The Change Dude’s Blog

Home to Bob Caruso Beware the Shiny Object

Recast, Renew and Reinvigorate

Over the past week I’ve jumped from my home in Southern California to Boston, Houston and Philadelphia.  In every airport throngs of travelers were on their way to and from Spring getaways.  They went off to renew their spirit in places that took them far from home and offered a new perspective.  What a wonderful thing to do.  Step back from the daily rigors and just take a deep breath.

Take a Break

I suggest my clients do the same.  After having experienced one of the most devastating six months for the economy in generations it’s time to step back from the spreadsheets and take a fresh look at your business.  Remove your faces from the bark lining those big scarry trees and get up on the balcony to overlook the whole darned forest.  In taking the time to break away with your leadership team at a simple one day off-site to take stock of where the organization stands,without the numbers staring you in the face,  the opportunity to look ahead is wondrous.

No,the path isn’t clear quite yet, their are still some challenges ahead.  Some pruning and clearing continues.  Your mind has a short respite where people and strategy win the day.  Focus on those that are in the organziation and how they can feel renewed by the Spring that’s on it’s way.  Focus on what the 2010 strategy for growth will look like.  Recast the future prospect through the eyes of your customers and employees.  Then bring the new energy to your business.  Wear a Hawaiian shirt this Friday.  Invite everyone in your organization to do the same.  Have a potato chip and punch luau in the conference room.

Surprisingly, this little bit of relief from the winter might put everyone in a better frame to conquer the challenges of the day.

Bottom line…have some fun

March 20, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Game On -Time to Renew

Wall Street has made some postive gains over the past week with some confidence in the equity markets and businesses throughout the country.  This confidence is a clear result of the dramatic changes business has made to reduce costs and reposition themselves for the post bubble economy.  As we prepare to exit Q1 ’09 the organizations that have made these changes are begining to see the real result of these decisions.

As confidence begins to grow the time is now to strategically renew organizations.  Renewal through the execution of positive messages throughout the business.  Renewal through aligning customer relationships to the new look and feel.  Renewal through revised incentive structures for all the members of the business that contribute.  Renewal through putting in place plans and strategies to lever a thinner, less experienced staff to meet the dramatic challenges that lay ahead.

Every client interaction I’ve had over the past three months began with these words “we’re going through a significant transition”  the transition has only just begun.  The final outcome looks a lot like the NCAA tournament – one and done – when relationships are not maintained strategically. It’s game on to renew relationships with all your stakeholders, take this opportunity and invest boldly in building trust and confidence today.

March 17, 2009 Posted by | Thinking About Change | Leave a comment

Voice of the Customer Excellence

Having the opportunity to join an esteemed group of customer experience professionals last week to discuss and debate methods and tools for bringing the voice of the customer to life for organizations was invigorating.  Despite the weather being artic like, brrrr….the company was exceptional.  Here’s what I walked away with…Bain’s Net Promoter Score is taking over the world!!!  Almost to a person every organization represented uses a version of NPS to measure their engagment with customers.  The good news is that NPS has provided an easy C-Level metric that can be tracked and reviewed with folks that have a lot on their mind.  On the bad news front…NPS scores are not particularly diagnostic.  Oops, our NPS is down, now what?

Well that answer is a little more complex requiring a much more robust set of metrics and research than one question.  All the conferees agreed and each has significant additional research supporting the overall NPS score.  I’m encouraged every day that business in listening to their customers and taking stock of how best to deliver on the brand promise. 

Transformational change needs a stimulus.  The customer’s voice is a powerful tool for inciting change. 

Keep listening!

March 16, 2009 Posted by | Thinking About Customers, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Trust No-One – Sound Familiar?

In prepping for a talk I’m doing this week to a bunch of marketing folks in Boston I ran across Edelman’s latest Trust Barometer http://www.edelman.com/trust/2009/.  Edelman is a major PR firm that does this survey annually and guess what – Trust is down, like way down, like lower than after the Enron debacle.  Apparently the changes that took place late last year have driven everyone to look left and look right and decide – I don’t trust these people!  Now isn’t that amazing…  Mulder and Sculley have made us all converts. 

Change happens quickly - Just Keep Flyin

Change happens quickly - Just Keep Flyin

So I ask myself, Is this really a surprise to anyone?  Certainly not to me.  As the ultimate believer that change is good –I see this as just another indicator that when the road curves unexpectedly most folks lose faith in the map. 

Advice to those that have lost faith and trust in business and government:

1. All humans make decisions that are driven either out of fear or greed – TRUST THAT

2. When someone makes a decision or takes and action that directly effects you personally without asking for your opinion or approval we HATE it – TRUST THAT

3. Neither business nor government has your personal interest in mind unless of course it meets their immediate need for control or financial gain – TRUST THAT

4. You have the final power to either accept the fact that business leaders and the government control how you live your life or ensure that as all these people you have no control over only provide inputs to how you morph your life to the previous 3 realities. -TRUST THAT

Each day brings a new sunshine that no living being has complete control over.  We do have control over how we act in response to the changes that are always happening around us.  Nothing is static or even particularly predictable.  Your ability to accept the inputs of the day, process those inputs using your own wet-ware (brain including all the embedded moral, ethical and survival firmware) and take positive action is unique to the creatures living on this planet we must use it wisely.

My father Busty the Wise routinely reminded me of his observation “believe none of what you hear and half of what you see” .

March 11, 2009 Posted by | Thinking About Change | Leave a comment

Isn’t Change Great!!!

The universe as we know it changes and morphs every millisecond and we humans have very little control over the whole stinkin’ thing.  In spite of that, we higher thinking mammals have every bit of control over how we respond to all the changes around us. 

I am stoked by the opportunities that evolve with the massive changes occuring in the world today.  When stuff changes it’s time to sit back and renew.  Renew committments, Renew friendships, Renew personal goals, Renew thinking, Renew it all.

Between the media’s constant drumbeat of global economic meltdown and the new administration’s fear mongering let’s all get together and remind these sensationalists that in fact “Change Happens“.  Yesterday ain’t today and tomorrow is about how we respond to today.  Let’s change the language.  Replace the fear with hope.  I’m not saying sugar coat the realities of the challenges.  I am saying speak of the realities and of the opportunity. 

 Jump Into Change...Today

Take a step forward today…Renew the spirit and energy of yourself and those around you by using postive words and taking postive actions.  

Through this blog I’ll be relating my experiences with people and organizations that may be helpful in navigating the changing landscape.

February 20, 2009 Posted by | Thinking About Change | 1 Comment

    Next Entries »