I love Peter Drucker, always have, always will.
I started learning Druckerisms early in my career since he was a favorite consultant of my former boss, Gerry Leeds. http://leeds.colorado.edu/About_Leeds/interior.aspx?id=238
Drucker believed that every three years every company had to take a look at their “Theory of Business.” That theory is made up of the assumptions the company makes about their customers, their core competencies and the environment they operate in. Clearly every three years is now way too long to wait to do that since the environment is changing so rapidly. (Even my recommendation of every 18 months seems too long now.)
So last Friday morning, the first work day of the new year, I started out at breakfast with Jaynie Smith, author of “Competitive Advantage.” http://smartadvantage.com
During the course of our conversation, Jaynie asked me if I wanted some feedback, and of course I replied in the affirmative.
I’m not sure of the exact words she said but what I heard was “What the hell are you doing?”
Gulp.
I knew what she meant.
I’ve been so excited about my new found love – Positive Psychology – and my new workshops on the Positive Leader, that I seemed to have lost my focus on my core competency – helping companies achieve more profitability through customer loyalty.
Of course we all know that leadership plays a HUGE role in how employees treat the customers, and of course we all know that people that feel good at work are more productive and perform better than those that are unhappy at work. Of course we all know that it’s all connected in one big circle.
Lately though, I’ve been forgetting to close that circle and make sure that all I do is in service of my core competency – helping coming create positive customer caring companies that thrive.
So in addition to the new programs in positive leadership, you will see a renewed passions for customer focused topics this year as well.
And it’s just the right time – for – glory be! The marketplace is clamoring for better customer loyalty.
http://adage.com/cmostrategy/article?article_id=133521
Is the business world ready to put its resources (that’s time, attention and money) where its mouth is? We’ll see.
