strategic planning and alignment sessions a year with various senior teams, and the even greater privilege of raising
This is part of a series of articles written by Aastha Minocha (Principal, Health Transformation) and John Schantz (Managing Director, Strategic Accounts) focused on the topic of Strategy Activation. Part
Zealot is a strong word, but over the last 25 years, I’ve become obsessed with understanding how to help organizations activate their growth strategies and help people achieve their full
This series of articles is focused on the topic of Strategy Activation. It is based on conversations that Aastha Minocha (Principal, Health Transformation) and John Schantz (Managing Director, Strategic Accounts)
This series of articles is focused on the topic of Strategy Activation. It is based on conversations that Aastha Minocha (Principal, Health Transformation) and John Schantz (Managing Director, Strategic Accounts)
I know this sounds drastic coming from someone who wrote a book on the art of engagement and who has said many times, “The things that get measured get done.”
In my experience, strategy is about building new enterprise capabilities – new capabilities that, when brought to market, can unlock new revenue streams, help optimize cost, and drive margin expansion.
The purpose of strategic planning is not to make plans. It is to change the way that we think and act. If newly formed visions and strategic plans are intended
You can increase the candor, authenticity, and generation of innovative ideas in your meetings if you truly focus on the art of thinking together. William B. Isaacs, author of an
At the risk of dating myself, I’ll share that when I was in high school, the wildly popular television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer was coming to an end. If
At the “campfire!” For centuries, humans have gathered around campfires to share food, drinks, and stories – stories that compel us to connect, empathize, learn, and reach higher. They have
Hundreds of books have been written about leadership and high-performance teams, but rarely do they adequately address the art of great decision-making. But one very important aspect of governance for
The pattern is everything. In the movie The Imitation Game, a young woman makes a joke about a pattern in the code she intercepts from a particular German radio operator.
A number of years ago, when Clemson University’s football team was in the College Football National Championship game, I caught a pregame story about head coach Dabo Swinney. As I
Any organization that wants to change, transform, or grow beyond market rates requires, first and foremost, a high-performance senior team. When the next-level-down leaders of many organizations are asked what
It’s a tale as old as time: Your strategy is crafted. The leaders who designed it toast to their collective brilliance. But then it sits in a folder on a
While preparing for a new calendar year is nothing new, the challenges facing leaders this year are unlike those in the past. Work as we knew it shifted greatly in
The brutal reality that should concern anyone leading a team or an organization today is that 60%–90% of all strategies are never brought to life. They just don’t materialize. The
How is your organization doing when it comes to growth and change? If you’re succeeding, consider yourself one of the lucky ones because it has never been more challenging for
In 2021, the business world saw an unprecedented surge in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity. The Accenture blog post, “Take these four actions to help prepare your workforce for hypergrowth,”
Leaders have dedicated themselves to solving the mystery of employee engagement for years. The COVID-19 pandemic further complicated the matter, pushing the hybrid workspace to the forefront, giving leaders more
Recently Accenture released a report, The Human Paradox: From Customer Centricity to Life Centricity, detailing the current mindset of consumers. After surveying over 25,000 people across 22 countries and conducting
The internet is ablaze once more with a buzzword: quiet quitting. As business publications catch up to the TikTok phenomenon, you can now read about the trend everywhere from Forbes
Accountability may be the single most common response when leaders are asked to define the one aspect of their organizational culture that they would like to change. Leaders often comment
Gallup tells us that the success of an organization’s change “depends on their employees’ ability to adapt. Worn-out, anxious people have limited capacity to absorb information about change, much less
While talking with many HR and DE&I leaders, I’m hearing a reoccurring theme: You’re tired and frustrated because the leaders and managers (internal customers) you serve are not buying in
When a fast food brand decides to launch a new sandwich, do they just start selling it and hope word of mouth leads to sales? Not usually. Instead, that brand
Have you heard of a flea circus? Well believe it or not, in the mid to late 1800s, the flea circus was a popular attraction, particularly in England and Germany,
Since co-founding Root, I’ve spent the last three decades with a front row seat as organizations around the world plan, define, and attempt to activate their strategic futures. Our teams
73% of NBA players are Black. Currently, 50% of NBA head coaches are Black. 58% of NFL players are Black. To start next season, 9% of NFL head coaches will
Retaining great employees has never been as important or as challenging as it is in 2022. A recent Harvard Business Review article revealed that 30% of new employees have left
Silos in the workplace have typically been viewed as detriments to organizational success. When the world was first thrown into turmoil due to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, many
When it comes to getting support from employees when rolling out a new initiative, the one person you need most on your side is a personality type that is found
Leaders across the globe are continuously striving to do more and do better for their employees and the customers they serve. This results in an endless quest to craft and
