Aligning Operations With Business Goals

What would it mean for your organization to improve One Percent each day? Continuous improvement stands as the cornerstone of effective leadership and organizational advancement. When leaders can effectively guide their teams daily and keep their people focused on the future, growth and development come easier, instilling success as an organizational discipline. As a leader, you can significantly elevate your business by collaborating with your people on the right priorities and nurturing a culture of constant development. At its core, continuous improvement thrives on transparent communication. Leaders must establish channels that ensure seamless team dissemination of job responsibilities and goals that align with the company strategy. When information flows freely, team members can seamlessly align their efforts with the organization's evolving objectives, creating an environment (and expectation) of enhanced efficiency and productivity. Empowerment also plays a pivotal role. Leaders should entrust their team members with goals and tasks that resonate with their skills. This encourages individual growth and redistributes responsibilities enabling the organization to accomplish more. At the same time, it motivates your people and keeps them engaged. Continuous improvement also doesn't happen without feedback. This must become cultural and always be seen as a means for improvement and growth. Leaders must encourage people to voice their opinions, ideas, and concerns without restrictions. Constructive feedback, done correctly, guides every team member toward areas of improvement, providing an on-the-job laboratory for continuous learning. Proactive investment in employee development is the price that must be paid for sustained progress. Leaders are responsible for creating opportunities for skill augmentation and career advancement, reinforcing their commitment to their team members. This practice boosts morale and infuses your organization with a competitive edge. Getting your people to work better together must also become a part of continuous improvement. Collaboration and teamwork are non-negotiable. Leaders must create and promote opportunities for interaction among team members, facilitating the cross-pollination of departments and functions. Merging these diverse perspectives creates innovative solutions that will help to drive long-term success. Last, adaptability may be the most important of all continuous improvement attributes. NOTHING is more important than understanding and being open to change. Adjusting to customer preferences, new technologies, and market shifts creates resilience and ensures you remain in the best position to win within your field of play. Yes, focusing on one percent can get you all of that. It's what's needed from every leader. #ceos #leadership #onepercent #execution For more effective leadership insights, subscribe to my newsletter at https://lnkd.in/gKaqqhPC

I often get asked what are the requirements to become an effective Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Over a twenty-year career, starting when hard tokens were the standard for MFA, I have been fortunate to see and learn from the best in the security industry. The pattern I have seen in all successful CISOs is the ability to demonstrate a broader understanding of a business’s assets and goals and prioritize risk treatments on addressing threats that stand in the way of realizing enterprise objectives. A good starting strategy for CISOs and security teams is to validate capabilities to manage the risk of an interruption to business operations, whether from outside threats or even internal threats impacting the availability of systems. CEOs and CFOs want to know they are resilient to a business interruption, and they want to see how the security team measures risk exposure to limit business impact. As a CISO, one must be able to answer “What is the risk of an interruption to business operations,” as the first focus in building the security program. Develop a risk register, utilize threat-based risk assessments and crisis testing to improve your organization’s resiliency, and enable a foundational win for the business and security team to grow together in managing enterprise cyber risk. To be an effective CISO, one has to shift from focusing on tech tools and outputs towards having informed business risk discussions with CFOs, CEOs, and boards on how an organization should define, communicate, and manage cyber risk impact for the enterprise. #riskmanagement #ciso

Execution in difficult endeavors comes from stress testing your system for operational excellence. What gets me hot are deep tech teams that have vision but also relentless drive toward operational excellence. With the end point being customer satisfaction. I really want our community to keep sharing experiences to help those pursuing hard things to succeed. Experience sharing can unleash speed of progress. In that spirit, I'm sharing a few key diligence areas on deep tech operations that I've tried to understand as a customer, advisor and investor. Would love to learn yours 👇. -- 1. Org structure: This is not just about names and faces. Outline your leadership and business execution plan to assure technological breakthroughs and bold company vision. What is the specific role, responsibility and span of control of the CEO and each subordinate officer in the company to carry out this plan? Specifically, how will you manage your business acquisition, product development, production, quality control, and supply chain to assure customer satisfaction? How will you maintain sharing of key business experiences among product lines with core technological commonalities? 2. How do you plan to meet staffing and facility challenges in quantity and quality to meet very rapid growth? 3. What is your specific plan for IP management and control? For the next few years, who will have access to the secret sauce. How will you maintain the balance for strong IP protection with the expanding need to inform employees and special customers with a need to know? From your business enemies and from our enemies of America. 4. What role do digital twins play in each of your product lines? How mature are your tools. What is the planned usage of tools to reduce risk and minimize product development span time. 5. What are the top measurements and KPIs you will use to continuously monitor company health and customer satisfaction? What checks and balances will you build into the system to assure issues are rapidly identified and corrective actions are taken in an effective and timely manner.

