Nimble Leader Volume I


Book Description

Throughout Nimble Leader (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term. In Volume I: Create Unrelenting Focus On Achieving Results, you are exposed to the 'five touchpoints' that meld strategy with leadership behavior to deliver outstanding business results: (1) Market Position – what you stand for in the minds of your customers – is EVERYTHING; (2) Your ability to 'give and receive' information sits at the epicenter of decision-making, speed, execution, and performance; (3) Six variables! A quantitative and facile understanding of how Market Position relates to Price management, Volume sales, product and service Mix, Cost expenditures, and Working Capital management is absolutely essential to delivering tangible business results; (4) A quest to build self-awareness within, among, and across leaders in your organization is the starting point to effecting change in leadership behavior; (5) Practice, practice, practice. Then . . . practice some more. Think of one example of demonstrated excellence where practice was not a critical element in achieving excellence. Not possible! Volume I of Nimble Leader represents a synopsis, a CliffsNotes, of the entire Nimble Leader Series. We give you everything, up front! The five touchpoints are then expounded upon in much greater depth in Volumes II – VI. In reading Volume I of Nimble Leader, you are provided the flexibility to choose additional volumes that warrant further drilldown, exploration, and reflection – at your own pace!




Getting to Nimble


Book Description

Gain competitive advantage by adopting the best practices of established companies such as FedEx and CarMax, who successfully transformed their practices around people, processes, technology, internal partnerships and external networks.




Be Nimble


Book Description

Marty Strong's direct and compelling message is focused on business but in truth, its leadership tenets are agnostic as to industry, marketplace, private or public setting. This is not a textbook. It is a personal conversation between a high-performance business leader and professionals searching for actionable insights that deliver results. Be Nimble provides mentorship, tips, tools, and useful examples to help drive home its valuable leadership insights. Marty Strong has an accomplished leadership career spanning four decades. He worked his way from enlisted SEAL Team member to the SEAL Officer corps, retiring with twenty years’ service in that highly-decorated and esteemed military unit. He is the author of the Time Warrior Sagas and the SEAL Strike Series.




FLEX


Book Description

Learn to navigate disruption and embrace change as an opportunity to grow and succeed. Never before has it been so urgent to understand how today's trends are shaping tomorrow’s labor force. As seismic shifts continue to change America's world of work in unprecedented ways, leaders must adapt to the rapidly evolving workplace using creative solutions for recruiting, engaging, and retaining a skilled workforce. Forward-thinking 'disruptors' who respond quickly to the new business environment will attract more talent, win more customers, and gain greater profits than those who make assumptions based on what has worked in the past. FLEX: A Leader's Guide to Staying Nimble and Mastering Transformative Change in the American Workplace is your real-world guide to harnessing the power of change to increase employee satisfaction and secure long-term success in the marketplace. Rick Grimaldi, a labor relations attorney with decades of experience helping businesses respond effectively during pivotal moments, shares his valuable insights on the surprising and fundamental ways the world of work is reinventing itself. Learn to: Avoid common pitfalls in today's cultural revolution Foster the creative education and training needed for tomorrow's workforce Adapt to a world becoming defined by technology and artificial intelligence Lead meaningfully on climate change and global health concerns Set the stage for creative collaboration and communication Disregard outdated assumptions when making decisions Responded quickly with new policies and procedures Communicate with sensitivity and transparency Address uncomfortable organizational culture issues Be prepared for the disruptions that will inevitably come Whether you lead a large corporation or own a small family business or you are the policy maker, FLEX: A Leader's Guide to Staying Nimble and Mastering Transformative Change in the American Workplace is your real-world blueprint for leading a profitable, healthy company into an ever-evolving future.




Quick and Nimble


Book Description

More than two hundred CEOs reveal their candid insights on how to build and foster a corporate culture that encourages innovation and drives results In Quick and Nimble, Adam Bryant draws on interviews with more than two hundred CEOs to offer business leaders the wisdom and guidance to move an organization faster, to be quick and nimble, and to rekindle the whatever-it-takes collective spark of a start-up workplace, all with the goal of innovating and thriving in a relentlessly challenging global economy. By analyzing the lessons that these leaders have shared in his regular "Corner Office" feature in The New York Times, Bryant has identified the biggest drivers of corporate culture, bringing them to life with real-world examples that reflect this hard-earned wisdom. These men and women—whose ranks include Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn, Tony Hsieh of Zappos, Angie Hicks of Angie's List, Steve Case of Revolution (and formerly AOL), and Amy Gutmann of the University of Pennsylvania—offer useful insights and strategies for creating a corporate culture of innovation and building a high-performing organization that unleashes the passion and energy of its employees. As the world shifts to more of a knowledge economy, the winners will be companies that can attract and retain the best and brightest employees by creating an environment where they can grow, contribute, and feel rewarded. Through the wisdom of these leading chief executives, Quick and Nimble offers a keen understanding of leadership, recruiting, and the forces that shape corporate culture and a clear road map to bring success and energy to any organization.




