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Functional Dysfunction

Many organizations have invested huge amounts in customer relationship management (CRM) applications and these investments have generated a wide range of outcomes…

Mark Crocker October 23, 2023

I Have Seen the Future

Creating the future rather than predicting it requires moving from managing the probable to leading the possible and requires us to address challenges in a fundamentally…

Mark Crocker February 14, 2023

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…

Mark Crocker February 14, 2022

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…

Mark Crocker January 31, 2022

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…

Mark Crocker May 31, 2021

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…

Mark Crocker March 11, 2020

Why Your Boss Is Wrong About You

As the performance review season comes to its usually unsatisfactory conclusion for many, we thought we would share our thoughts on why many performance review systems…

Mark Crocker February 11, 2020

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…

Mark Crocker January 27, 2020

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…

Mark Crocker January 20, 2020

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…

Mark Crocker January 14, 2020

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…

Mark Crocker January 8, 2020

Vive la Révolution

The Fourth Industrial Revolution, commonly known as Industry 4.0, appears to be changing the way businesses function. Organizations must decide how and where to…

Mark Crocker October 21, 2019

The Complexity Equation

Charles Dickens in the 1830’s wrote that he lived in an age of “unrelenting change and unpredictability” so I wonder what he would make of our current scenario…

Mark Crocker October 1, 2019

Credibly Credible

Credibility in leadership is important now, more than ever, because there is a good dose of cynicism in the workplace and our people are cynical about us as their…

Mark Crocker June 24, 2019

Caution, Learners Ahead

It’s a fact and contrary to certain prejudices and misconceptions, employees can learn to behave in new ways. However, people learn only if they are motivated…

Mark Crocker May 17, 2019

Engaging Conversations

Organizations care about employee engagement because the facts would suggest that it directly impacts their bottom line. Don’t believe us? Well recent and consistent…

Mark Crocker May 6, 2019

Fire When Ready

The real problem with poor performing employees is us. If you want to feel better about yourself we will concede that on rare occasions and for a small percentage…

Mark Crocker April 3, 2019

Never Too Late

We want to talk about the serial late people in the world – those that keep us waiting. And it is not that we lead ‘busy lives’. That’s a given,…

Mark Crocker March 26, 2019

Pause Before You Pounce

We all face multiple challenges in our work and leadership roles – impossible deadlines, missed budgets, angry customers, politically driven colleagues, remotely…

Mark Crocker March 18, 2019

Balance of Power

Rest and recovery are a crucial part of any exercise program. After putting your body through a significant amount of stress during a grueling workout, you have…

Mark Crocker February 5, 2019