Many leaders underestimate the importance of the skill of storytelling. In fact, storytelling is often viewed as a “soft skill” despite the critical role it plays in bringing strategies to
Last year, global M&A activity reached an all-time high of $5.9 trillion, smashing the previous record set in 2017. That means today, there are more companies than ever faced with
It’s no secret that organizations struggle with successful strategy activation. This issue has been a thorn in leaders’ sides for decades, and the global health and economic challenges of the
We spend a great deal of time with frontline team members in our work in retail, hotels, and restaurants. Many of these team members are new to the workforce and
I have a question for all of the company leaders out there: Do you really have a finger on the pulse of the customer experience you’re delivering? I’m sure you’re
So you’ve hired new people during The Great Resignation. Congratulations—you are now the “better culture” your new hires were seeking. Can you live up to the hype? What makes a
One in every four employees is feeling indifferent and/or don’t understand their company’s mission*. That’s 25% of your employee population! Astounding, right?! How can the people who interact with customers
Over the past two years, leaders have been put to the test. They’ve had to keep their organizations afloat amid challenges no one saw coming. Executives everywhere have been forced
It is sad that with the advent of social media and the reality that we spend a sizeable amount of time each day communicating with others, we still seem more
In 1993, Nobel Prize-winning Israeli psychologist Daniel Kahneman and American social psychologist Barbara Frederickson, along with two other noted psychologists, authored a paper providing evidence of what is known as
The pre-pandemic workplace we once knew no longer exists. The speed and frequency of technological breakthroughs, coupled with the many changes forced upon us by the pandemic, have created a
Decisions. We make them all day long. What time to wake up? Which route to take to avoid the most traffic? Who to invite to the 2022 planning meeting? With
Activating Strategies Series #4: Ensure that Behaviors and Culture Support the Strategy Many leaders try to activate their future state strategies by simply proclaiming what they are and then sitting
Activating Strategies Series #1: Defining Reality for Building a Strategy for the Future You can’t define where you want to go unless you know exactly where you are today. Organizations
Activating Strategies Series #3: Define and Align on Strategic Critical Priorities Determining a company’s priorities – its vision, its focus areas, and the initiatives that will take the organization into
PARTS 3 and 4: Strategic visualization disarms sensitive topics and suspends disbelief In this post, I’ll focus on two visualization characteristics – highlighted in red below – that take the
Burnout. It’s a big issue for leaders and organizations. In fact, according to a recent survey by Monster, 95% of people are considering leaving their jobs, and being burned out
I recently came across several articles discussing how Generation X is being perceived as “unhireable” amid this Great Resignation. According to a CNBC article, “Rapid digital adoption during the pandemic
Employees’ needs, lifestyles, and expectations have shifted greatly over the past year and a half, changing the workplace in a big way. As your leadership team discusses the best plan
As a consultant to organizations that span all industries and have employees based on every continent around the world, I’ve witnessed my fair share of leadership successes and mistakes. I’ve
After the rockiest of roads created by a global pandemic that stopped the world in its tracks for months on end, the future of work is here. The way we
In the current digital age, change is a constant. Businesses are perpetually refining their apps to be faster and more user-friendly, updating their services with user interfaces that are more
With all the time spent looking at colleagues on computer screens, many of us are hungry and excited to return to in-person interactions. However, that doesn’t mean we should abandon
My last post covered how organizations must adapt to the needs and wants of today’s employees, because what worked in the past to attract and retain talent won’t be effective
There’s a dearth of talent available right now. Or is there? That’s the question du jour. We’ve all seen the recent headlines, the TikToks, and the LinkedIn postings talking about
My college basketball coach used to say, “Be an energy giver, not an energy sucker.” It was important that every player had a positive attitude, communicated well, cheered each other
Recently, Jim Haudan, Root Inc. co-founder and chairman, met with six other C-suite leaders to discuss what they learned in 2020 about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and mental health,
It is a widely understood phenomenon that as a country we have become more partisan. One of the main drivers has been the information echo chambers that are consciously or
In our last blog post, we laid out why many studies have concluded that unconscious bias training “doesn’t work.” The typical approach falls short in several ways: Awareness without action
In working with executive teams for the past 30 years, I am still amazed at how little team members know about each other, and at their low level of curiosity
Root Inc. Co-founder and Chairman Jim Haudan recently sat down with leaders from six other organizations, all leaders in their respective fields, to discuss the monumental challenges and subsequent lessons
Do you remember restaurants? Recently, a car insurance company has been running some ingenious radio (yes, I still listen to the radio) ads consisting of a short tagline and a
An organization’s next level of leaders can become the cork in the strategic-change bottle or the catalyst that creates speed and velocity for achieving the most critical change initiatives. But
Leaders in 2021 are facing a major challenge: how to keep their teams engaged and pushing forward despite the tidal wave of change the global pandemic has set in motion.
