An Excessive Need to Be Me
When someone says, “this is just how I am”, what are they actually saying? What do they mean and are we ok with such a response? It could be considered that…
Back in the Black
We normally steer away from sporting analogies mostly because we have never reached the level of elite athletes and also because that space is well catered for by…
Building a Winning CRM Strategy
“Getting the right product, to the right customer, at the right time, via the right channel at the right price supported by excellent customer service” is the…
Last Minute Larceny
Leaving things to the last minute is a recipe for disaster and it causes stress, anxiety and often a series of corners have been cut. Quality suffers and often there…
Take an Aspirin
Ever felt that there is so much going on that your head is about to explode? Well believe it or not, Exploding Head Syndrome is a real condition! The physician Silas…
The Customer Management Myth
Our view on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is unambiguous. For us it is all about getting the right product, to the right customer, at the right time, via…
Competitive Urgency
A key to success for progressive companies is a sense of competitive urgency. The fact is that despite the amount of money spent on leadership development and good…
Developing a Culture of Change
One of the key culture focus areas is often the most overlooked – the leadership of change. Delivering the ability to effectively lead and manage change creates…
Cultivating the Right Culture
Cultures exist wherever there is a collection of people, however big or small that group is. The group could be as large as a nation or as small as a student study…
Leading Change in a Reimagined World
Optimize is excited to announce the launch of a new and progressive leadership development program built to create effective leaders in a reimagined world where…
Time for a Change?
Like individuals, organizations change continuously, reacting to developments in their markets and to the arrival and departure of key people. In a large company,…
No Place for Pyromaniacs
Putting out fires is very rewarding. It’s gratifying and provides instant validation for our efforts. This is apparently why people seem to like fires in business…
Failing to Learn
Ever see those new leaders who carry themselves with such bravado? They’re usually the ones who haven’t failed yet. When they inevitably do, it isn’t pretty…
Risk Versus Reward
Trying to avoid all risk in business is the same as trying to avoid all opportunity. Simply reacting to risk, meanwhile, is just crisis management: shutting the…
The Data Dilemma
The strategic impact on companies of the exponential technological rate of change is both extensive and fundamental. How can you plan properly in an environment…
Fact Versus Fiction
Every decision maker really should rely on facts before making any decisions – particularly material decisions. This might seem obvious, but fact based approaches…
Finding Fault
In business we often come across cultures where blame is accepted or is even the norm. We like to mention one of our favourite terms – ‘blame-storming’. This…
Blue Monday
Blue Monday is the name given to this day in January (typically the third Monday of the month) claimed to be the most depressing day of the year. The concept was…
Service Means Service
Good customer service is a valuable asset, especially in today’s high-tech-oriented, increasingly impersonal business world. Therefore, if you are aware of…
Talking Transformation
Individuals, organizations change continuously, reacting to developments in their markets and to the arrival and departure of key people. In a large company, these…