🌟 Blog Alert: Discovering and Living by Your Company's Purpose - A Guide for Businesses 🌟 Understanding your company's purpose is not just a strategic advantage; it's the cornerstone of meaningful business operations in today’s world. In one of my latest #TheBlissBusinessPodcast by Zero Company Performance Marketing blogs, I offer a detailed guide for businesses on identifying and embodying their true purpose. But let's start with some actionable insights right here: 🌟 Identify What Drives You: Beyond profit, what impact do you want your business to have in the world? Start with your passions and values, and think about how they align with the needs of your customers and community. 🌟 Engage Your Team: A purpose-driven company thrives when its team is aligned. Share your vision and purpose with your employees, and invite them to contribute their thoughts. This collaboration can lead to a deeper, shared purpose that drives everyone forward. 🌟 Be Authentic: Your company’s purpose should be genuine and consistently reflected in your actions, decisions, and how you communicate. Authenticity attracts loyalty from both customers and employees. Why is this approach important? Companies rooted in a genuine purpose are more likely to attract top talent, engage customers on a deeper level, and achieve long-term success. For more insights and strategies on integrating your company’s purpose into your business model, explore my full blog here: https://lnkd.in/gNHPik7k I'd love to hear your thoughts or how you've implemented your company's purpose in your strategy. Let’s discuss below or feel free to share this post with others who might find it valuable. Together, let’s make business not just about profit, but about purpose. 🚀 #Purpose #Strategy #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #Growth

I was recently teaching a class in Washington DC. About halfway through the class a student, let’s call him Anders, shared an interesting story. He said that all the security leaders at the large, global technology company where he works had a two-day offsite where every security leader was asked to present about their security team for 15 minutes. Anders said that every single presenter got crushed. Senior leadership picked apart every single presentation with a variety of questions. Every single person got hammered. All except one. After the presentations Anders couldn’t figure out why that one person did so well. He racked his brain but couldn’t quite piece it together. This brings us back to Washington DC where Anders and I were now halfway through class. After sharing this story he said the tools and topics we had discussed so far helped highlight exactly what his colleague did right. In 15 minutes the presenter shared just three slides: 1. Business objectives 2. Crown jewels 3. Roadmap He started with a clip of the CEO saying that security is a top priority and the reasons why. Then he discussed the most important assets and process for the company and his specific business unit. Finally, he shared his team roadmap noting there were a lot of details on the slide but gave a high-level overview describing how these activities protected the crown jewels and aligned to business objectives. CISOs and security leaders are under increased scrutiny and pressure, not only from internal leadership, but also from external requirements like the new SEC rules and NIS2 changes in Europe. There’s also a need to keep up with new technologies like Generative AI (GenAI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) to understand what policies and procedures need to be put in place. It’s exactly these topics that we cover in LDR514: Security Strategic Planning, Policy, and Leadership and the corresponding GSTRT certification. Thanks to CSO Online for recently including the GSTRT certification in the list of five certifications that can boost a cybersecurity leader’s career. https://lnkd.in/g84zVM3W Also, if you want to get ready for your next 15 minute executive presentation and see what you should have in your plan you can check out a free demo of the LDR514 class at sans.org/ldr514 #cyber #security #cybersecurity #ciso #cisolife SANS Security Leadership

