State of Readiness: Dr. Morphis Tsalikidis (PhD);
-In this edition of “State of Readiness”, I invite Dr. Morphis Tsalikidis. Morphis is an experienced professional in the field of Operational Excellence who I have known for a great many years and with whom I have shared the stage at several conferences. Our conversation is on the impact of COVID on businesses and their operations. Even though we know we have not made it through to the other side of this event, and in fact we are still in the midst of it, we share our observations of what companies have done, what they are doing, and what they…
Outliers Inn – A Varied but Interconnected Conversation
-Topic: One of our regular guests, Don Burshnick, stands-in for Antlerboy and takes his place behind the bar – somewhere at which he is all too familiar and steps right into the roll. We start the evening off with a discussion about SpaceX and the successful completion of their manned mission to the International Space Station marked by the safe return to Earth of the astronauts aboard. From launch to splashdown, the mission was as perfect as any mission ever was – kudos to Team SpaceX. Come listen in – the group conversation at the end is especially engaging. Click…
How to Sustain Your Organization’s Culture When Everyone Is Remote
-The coronavirus pandemic’s office exodus risks diminishing company culture unless leaders take action to support it. Within just a few weeks earlier this year, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a massive shift to remote work that may change the office as we know it forever. Many large companies are urging employees to work from home for months to come, and some CFOs are making plans to shed office real estate and permanently move some portion of their workforces to remote working. With such a swift and large-scale exodus of white-collar workers from their offices, it’s no surprise that some feel nostalgic…
Modern Business Models Will Drive the Post-Pandemic World
-To remain relevant and resilient, companies and leaders must strive to build business models using three key components for growth. In the face of a global health and economic crisis, many traditional companies have suffered tremendous losses, and some have shuttered their doors. Those that heavily rely on physical capital (for example, stores, goods) and human capital (for example, services) were already vulnerable in economic downturns. The pandemic has exacerbated the lack of resilience in these business models, which have struggled to compete against digitally centric companies that can leverage data and machine learning to create valuable insights, intelligence, and…
Five Ways Leaders Can Support Remote Work
-The rapid shift to remote work has created new challenges for organizations, but survey data shows organizations around the world are experimenting with creative solutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many employees to work from home, and the magnitude of the shift to remote work is staggering. Before the pandemic, about 15% of U.S. employees were working from home at least some of the time.1 During the first half of April, half of U.S. employees were doing all of their work remotely.2 This rapid shift has surfaced challenges with remote work that may have escaped people’s notice when the practice was…
Global Supply Chains in a Post-Pandemic World
-When the Covid-19 pandemic subsides, the world is going to look markedly different. The supply shock that started in China in February and the demand shock that followed as the global economy shut down exposed vulnerabilities in the production strategies and supply chains of firms just about everywhere. Temporary trade restrictions and shortages of pharmaceuticals, critical medical supplies, and other products highlighted their weaknesses. Those developments, combined with the U.S.-China trade war, have triggered a rise in economic nationalism. As a consequence of all this, manufacturers worldwide are going to be under greater political and competitive pressures to increase their…