Nimble


Book Description

"Nimble shows how we can anticipate and adapt to an increasingly chaotic world--and become better leaders, strategists, and innovators along the way." --Adam Grant, bestselling author of Originals Cutting-edge insights for succeeding in times of chaotic change Today's world is best described by one word: turbulence. Every leader today knows they need to be nimble, agile and resilient--but how? In this engaging and insightful new book, management strategist and Wharton Fellow Baba Prasad sheds new light on the subject, and offers practical advice for executives, entrepreneurs, and anyone else who'll need the skills to face the unpredictability, risk, and deep uncertainty that lies ahead. Filled with vivid examples and insights from around the world and throughout history - from the Brazilian rainforest and the "frugal innovation" of 19th century Indian engineers to Ericsson, Lego, Burt's Bees, and Zara--Nimble reveals what sets the most nimble leaders and organizations apart from the competition, presenting five types of agility that help individuals and companies not just survive but thrive in times of great change: Analytical agility: Understanding the real problem Operational agility: Driving leadership through action Innovative agility: Finding creative solutions when you need them most Communicative agility: Solving problems together Visionary agility: Going beyond the here and now It is possible to embrace change and uncertainty without sacrificing innovation and growth. Nimble shows you how.




Nimble Leader Volume IV


Book Description

Throughout Nimble Leader (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term. In Volume IV: Boring Numbers? Make Them Sing and Dance!, you will move from the foundational importance of defining Market Position to the critical relevance of understanding financial statements. Different groups within different organizations speak their own language; and oftentimes, they develop a world view that is shaped by their experiences. However, if you speak 'sales', you may not speak 'engineering'. If you speak 'operations', you may not speak 'new product development'. The one language that cuts across all of the different groups is the language of numbers, and in particular, financial numbers. Volume IV of Nimble Leader demystifies financial statements and key measures of business performance. You are exposed to the numbers – the financials – through the eyes of a 'business operator'. Business operators only value the financials to the extent they provide assistance in making better business decisions. They focus only on those numbers over which they have the ability to impact. In reading Volume IV of Nimble Leader you will make the connection between strong financial results, a strong Market Position, and the act of positioning your business to uniquely and specifically address customer need!




Nimble Leader Volume V


Book Description

Throughout Nimble Leader (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term. In Volume V: Tools for Profit, you will explore axioms for improving business results. Collectively – Market Position, Price, Volume, Mix, Cost, and Operating Working Capital represent what we call the Tools for Profit. They are all interrelated. Together, they represent a powerful framework for how you think, analyze, discuss, and act upon your business in ways that result in improved business performance, improved Operating Profit and improved Cash-flow . . . the lifeblood of every business. The greater the level of 'common' understanding of the Tools for Profit by employees within and across your business's functional areas, the greater the speed, flexibility, and depth of response your organization has relative to how you respond to fast-changing market pressures in a dynamic world. In reading Volume V of Nimble Leader, you will focus on making money! You will learn to relate Market Position – what you stand for in the minds of your customers – to the Price you charge; the Volume of products and services you sell; the Mix of your offering; the Cost you incur to grow your business; and the amount of Operating Working Capital – short term investment – required to support the ongoing operation of your business. At a very fundamental level, you will also learn the 'relative' financial impact of deploying the different Tools for Profit in pursuit of profitable business. You will even explore the impact and power of the dreaded price increase – the most powerful Tool for Profit!




Nimble Leader Volume VI


Book Description

Throughout Nimble Leader (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term. In Volume VI: Results Matter!, you will shift your attention from theory to application. As Winston Churchill said, "It is no use saying, 'We are doing our best.' You have to succeed in doing what is necessary." Like waves lapping the shoreline, certain activities will generate Operating Profit and Cash-flow, only to recede with the need for new waves to take their place. Short-term, you might generate profit and CASH through actions in the areas of Cost reduction and Working Capital management. Mid-term, you might generate profit and CASH through growing Volume and the judicious use of the Price increase. Long-term, you need to infuse the market with new products that ultimately alter product and service Mix, replenishing the streams of Operating Profit and Cash-flow at higher margin. When you think about managing your business to higher more profitable ground, the process can be messy and the outcome uncertain. However, if you fail to take risk, you run the risk of missing out on significant opportunities that might add to your bottom line. Understanding the Tools for Profit and the relationships between Market Position, Price, Volume, Mix, Cost and Working Capital management is not the same as applying the Tools for Profit. Understanding the Tools for Profit implies the skill to take action. Applying the Tools for Profit implies the will to take action. In reading Volume VI of Nimble Leader, you will learn specific steps and explore different examples that will assist you in applying the Tools for Profit to improve your business performance!




Nimble Leader Volume III


Book Description

Throughout Nimble Leader (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term. In Volume III: Position Your Business, you will harness the power of alternative perspectives. Market Position and positioning your business is everything! Do it well, and like a tree planted by still waters, your business will grow, flourish, and expand at a dramatic rate. You will reap significant rewards in customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, first-to-market innovation, strong brand identity, and a vibrant organizational climate as happy employees – who can hardly wait to get to work because they are involved in something bigger than themselves – serve the needs of customers who would be at a loss without the products and services offered by your company. In reading Volume III of Nimble Leader, you will explore both a roadmap and a process to help mark your way as you position your business. You will move from theory to application. You will learn how to deconstruct closely held perspectives; uncover the value of different points of view; and then use this understanding of value to build a robust Statement of Market Position – the signature identity for your business in a crowded and noisy marketplace. Importantly, you will link what your business stands for in the minds of your customers to what they are willing to pay for your company's products and services. The CASH transaction is the great clarifier. Customers will only execute the sale if they believe what they are getting is of greater value than what they are giving up – namely CASH. Volume III of Nimble Leader makes this critical connection.