Since much of my current work is focused on energy utilities, I found myself reading a lot over the winter holidays about the future of American sources of cheap and
Hot dogs and employee experience? Yes, there is a connection! Trust me and read on. An article I recently read described how Costco hasn’t changed the price of its $1.50
There is a predictable pattern with large technological disruption. You’ve experienced it anytime a new technology has quickly moved through a population. Some people pick new technology up right away;
English writer Aldous Huxley once said, “Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.” But as I get older, I’m find that I am taking
By now we’ve all realized that the world can’t just stop. We must keep plodding forward in our work and in our everyday lives, which can admittedly be a challenge
My new book, Blowing Up the Box: Disrupting the Customer Experience, came out a few weeks ago. In honor of this, I’m starting a video series where each month I’ll
We’re a year deep into a pandemic that everyone thought would be over in weeks, leaving us with challenges we couldn’t have foreseen at the start of 2020 – challenges
Over the last twenty years, my organization has had numerous opportunities to watch and participate in change efforts that have engaged the hearts and minds of people to deliver great
In my experience, strategy is about building new enterprise capabilities – new capabilities that, when brought to market, can unlock new revenue streams, help optimize cost, and drive margin expansion.
You can increase the candor, authenticity, and generation of innovative ideas in your meetings if you truly focus on the art of thinking together. William B. Isaacs, author of an
Hundreds of books have been written about leadership and high-performance teams, but rarely do they adequately address the art of great decision-making. But one very important aspect of governance for
The pattern is everything. In the movie The Imitation Game, a young woman makes a joke about a pattern in the code she intercepts from a particular German radio operator.
A number of years ago, when Clemson University’s football team was in the College Football National Championship game, I caught a pregame story about head coach Dabo Swinney. As I
Any organization that wants to change, transform, or grow beyond market rates requires, first and foremost, a high-performance senior team. When the next-level-down leaders of many organizations are asked what
It’s a tale as old as time: Your strategy is crafted. The leaders who designed it toast to their collective brilliance. But then it sits in a folder on a
Layoffs suck. They really, really suck – most obviously for those whose livelihoods are affected. People put their trust in their employers and make personal sacrifices only to be told,
As you logged back on last week coming off the slower pace of the holidays, you likely hit the ground running with all the carefully laid plans you made for
Many organizations take advantage of the holiday season to celebrate their employees, but companies with excellent culture celebrate and engage their employees year round. When people feel appreciated and connected
When we started Root more than 30 years ago, we really didn’t know where our adventure would take us. Our future was a work in progress. The journey took many
A few months ago, I listened to a very successful CEO talk about how he rapidly grew his organization. He said, “With every decision we make, I ask, ‘Will this
Creating a Culture of Change Fanatics I’ve been hearing a lot of grumblings lately that people, at every level of business, are tired of change. They are experiencing “change fatigue”
The following is an excerpt from How to Be an Inclusive Leader: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive, a book in which diversity and inclusion
As I was beginning my professional career 30-plus years ago, I also spent four years as a high school football coach. Not far removed from playing myself, I found it
Maybe it’s because we’re of a certain generation, but we clearly remember a time walking through labyrinths of cubicles and seeing motivational posters on the walls. You know the ones
Over the past 20 years, we have seen a proliferation of diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts in organizations. In some cases, the efforts have paid off. Take Apple, for instance.
