Standards but not Standard
Governance is a much misunderstood discipline at the leadership level from the perspective that the scope of the term is often limited. Governance is not just about…
Improbable Awards
The Ig Nobel awards are now in their 34th year and here at Optimize we look forward to this whacky awards ceremony every year. The awards are the result of the science…
Shake it Up
Few senior leaders when making important strategic decisions consciously consider their cognitive biases. These systematic tendencies to deviate from rational calculations…
Mentorship Musings
Ill-thought out mentorship programs can backfire on the organizations that use them. Instead of motivating employees, a poor mentorship experience can leave them…
Did You Know?
Intellectual Technology is a fascinating subject which continues to mature. The term in this context relates to a progression from Information Technology. If Information…
Smarter than the Average Bear
In the current climate there appears to be a dearth of critical thinking. Perhaps because Google has made it easy for us to be lazy in our thinking – just type…
The Philosophy of Identity
Individuals have an identity and so do organizations. An organization’s identity is derived from its Purpose (the fundamental reason why the organization exists)…
The Flight of the Bumblebee
From the title you might assume that here at Optimize we have become fascinated with orchestral interludes and specifically the one written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov…
It's All About Attitiude
Providing outstanding customer service is one of the most rewarding yet challenging activities within any organization. Exceptional organizations that provide outstanding…
Good Luck!
The element of luck is often cited in business and careers and here at Optimize we subscribe to the fact that success in a career or in business comes from three…
Functional Dysfunction
Many organizations have invested huge amounts in customer relationship management (CRM) applications and these investments have generated a wide range of outcomes…
Plus Ca Change
Plus ca change is the term often used to express the resigned acknowledgement of the fundamental immutability of human nature – “the more things change, the…
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
The secret to effectively leading collaboration at work is finding a middle ground between too much and too little team think but frankly work that requires input…
Transformation Time
Like individuals, organizations change continuously, reacting to developments in their markets and to the arrival and departure of key people. In a large company,…
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…
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…
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…