Craig’s Notable Quotes

“Too often we promote perception over performance. This is a catalyst for failure and a path to disaster.”

C. Tedeton

Jan, 21, 2010

Bones of Information

“Without the bones of information the body of a company crumbles”

-C. Tedeton

Jul 10, 2009

Three words to describe a good CIO?

Three words to describe a good CIO? (from a LinkedIn post)

• Progressive….Always pushing for future solutions to today’s business drivers.

• Engaged….Never forget that “The Business” drives IT

• Competent….Be a SME on how your IT systems function in support of the goals of the firm

Yet another quote…

“Company bureaucracies are only exercises in repetitive uselessness.”

-C. Tedeton

When You Dance With Giants…

When you dance with giants remember, they have really big feet.”

Craig Tedeton

Quote of the Month – Value Innovation

“Value innovation should be the central focus of a great IT leader.”

Craig Tedeton

A Dingy and a Speedboat

A Dingy and a Speed Boat: The Failure of Organizational Management in Business

There are organizationally designated leaders in many American companies that would prefer to get along, go along and not rock the boat when it comes to fundamental and potentially devastating circumstances. I say, not only rock that boat but sink the damn dingy you have been bailing water from and emerge from the murky depths with a speed boat instead.

I cannot possibly remember how many times I have heard statements like “that’s just the way it is, learn to deal with it”, “what can we do about it”, “that’s what they told us to do (with a shoulder shrug)”. These attitudes, dispositions, and general willingness to deflect, avoid, and ignore potential problems within an organization have greatly contributed to the condition in which many companies find themselves. Some say that they are just complaints and do not help the situation. I do agree there are many that only point out problems to hear themselves talk or to attempt to cause dissension in the ranks, by which fragmenting a group in order to appear elevated within the organization. These are not the comments I’m writing about or the people I aim to address.

I’m speaking to those that have a sense of evaluation and progress, the ones actually looking for that speed boat or are truly tired of bailing water from the dingy. As true leaders, one should see the act of internal evaluation as a personality driven compulsion that leads to actual innovation, greater levels of efficiency and an overall enhancement of the firm’s competitive advantage. If leaders only see a complaint when problems or errors are brought to the forefront, then that leader should reevaluate their role in the planned success of the organization. This self-imposed evaluation should ultimately drive the leader to a higher level of self-awareness and objectivity that will bring into specific focus the true responsibilities of their position.

Some organizational management too often prefers harmony over discourse and tranquility over effectiveness. I have found, that having a quiet shop usually indicates a dying shop. While managers look to keep the peace a large piece of their firm could be sinking below the surface. I have always been in favor of greater levels of activity over increasing levels of affect. With a well selected staff and an informed company, a leader can spend a greater portion of their efforts on enhancing the organization for future growth rather than only plugging the holes or looking for a bigger bucket to bail with.

Now that we have described this increasing problem, how do we address it without sinking the boat? How does one fix this overarching predicament and get the firm on a better track? How do we allow the organized and effective addressing of problems and not have the leaders shun or discourage the practice? There are several practical and efficient ways to allow for the presentation of problems and not have this exercise turn into the typical ‘gripe session’, or worse.

First, during regularly schedule meetings, add a few minutes to that agenda for participants to addressed observed problems or suggest potential situations that may need to be addressed in a more formal manner. This will not significantly lengthen meeting times, but will give members of the group or department an opportunity for their words and ideas to be heard. Also, this allows the leader to openly evaluate the information and solicit cordial and constructive remarks before deeper consideration is given.

Secondly, open this idea up to the entire organization. The tried and true method of the company suggestion box still works. There are many that believe this old method of gaining information is not at all effective. It is usually the ones that have to remove the chewed bubblegum pieces and the handfuls of candy wrappers from the box that believe this way. But, if all parties involved have the organizations best interests in the forefront then the old suggestion box will yield some noteworthy ideas, minus the sticky mess.