This graduation season, I attended five graduation ceremonies. The volume is a bit uncommon for me, and the diversity of the students was even more unusual. As a school board
There is nothing better than working in an organization that has a great culture. According to Deloitte, 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe that nurturing a distinct culture
I recently read an article in Fast Company about burying the term “work-life balance” and embracing “work-life fulfillment” instead. I don’t disagree. I’ve never heard someone say, “I have great
The following is an excerpt from Erica Kewsin’s Bring Your Human to Work: Ten Sure-Fire Ways to Design a Workplace That is Good for People, Great for Business, and Just
Great Mondays: How to Design a Company Culture Employees Love lays out the six key components of company culture—Purpose, Values, Behaviors, Recognition, Rituals, Cues—illustrating their connection to one another and
As an organization is getting ready to face any type of change, leadership creates a strategy and gets ready to roll it out. They think about the challenges that will
The following excerpt—from Chief Joy Officer: How Great Leaders Elevate Human Energy and Eliminate Fear, a new book by the founder of Menlo Innovations, Richard Sheridan—is written to help leaders
A Guide for Personal and Professional Decision-Making January marks my one-year anniversary with Root Inc. As I reflect on the day I received the call to lead the Food &
The following excerpt from The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth by Amy C. Edmondson discusses the topic of psychological safety and shares
“Do your people feel good about the ways your organization contributes to the community?” This Great Place to Work question doesn’t ask the employee to rate how well they believe
Does everyone in your organization have the opportunity to get special recognition? I really value this particular question on the Great Place to Work survey, because I am always enlightened
In your culture, are managers approachable and easy to talk to? This question from the Great Place to Work (GPTW) institute highlights the importance of leadership approachability in workplace culture.
On September 30th, Rich Berens and I were invited to a meeting at the White House focusing on how to create sustainable business practices that are good for stakeholders and
The cover story of the April 2016 Harvard Business Review (HBR) issue carried the headline, “You Can’t Fix Culture,” which challenged traditional views on corporate culture. That same month, the
“Bright spots” does not equal best practices. We sat down with research managers Kari Terzino and Sam Need for a behind-the-scenes look at the process and methods Root uses to
Emotional Intelligence, or EQ (Emotional Quotient) as it is commonly called, emerged as a hot topic back in the mid-1980s. Yet, today EQ is more relevant than it’s ever been
We sat down with two Root executives this month – Founder and CEO Jim Haudan and Consultant (and millennial) Kara Davidson – to discuss personal purpose. Here’s what they had
Have you ever dated someone and come to the realization a few weeks into the relationship that the actual version of the person you’re dating is actually quite different than
Companies often have a hard time understanding why their junior or mid-level staff is frustrated with the direction of the company or with senior management. There is no shortage of
Scott Thompson was Yahoo’s CEO for only four months last year before he was fired for listing a bachelor’s degree in computer science that he didn’t have on his resume.
Many organizations attempt to create a climate of accountability with robust performance management systems. The hope is that by building clarity and accountability into the rollout of enterprise strategies and
College Basketball. UCLA. Ten NCAA National Championship titles in 12 years, seven of those consecutively. Coach: John Robert Wooden. Known For: A focus on team play. Pro Football. 1972 Miami
I love a good provocative philosophical debate! A classic example: Are we who we are because of nature or nurture? Most people will say it’s both, but some vehemently take
Yogi Berra once said, “You can observe a lot just by watching.” On a plane last week, the second we touched down, I observed most people around me switch on
When we think about the “future of workplace learning,” it sounds like a big, heady topic best left to the academic elite to solve. But I would beg to differ
In 1993, Nobel Prize-winning Israeli psychologist Daniel Kahneman and American social psychologist Barbara Frederickson, along with two other noted psychologists, authored a paper providing evidence of what is known as
What ensures a brand’s survival? It’s not just about your product or service. And it takes more than a clever marketing or social media strategy. After all, the buzz created
My new book, Blowing Up the Box: Disrupting the Customer Experience, came out a few weeks ago. In honor of this, I’m starting a video series where each month I’ll
At this point, we’ve spent months dealing with COVID-19 and most businesses have reopened in varying degrees. Along with this, we’ve seen a variety of health and safety policies put
Three out of four Americans have had their health care use disrupted due to COVID-19. Caution over patient and provider safety has resulted in delayed care and canceled visits that
I’ve been a road warrior for the past 30 years, traveling three to five days a week, domestically and internationally, to consult with clients and speak at events and conferences.