“Execution is 95%.” - Daniel Ek, founder of Spotify That makes execution 20x more important than product ideas or vision. Yet, it’s far less talked about. These are the elements of great product execution: 1. Being code-ready Many stretched PMs pass on specs to engineering that aren’t code-ready. They miss a corner case, having bug-free design, or key technical understanding. You have to write a great PRD and have worked through user & technical details to be “code ready.” 2. Defining incremental releases Product execution is about translating vision and strategy to releases. Although the product vision is always grand, it’s a mistake to get there in one step. You have to build-ship-learn fast. Driving that cycle is the essence of execution. 3. Building things that match the team’s skills The magic of execution done right is it “fits.” It’s about working through the “little” details. When defining incremental releases, customize to the team. It’s best to reframe work that might throw off the team’s rhythm. 4. Pre-covering measurement Getting into executional details means working with analytics in advance to define the target metrics, how to set up the experiment, and whether eng understand the events & telemetry to put in place. Shallow PMs tend to miss one of these. 5. Volunteering to unblock the engineering team When building product in modern companies, numerous questions and dependencies arise. Great product execution is about recognizing & then volunteering to unblock these issues. It’s about being in the trenches of building. 6. Increasing the well-being of designers & engineers Great product execution is about thinking far enough ahead to minimize crunch. The worst mistake is burning out the team. The best, like Daniel, go further and motivate the team to see possibility when roadblocks arise. 7. Involving legal & compliance at the right times Sloppy execution treats compliance & legal as afterthoughts. Great execution builds in enough time for them to feedback & review designs. Poor execution experiences delays because this is missed. 8. Building the necessary cross-functional support Products almost always have implications for other teams: sales, marketing, support, other product teams. Execution is about making sure all those impacted teams are okay - ideally, happy - with the feature. 9. Keeping a close eye on the metrics Great execution means owning the outcome. You become the one people go to explain your team’s metrics. You should know the drivers of the big changes first. 10. Juggling all of these balls in the air at once Great execution is all about great prioritization. You have to do these 10 tasks and more. The key is to understand what can fall under the table, can be “just okay,” and must be done really well. As Daniel says, “If you keep executing, the right person will figure out how to sell umbrellas in the Sahara.”

Top 10 Things That Make M&A Successful Role: Michael Frankel is the Managing Partner at Trajectory Capital Management. Background: He possesses over 30 years of M&A and executive leadership experience in technology-focused industries. Trajectory Capital Overview: Trajectory Capital, a New York-based private equity firm, focuses on fostering disruptive innovations in technology. Strength: Under Michael's leadership, Trajectory Capital has executed over 65 mergers and acquisitions, demonstrating a strong impact in technology investment. Key Takeaways: 1. Alignment in the shared vision of the end-state  Everyone involved must have a clear understanding of what the business should look like post-close.  Lack of agreement from all key stakeholders can create passive resistance and derail the integration process. 2.Cultural alignment  Recognizing cultural differences early on is crucial. You need to analyze if you can mitigate the problems and create value.  If you acquire a business and force a culture on them that they don't like, employees will leave, and you could end up with no business. 3. Joint Go-to-market planning pre-LOI Identify all go-to-market issues upfront. Plan early. You can't assume that a sales organization can just sell more and more products. There's a capacity limit to how many different things a sales organization can handle, especially if they are different. 4. Parallel diligence and integration planning  If you don't do this, you're going to have two bad outcomes. The first is poor integration. The integration team will start from zero the day after closing, delaying integration by three months. Integration planning can influence diligence. Without integration team feedback, diligence might overlook significant issues. 5. Reverse Diligence  Educating the target company of how they will fit into the parent company post acquisition is crucial to making M&A successful. The seller will be able to detect red flags if there are aspects of your operation that could be damaging to their business. They won't know this unless they get that reverse diligence. Learn more in the full episode! Link in the comments. #MergersAcquisitions #Divestitures #CorporateDevelopment #PodcastsMilestones #MAS300 #BusinessPodcasts