Lastly and perhaps the most difficult method of soliciting information about and acting on these problems is the creation and maintenance of an environment conducive to open, unidirectional and effective communications. Some companies have what many term as a ‘closed’ management organization. This is denoted by the lack of horizontal communication between departments and upstream communications with management. If one is to create and maintain an open environment, then the lines of communications should almost resemble a cobweb. A network of interconnected and interdependent relationships within your organization that has no easily discernable hierarchy or any resemblance to a pyramid can help foster an atmosphere of cooperation and effectiveness.

By no means am I suggesting that true leadership take a back seat and let chaos rein. Building and controlling a fully integrated and communicative environment takes an even greater level of effective leadership than sitting atop a company that is sinking. When you solicit and encourage open communication it is almost the old saying ‘careful what you wish for’. Weak and ineffective leaders need not apply. This method of operation can try the nerves of even the best of us. But, if a leader is willing to take the challenge, the rewards will be an endlessly loyal staff and a powerful organization. It will be time to retire your bucket and stop the bailing….you have emerged with your speed boat.

Now step on it!

Craig A. Tedeton

Feb 2, 2009

What You Can Offer A Customer

As business and technology strategists, the greatest advantage or value we can offer a customer is an appropriate level of objectivity and concerned detachment when evaluating and advising in their overall business condition. Too often consultants enter into a relationship with perspective customers having a biased, predetermined, detailed, and practiced pitch, with little or no time invested in the learned art of discovery and evaluation.

The process of discovery can take on many forms, with the primary determination attributed to the experience and knowledge of the consultant. This can also be the genesis for the formation of predetermined pitches or biased attitudes toward the addressing of the customer’s central objectives. In an open and focused mindset, I have found that beginning the discovery process with the tried and true methods of business evaluation; one can thwart the personal tendencies of bias and curtail the human drive to have a predetermined approach.

The fundamental business evaluation tools have long been practiced in Business Schools at many colleges and universities however; these methods seem to fall by the wayside while in the throws of actual business operations.  This is the place in which the Business Strategist can bring the discovery process back to the fundamentals, help the customer look at the foundation of their business and pull the focus from what they see as the “problem” and also help the strategist maintain the required level of objectivity and concerned detachment.

These traditional tools are not overly complicated and there in no ‘trick’ to properly executing them. It just requires the effort and detachment that should always be present when one evaluates any situation or condition, the ability to let the results speak for the situation and leave the expected results at the door.  One of these methods of discovery is the SWOT analysis.

SWOT is and acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. This tool is design to help a strategist or business owner objectively evaluate their company and their competition, by organizing and arranging a finite list of business aspects in a logical and easily understandable structure. If done with complete honesty and forthrightness, this is an invaluable tool in the effective planning and execution of a sound business strategy. It can bring into specific focus problems or opportunities in the areas of operations, training, human resources, and marketing.

The next effective tool is the 9-Cell Matrix. This may be somewhat less familiar to many as it can be utilized to measure a number of intersections of business topics or principles. In a recent 9-Cell analysis, I compared industry attractiveness and competitive strength/market position of the three major players in the game console business. After creating a listing of specific topics within each category, I was able to build a graphical representation of each company’s position which was helpful in crunching the numbers into an easily digestible form. Although, numbers are the foundation of all good analysis, the graphics help quickly convey your work to almost all viewers.

The next tool of analysis is only applicable to competitive industries, so if you have your monopoly or oligopoly you need not refer to this tool. The Five Forces analysis is intended to detail several areas of a competitive market; threats of entry and substitutes, bargaining power of buyers and suppliers, and the degree of rivalry above existing competitors. This tool is valuable in that is a great method of looking at inputs and outputs on a macro scale, but also gives one the framework to drill down to specific players in the market. This is a time consuming analysis, but well worth the effort if you plan to effectively compete in any market in any region.

There are many other methods and tools that can help a business strategist or owner/operator carefully and completely analyze almost any situation. The tools detailed above are a great start to moving a business toward a complete picture of the market and help one make logical and informed decisions regarding the future of the firm.

A crisis is looming in American manufacturing…. What can be done?