It’s interesting how a crisis amplifies the need to change the way you’ve been operating. In a recent conversation with my colleague Gary Magenta, we realized there’s a radical shift
“Contactless” or “touchless” experiences are the new normal in several industries today. Banking, retail, food service, hospitality, and health care organizations are all finding new ways to deliver superior customer
The age-old handshake needs to be reinvented. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shaking hands or giving hugs when you greet someone is likely a thing of the past. This pandemic
Shaking hands has been a way of greeting one another for thousands of years. Yes, we’ve had other ways – the high-five, the fist bump, the elbow bump – but
Creating a Culture of Change Fanatics I’ve been hearing a lot of grumblings lately that people, at every level of business, are tired of change. They are experiencing “change fatigue”
With advancements in technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), the customer experience landscape is rapidly changing. Instead of needing live contact center agents to answer every call
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m passionate about customer experience in both my work life and personal life. It’s in my blood. My grandparents owned a mom-and-pop shop that
Several years ago, I was part of the executive team at a technology company. My role, leading our customer experience team, gave me a unique insight into just how easy
The importance of problem-solving in customer experience: from me, your customer An open letter to the waitress who rolled her eyes at me and gave me a lecture last week.
Customer experience has come a long way. Once only a focus of retailers, it has now become a top priority of almost every industry, including healthcare and education. There are
One cold, Midwestern December a few years ago, I told my wife that I was done with putting up our two Christmas trees – I didn’t want to do it
My title at work is Chief Change Architect and I focus on helping organizations through the why, what, and how of change – I love my work and I love
I love food. So much, in fact, that in the right setting and given the right circumstance, I will pay through the nose to satisfy a craving or round off
You know what happens when you book a flight from DTW to SFO with about a week’s notice? You end up in a middle seat. Luckily, because I’m a high-ranking
How many of you really watch the airplane safety video? For the last few years, I can honestly say I’ve watched them a bunch. And, no, I’m not a nervous
When we talk about customer experience (CX), most of the time we’re talking about the experiences that customers have with businesses, also known as business-to-consumer (B2C) experiences. We’re talking about
Research shows that consumers make 70% of their purchases based on how they’re treated. And – scarily for you – they’re more than twice as likely to share stories (and
A couple of weeks ago, I headed to Europe for a little R & R, and of course some good old-fashioned consumerism. If you follow my blog you know that
In my last blog about the airline industry and its recent customer experience challenges, I talked about the possibility of Congress trying to legislate the industry. The bottom line, from
(This is part two in a three-part series. See the first blog here) Open any news source and you are bound to see another story about drama between a traveler
I teamed up with my colleague Bridget Stallkamp for this post. She’s a people-related insights guru and a wise friend who, like me, is on a quest for better customer
Just like anyone with a pulse and Internet access, I have been closely following the United Airlines saga. No, not the leggings fiasco. Nope, not the scorpion falling out of
I finally saw Hamilton in New York City after trying for over a year to get tickets. It was, as billed, simply amazing. And if you read my blog post,
Patient experience is a significant topic in the healthcare world. According to HealthLeaders Media, 84 percent of healthcare leaders rank patient experience among their top three priorities. And over the
How I Learned About the Best Croissants and Moroccan Food in Queens In early February, I wrote about the powerful micro-connection I had with an agent at Atlanta’s Hartsfield airport.
What happened when the agent told me, “I’ve checked your bag to Jamaica” When I ask people why they love Starbucks, Chipotle, Zappos, or any other CX stand-out brand, they
I am a big fan of hip hop and rap music. Huge, actually. My love started with an early obsession with old-school R&B. Yes, you may find me singing along,
In a recent blog about technology-enabled customer experiences, I introduced the concept of the “microtouchpoint” and its importance on delivering a great customer experience in a technology-enabled world. Think for
3 Tips to Practice Today Have you heard about the super-flock of super-chickens? In her TED talk called “Why it’s time to forget the pecking order at work,” Margaret Heffernan,
If you’ve been following my blog lately, you know that I have started a grassroots campaign to help businesses see the impact their CX is having on their customers and
As I rang in my birthday a couple weeks ago, the CRM-churned emails and text messages began rolling in. One by one my inbox and phone were flooded with birthday
What’s your favorite brand or retailer? I can hear many of your responses: Starbucks (or Dunkin Donuts if I’m in the Northeast – or Biggby if I’m in my hometown
I’m populating my blog with real stories, about customer experiences I am having in my everyday life. My last couple of examples have really shined a light on some challenging
Many people have hobbies, some more adventurous than others. Sometimes I bump into my neighbor, Jean, in the elevator of our building. A stout 70-something woman, she is often carrying
How long is 30 seconds? Okay, yes, it’s half a minute. But what does 30 seconds really mean to the customer experience? Sometimes, not that much. Like if your cocktail
Customer Experience (CX) has moved beyond buzzword status. Today almost all organizations are laser-focused on trying to deliver customer experiences that truly differentiate their businesses. By that I mean creating
What does being a patient have to do with being a customer? Everything! Retailing has transcended consumer products and is now a part of the way we “shop” across a
Remember when every place was like Cheers? Where everybody knew your name? And that’s not all. They also knew your favorite order, your likes, your dislikes and probably a bit