Ever find yourself saying, “I’m playing the long game here” or “I need results, and I need them now!”? 🕒 If you have, you’ve stumbled upon a subtle yet vital aspect of leadership: short vs. long-term time orientation. 🏁 In business, our time orientation isn’t just about the clock; it’s about how we approach our goals, strategies, and even relationships. Let’s dive into the two ends of this spectrum: ➡️ Short-Term Focus: It’s all about now. Immediate results, quick wins, and tangible achievements. Great for hitting those quarterly targets and keeping things moving. But, is it sustainable? ➡️ Long-Term Focus: It’s the marathon, not the sprint. Building for the future, nurturing relationships, investing in growth and innovation. But does it sometimes lack urgency? So how do you lead a team that’s torn between these two orientations? Here’s what I’ve learned: 1. Recognize the Difference: Recognize your own preference and understand that these two orientations are not only valid but essential. Each has its place and purpose. 🧐 2. Build a Bridge: Align short-term goals with long-term visions. Your short-term ‘sprinters’ can see how their efforts contribute to the ‘marathon’ ahead.🔗 3. Communicate: Engage in open dialogue. Make sure that everyone understands both the immediate tasks and the bigger picture. 🗣️ 4. Adapt Your Leadership Style: Be ready to switch gears. Sometimes, your team needs a coach for the quick sprints; other times, a mentor for the long haul. 🧩 5. Celebrate Diversity of Thought: Embrace the different perspectives as a superpower instead of a challenge. It’s this mix that brings innovation and stability.🎨 6. Provide Support: Offer adaptive support for both orientations. Recognize the quick wins, but also celebrate milestones on the longer journey. 🫱🏼🫲🏾 Striking this balance isn’t easy, but it brings a harmony to our team that was incredibly powerful. The short-term energy keeps the team alive, while the long-term vision kept us aligned. How do you strike this balance? How has your time orientation shaped the way you lead? I’d love to hear your thoughts! 👇🏼 🕐🌟 #Leadership #Diversity #CulturalItelligence 📸 Jon Tyson : A picture of many clocks piled on top of eachother.

Innovation for the sake of innovation is boring. True innovation when you can build products with purpose and impact. Building purposeful products that address the toughest social impact challenges in the world is hard but can be the most interesting to Product Managers who love solving tough problems. They also set themselves apart from the rest. 📣 How can PMs differentiate themselves as purposeful PMs? ➡️ Deeply engage with your customers to understand their needs, challenges, and aspirations. Understand the context they live in and the broader social impact needs of the community. ➡️ Ensure your product goals align with broader social impacts. Consider how your product can contribute to societal well-being. ➡️ Design for diversity by making sure your products are accessible and usable by people of all backgrounds and abilities. ➡️Go beyond traditional metrics and measure impact. Evaluate the social and environmental impact of your products alongside business performance. ➡️ Work closely with teams across the organization to integrate purpose into every aspect of the product lifecycle. ➡️ Continuously learn about new technologies and methodologies that can enhance your product's positive impact. ➡️ Champion ethical practices in product development, from data privacy to fair labor practices, ensuring integrity in your process. ➡️ Foster a culture of purpose across the team to embrace a purpose-driven mindset, making it a core part of your company culture and daily operations. ➡️ Build relationships with communities and stakeholders to understand their perspectives and incorporate their feedback into your product development. ➡️ Promote sustainable development by creating products that contribute to environmental sustainability, reducing waste, and promoting responsible use of resources. ➡️ Incorporate long-term thinking by assessing the long-term impact of your products, considering how they will evolve and continue to provide value over time for your customers, business, and the communities we operate in. #productmanagement #purposefulproductmanagement #socialinnovation #productleadership

Over the years, I've discovered the truth: Game-changing products won't succeed unless they have a unified vision across sales, marketing, and product teams. When these key functions pull in different directions, it's a death knell for go-to-market execution. Without alignment on positioning and buyer messaging, we fail to communicate value and create disjointed experiences. So, how do I foster collaboration across these functions? 1) Set shared goals and incentivize unity towards that North Star metric, be it revenue, activations, or retention. 2) Encourage team members to work closely together, building empathy rather than skepticism of other groups' intentions and contributions. 3) Regularly conduct cross-functional roadmapping sessions to cascade priorities across departments and highlight dependencies. 4) Create an environment where teams can constructively debate assumptions and strategies without politics or blame. 5) Provide clarity for sales on target personas and value propositions to equip them for deal conversations. 6) Involve all functions early in establishing positioning and messaging frameworks. Co-create when possible. By rallying together around customers’ needs, we block and tackle as one team towards product-market fit. The magic truly happens when teams unite towards a shared mission to delight users!