This was a question posed by the Greenville, S.C. Chamber of Commerce.

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I believe the crisis has reached monumental proportions already. As to what can be done….this is much pondered and tremendously difficult question to answer. There are several avenues I believe many business leaders in all industries can use to arrive at a fundamentally more sound organization.Carefully evaluate your company position within the industry and within the global economy. This is an essential practice that all business leaders should engage in on a regular basis. There is no more of the writing of a business plan and letting it collect dust for years. In this world economy, no one company is an island unto itself. Constant reevaluation is critical to success and to keeping your company competitive and growing.

Secondly, learn what you don’t know. A leader that continues to advance their knowledge with regard to their industry, products, processes and fundamental business practices will help them gain competitive advantage by enabling the leader to draw on a grander level of personal information. In the Age of Information, knowledge is the greatest source of power and leverage….Use it!

Lastly, build your personal and professional network of trusted and knowledgeable friends, associates and colleagues. It never gets old and it new stops working….knowing people is the best way to advance yourself and your business. Again being an island will simply not work in today’s business environment. One of the fastest growing aspects of computing is personal and professional social networking. Get on board and plug in. Find networking and bogging sites that relate to you and your company or product and start interacting. You will be surprised who you find out in cyberspace.

Craig Tedeton
11-17-2008

Social Media – What’s in it for me?

Taken from the eMarketing LinkedIn group discussions.
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The fundamental aspect of social marketing that I like, is the connection at the personal level not at the product level. This really drives home the concept of relationship marketing. I almost enjoy being sold by a professional that understands me and does not just shake my hand and push their product in my face…the old “my name is so-and-so….here is my widget…wanna buy it?”

When would be a key time that a company would look for validation and compliance consultants?

Taken from LinkedIn discussion groups.
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I have had experience in the pharma industry and the correct place for compliance consulting is diffidently during the design phase of any new facility or the genesis of any new product. I have seen bad or incomplete QC lab testing/reporting, nonexistent IT system controls, and poor raw material quarantine practices spawn FDA 483(Inspection Observations) and cost small companies more than $600k to correct. Any time you backtrack it is expensive.

Does the “Tech Sector” value personal development?

Taken from the GSATC LinkedIn discussion group.
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I agree that there is too much focus on technology skills and rarely any attention given to developing skills that can help improve the technology worker in matters of communications or leadership. I am a tremendous believer in leadership development and helping employees work toward personal and professional goals that will not only enhance their abilities in the workplace, but help motivate their lives. Too often company leaders miss the connection between personal growth and increase efficiency.

“If you want to improve your competitive advantage….improve your employees.” (No. 19 on Craig’s Lessons Learned)

7 Deadly Sins of IT

Great Article in CIO Magazine….7 Deadly Sins of IT

Craig’s Lessons Learned #13

#13 – Use the most effective tools you have to expect the best results you can achieve.

In many situations our expectation for a project or task are very high however, more often we employ the wrong or inadequate tool to accomplish the mission. A careful evaluation of the situation prior to execution may give one insight into a better method to accomplish the goal.

Business Analysis Polls on LinekIn

What would be the most useful aspect of a biz strategy analysis?

I’d like your input on this. You’ll be able to see how other people in my network voted.

Take poll: My Biz Poll

Can small biz owners benefit from a biz strategy consultant company?

I’d like your input on this. You’ll be able to see how other people in my network voted.

Take poll: My Biz Poll

My LinkedIn Profile

Financial Advice from Electric Ben

“the way to wealth, if you desire it, is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words-industry and frugality; that is, waste neither your time nor money, but make the best use of both. He that gets all he can, and saves all he gets, (necessary expenses excepted,) will certainly become rich; if that Being who governs the world, to whom all should look for a blessing on their honest endeavors, does not, in his wise providence, otherwise determine.”

-Benjamin Franklin, 1758

A Founding Father’s Word on Education

“Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone.  The people themselves therefore are its only safe depositories. And to render them safe, their minds must be improved to a certain degree. …aid of public education.”