Patient experience is not about smiles and making people happy. Yes, it’s possible to put a smile on a patient’s face though a warm handshake, better eye contact, or a
You might think you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to creating amazing experiences for your customers. You’ve put the right people in place, shaped the customer experience strategy,
Seventy-seven percent of organizations do not engage employees in the customer experience design process. Seventy-six percent do not provide customer experience training. That means less than a quarter of companies
Even in an omnichannel world, most of us view frontline employees as the final frontier in the customer experience. They’re greeting people entering your storefronts and restaurants, processing transactions, answering
I have a question for all of the company leaders out there: Do you really have a finger on the pulse of the customer experience you’re delivering? I’m sure you’re
You probably think you’re pretty focused on delivering a stellar customer experience. You have a great brand, loyal customers, and you make decisions with them in mind. But, answer this:
Customers are a finicky bunch. It only takes one bad experience to destroy loyalty to a brand. Businesses everywhere are looking to earn and keep the loyalty of customers, and
We customers are a finicky bunch. It only takes one bad experience to destroy our loyalty to a brand. Think about your own buying habits. How have they changed over
If you’ve been focusing on operational excellence or innovative product development, maybe it’s time to take a look at your company’s ideas about exceeding customers’ expectations. Last summer, a survey
Problem solving. That’s what we do. Given the nature of our business, when we’re working with a new customer, we’re often tempted to jump right to visualization – to show
While preparing for a new calendar year is nothing new, the challenges facing leaders this year are unlike those in the past. Work as we knew it shifted greatly in
At this point in our careers, we’re likely well-versed in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). According to Oxford Language, a Key Performance Indicator is “a quantifiable measure used to evaluate the
It’s no secret that organizations have put extra emphasis on change, change management, and change adoption. For over 100 years, change management has been studied, observed, and hypothesized. From the
When it comes to retaining employees, one of the most effective tactics an organization can leverage is offering people access to compelling learning and development initiatives. Employees recognize that training
Recently Accenture released a report, The Human Paradox: From Customer Centricity to Life Centricity, detailing the current mindset of consumers. After surveying over 25,000 people across 22 countries and conducting
Accountability may be the single most common response when leaders are asked to define the one aspect of their organizational culture that they would like to change. Leaders often comment
Have you heard of a flea circus? Well believe it or not, in the mid to late 1800s, the flea circus was a popular attraction, particularly in England and Germany,
Since co-founding Root, I’ve spent the last three decades with a front row seat as organizations around the world plan, define, and attempt to activate their strategic futures. Our teams
Retaining great employees has never been as important or as challenging as it is in 2022. A recent Harvard Business Review article revealed that 30% of new employees have left
We spend a great deal of time with frontline team members in our work in retail, hotels, and restaurants. Many of these team members are new to the workforce and
I’ve interacted with dozens of executive teams in my career, and it always happens. The seven, 10, or more men and women on the executive team each have an IQ
Did you know that learners forget 70% of training content within 24 hours and nearly 90% of what they learned after a month? Sad, but true. Accenture’s report Meeting the
It’s the start of 2022, and we’re still living through a global pandemic. One impact of this in the business world has been a steady stream of job resignations. In
So you’ve hired new people during The Great Resignation. Congratulations—you are now the “better culture” your new hires were seeking. Can you live up to the hype? What makes a
Over the past two years, leaders have been put to the test. They’ve had to keep their organizations afloat amid challenges no one saw coming. Executives everywhere have been forced
According to a Harvard study, 85 percent of professional success comes from people skills. Therefore it’s a logical conclusion that one will have a very difficult, if not impossible time,
The current business environment seems to be making things pretty tricky for managers. With the business world operating in a variety of models — from everyone working from home, to
When we started Root 30-plus years ago, we really didn’t know exactly where our adventure would take us. Our future state was a work in progress. The journey took many
I recently came across several articles discussing how Generation X is being perceived as “unhireable” amid this Great Resignation. According to a CNBC article, “Rapid digital adoption during the pandemic
As a consultant to organizations that span all industries and have employees based on every continent around the world, I’ve witnessed my fair share of leadership successes and mistakes. I’ve
My last post covered how organizations must adapt to the needs and wants of today’s employees, because what worked in the past to attract and retain talent won’t be effective
Hi, again. In our first blog in this series, we talked about why unconscious bias training efforts are often considered to be a complete waste of time and resources. Then,
The workplace has changed considerably in the past year. Many leaders, myself included, have seen great things come out of what appeared to be a worst-case work scenario. And despite
Unconscious bias training doesn’t work. That’s the headline for over 400 studies and numerous postings, articles, and presentations. Yes, some training is better than others, to be sure, but after
One year into the pandemic, we’ve done the unthinkable. We’ve pivoted our businesses practically overnight. We’ve survived different and difficult work conditions, strained living conditions, and restrictions on our movements
Leaders in 2021 are facing a major challenge: how to keep their teams engaged and pushing forward despite the tidal wave of change the global pandemic has set in motion.
My sixth-grade science teacher, Mr. Davis, was a bit eccentric, which made for some great quotable moments. Often, as we started a lab assignment, he would declare, “Take your time,
By now we’ve all realized that the world can’t just stop. We must keep plodding forward in our work and in our everyday lives, which can admittedly be a challenge
Over the last twenty years, my organization has had numerous opportunities to watch and participate in change efforts that have engaged the hearts and minds of people to deliver great
Most aspiring leaders want to have an impact, possibly be recognized as an expert or guru, and maybe even be toasted at a company or industry event for making a
Strategy without execution is meaningless. Execution without engagement is impossible. Jim Haudan Sounds pretty profound, doesn’t it? When you read the words, and look closely at their meaning, they’re so
I’ve been working since I was 16 years old. Now, as a 33-year-old woman, I’ve advanced my career and earned the financial rewards that come with hard work and business
Most people don’t like to admit it, even if they know deep down that it’s true. Discomfort often leads to great things. And this translates to leadership too. In fact,
Unless you practice the act of collaboration with intention, you’ll find yourself having back-and-forth debate or discussion, where your main priority is sharing your personal views. Interestingly, the word “debate”
Here’s an assumption I’m making – you’ve got your communication strategy nailed down for the change you’re engaging in. Having cohesive messaging that all leaders are aligned on is critical
The COVID-19 pandemic has barrelled its way across the globe, leaving social, economic, financial – and in some cases, political – devastation in its wake. But there’s something else that
Every year, the Edelman Trust Barometer releases a study on the global landscape of trust in institutions. The Spring 2020 update, which shared the results of a survey of taken
As the pandemic continues, Root cofounder Jim Haudan sits down with two of the healthcare industry’s respected, experienced, and successful leaders – Dr. Rick Lofgren, president and CEO of UC
Over the past few months I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with a number of chief human resource officers and talent leaders. After these conversations, I am invigorated and optimistic
Recently, Root Inc. co-founder Jim Haudan met via video conference with Jim Boomgard, president and chief executive officer of DAI: International Development, and Joe Morgan, seasoned CEO, advisor and strategist,
Today’s world’s is tough for your people. Lots of change. Lots of uncertainty. To equip employees with the right knowledge, behaviors, and skills to keep them engaged, motivated and productive,
Wow, what a ride! For those of you connected to talent development, you know what we’re talking about – and for those of you in other disciplines, you can probably
Some organizations emerge from a crisis stronger and more ready to thrive than they were before the crisis arrived. The big differentiator that separates them from companies that falter is
Creating a Culture of Change Fanatics I’ve been hearing a lot of grumblings lately that people, at every level of business, are tired of change. They are experiencing “change fatigue”
One of the cool things about consulting is that you get to see a lot, take a lot of notes, gather insights, and take those insights to your clients to
With advancements in technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), the customer experience landscape is rapidly changing. Instead of needing live contact center agents to answer every call
Root Inc. recently ran a survey asking members of the workforce to name their organization’s top priority for 2020. We expected answers such as grow shareholder value, manage costs more
Several years ago, I was part of the executive team at a technology company. My role, leading our customer experience team, gave me a unique insight into just how easy
Whether your business is booming or going through a rough patch, just having the word “recession” bandied about can cause angst for your employees. Because the economy is a never-ending
“What did you do today that made you feel stupid?” is a question I was recently asked. I paused, taken aback and puzzled by the phrasing and intent of the
One of the things I like to do in my free time is home projects. Some are small; others are fairly big endeavors. They typically involve woodworking and have included
Decision-making within an organization can be a sticky subject. Emotion and opinion are at play, which can cloud facts and impede forward motion to the end result. It seems more
Given the number of decisions that leaders must make every day, you would expect that through repetition and practice they would continue to take their decision-making capability to higher levels
Traditionally, talent leaders have been split into two groups: either buying talent development solutions or building them internally. I know I’m simplifying here, but generally, talent leaders have had a
Below is a guest blog from Robert E. Quinn, author, Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business and co-founder of the Center for Positive Organizations at
If you’ve ever written a report or spoken in front of a group, whether for your classmates in Communications 101 or fellow C-suite executives, one tactic you’ve surely used is
While there are many buzzwords clouding the business world, one that is making a lot of noise at the current time is Purpose. More than ever before employees and consumers
Dialogue is at the root of all effective engagement and group action. This statement seems straightforward enough. Communicate with your peers and teams and you’ll be effective! Surprisingly, however, it’s
There are many different ideas about the characteristics a person must possess or develop to become successful. At the top of many people’s lists are traits like integrity and self-confidence.