Thomas Jefferson, 1775-1783

Missing the Point: The Explosion of Social Networking and the Degradation of Quality Contacts

In many professional and social circles, most understand the criticality of building and effectively maintaining a personal network of contacts. This “little black book”, albeit electronic or otherwise, can mean the difference in getting the meeting or not and closing the deal. Although, I refer to these contacts in terms of a business framework, they can certainly pertain to personal success in your individual spheres of influence. One’s associations with the PTA/PTO, religious groups, and the Little League can benefit enormously from a network of contacts.

However, with the relatively recent “big bang”-like atomic acceleration of Social networking, a disturbing trend has begun to rear its’ confused and scatter-brained head. I’m, of course, referring to the advent of and subsequent, exponential growth of the “Open Networker”. Ah yes….come one, come all. We are open for business.

This is a different creature than one may expect when observing a socially viable and outwardly looking dilatant of pressing the flesh. As we are all social creatures by the bountiful gifts of nature, it is expected that most of us look to directly and meaningfully connecting with another human for the express and deliberate purpose of initiating and cultivating an influential and enduring relationship. That was the preverbal “mouthful”, but a working definition of contact, it is. However, the Open Networker is another breed, nay another species when they attempt to single handedly test and prove the six degrees of separation theory. Although meeting and being met is an important event, the event itself is not the fleeting pinpoint in time that we are seeking.

Where is the love….where is is the meaning? According to Jeffrey Gittomer in his book The Little Black Book of Connections, “it is about connections and connecting, so that your little black book will become a success tool, not just a numbers database.”(Gittomer, 2006) I’m certain most people currently engaged in a social networking websites receive multitudes of connection requests from people more than four time zones away. One would find it painfully difficult to image the circumstances by which these requesters would ever have the slimmest opportunity to actually meet you, much less establish a meaningful, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship.

I too have succumbed to the excitement and allure of another human wanting to connect with me. It can be intoxicating to the ego to know that another person has taken an actual interest in you and hopefully after reviewing the not so limited life portrait that you carefully crafted for online consumption, they still want to connect….one can imagine the flips ones heart can do. Although this situation may sound, to some, as just the bit of excitement they were pinning for, I have decided to forgo this exercise in the enjoyment of endorphins, in favor of a better state of mind…

I have decided to make real connections from now on. No more blindly accepting requests and then looking through the person’s life history to see how we could possibly benefit one another. My new social networking motto…other than “who the hell is this person wanting to connect?”

“Putting true meaning back into the electronic handshake”

Craig A. Tedeton

January 16, 2009

Craig’s Notable Quotes

“In flexibility hides strength,

In strength hides endurance,

In endurance hides achievement.”

-Craig Tedeton

Electric Ben Speaks Again

“We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much for our pride, and four times as much by our folly; and from these taxes the commissioners cannot ease or deliver us, by allowing an abatement.”

Benjamin Franklin, c. 1757

Electric Ben on Liberty

“ah!, think what you do when you run in debt: you give to another power over your liberty.

-Benjamin Franklin, c. 1757

Craig’s Notable Quotes

“Be thankful for good things and compliment yourself every once in a while.”

-C. Tedeton

Craig’s Notable Quotes

“Adequate focus is essential to measurable progress.”

C. Tedeton

Quote of the Month

“Proper information systems and cross-training are critical to the hedging of knowledgebase erosion.”

Craig Tedeton

Craig’s Notable Quotes

If you hold convention sacred, you are not truly ready for change.

- C. Tedeton

Mar 19, 2010

A Recent Compliment….

This is one of the highest compliments I have been paid in my professional career. During a recent meeting with a former boss he commented,

“I wouldn’t just hire you due to your technical knowledge, but because you ask questions and don’t just accept what you are given.”

Thanks for the vote of confidence TL.

Demand Capacity Shifting Diagram

Created a Demand Capacity Shifting concept diagram for a local software company. It was a hit in the meeting.

These things just come to me

“Treasure the present, revere the past and celebrate the future.”

-C. Tedeton
Apr 21, 2009