From THE SECRET SCIENCE OF MEETINGS by Steven G. Rogelberg Copyright Steven G. Rogelberg Published by Oxford University Press Reprinted with permission Meetings are not in and of themselves problematic.
When Root’s leaders, Jim Haudan and Rich Berens, wrote their book What Are Your Blind Spots? Conquering the 5 Misconceptions that Hold Leaders Back I was intrigued. After all, advising
Kevin M. Hoffman wrote the book Meeting Design for Managers, Makers, and Everyone with a simple goal in mind: helping people have meetings that empower better work. Knowing your own
I recently read in Harvard Business Review an imaginary case study posed in the form of a question: Can You Fix a Toxic Culture Without Firing People? At the end
I’ve been in the learning field for a long time, but I’m new to Root. One of the great things about working here is that sometimes work doesn’t feel like
Think about the last time you were at dinner with a group of friends and you witnessed two people trying to talk through a tough issue. How did it go?
I have been an artist at Root Inc. for 20 years, and for 20 years people have been telling me how I’m doing my job wrong. That may sound awful,
We live in a polarizing world of OR. We must decide to… Cheer for Ohio State OR Michigan Identify as progressive OR conservative Support secure borders OR immigration In each
Growing up, coaches everywhere would say, “practice makes perfect.” But here’s the truth – it doesn’t! My dad was the first to realize that the quote, although it sounded nice
My days often consist of a visit to a client’s office. A strategy meeting is underway and the room is filled with fervor and possibility. HR folks, the CEO, and
Recently, we’ve been thinking about all the different ingredients that go into creating real change that sticks at work. It’s universally hard – no doubt about it. But at least
Six Steps to Planning the Workshop of Your Dreams Hey. It’s Holly and Jamie, your Root Workshop Learning Design gurus. In this article, we’re going to share our point of
This is an excerpt from Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing Our Minds for the Better. I have one caveat to offer. If you were hoping to
There are people who seem to be born with natural leadership and management skills, and are therefore able to obtain leadership positions faster than others. Research from the University of
If you think the marketing world is trying to pull one over on you today, then you need to pull up some old school ads. Boy oh boy, we were
The topic of Talent Management is a broad, but extremely critical one that can mean a lot of different things to different people. It encompasses attracting, selecting, engaging, developing, and
In my three prior blogs on this topic, I emphasized three main points: Implicit bias is wired into who we are; don’t attempt to eradicate it. Instead, allow employees to
Football, bloody hell. Somebody pinch me. For the first time since 1990, England is possibly only two games away from an unlikely World Cup win. For my American friends, you
“I’m sorry. I messed up. I was wrong.” These words aren’t easy for most of us to say. Even when we see how we might have erred, we typically don’t
I’ve always been a late adopter of new technology. I resisted smartphones for years because I didn’t want to have constant access to email or social media. Now, if I
Several years ago, I was part of the executive team at a technology company. My role, leading our customer experience team, gave me a unique insight into just how easy
We’ve all experienced it before. A new piece of technology is introduced that’s designed to make the workforce faster, smarter, and more efficient. After months of planning and painful integration,
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