As you all know the dreaded RFP—or Request for Proposals—is a source of tension, angst and for many of us, a lot of grunt work. Plus, the work that goes into an RFP is often a matter of business survival: losing out on an RFP bid process can leave a business with that sinking feeling. […]
IAOP’s P&G Study: Innovation Takes Work, Thought and Partnership!
By now you probably know that P&G’s approach to innovation is very close to my Vested heart – I’ve written extensively about it in books, case studies and blogs. That’s why I’m thrilled to see that others, namely the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals, are also taking notice. Actually IAOP is more than just taking […]
Be Brave! Speak Up!
After last week’s blog—about the elephant in the room—the words to Sarah Bareilles’s song “Brave” kept running through my head, specifically this verse: Say what you wanna say And let the words fall out Honestly I wanna see you be brave With what you want to say And let the words fall out Honestly I […]
Don’t Ignore that Elephant!
At some point we all face an issue or situation that’s commonly called “the elephant in the room”: an obvious truth that is either being ignored or not addressed. The expression arises frequently in business situations where there is a problem or risk that no one wants to talk about. I teach that this is […]
Avoid Chaos — Don’t Cherry-pick the Rules!
Maybe you saw the “Doberhuahau” Audi car commercial during the Super Bowl. If you are like me – you laughed at it and shared the YouTube link to with those who missed it. But sometimes the more you look at the things, the more it helps you learn. On the surface, the commercial is quite […]
Thank Your Partners Today!
On Valentine’s Day, we celebrate our most precious partnerships and the people, especially that special someone, that make life complete. I’m also thinking about the spirit that this day can—and should—bring to our business relationships. I’m not talking about love necessarily, although loving your work makes your business relationships a whole lot easier to deal […]
Vested: Growing and Knocking Down Obstacles
Like most, I am always eager to hear what Gartner analysts have to say about business, outsourcing and logistics. Dan Gilmore, editor of Supply Chain Digest, recently wrote about Gartner’s latest global supply chain predictions in his First Thoughts column. I was keen to learn that Vested actually made the list of predictions! How cool! […]
Seattle Seahawks: The Power of Alignment and Collaboration!
Of course I am a Peyton Manning fan. Is there a person at the University of Tennessee who is not? (For those not familiar with football – Peyton is a UT grad.) So while I am fan of the man and his accomplishments as a football legend – I have to say the Seattle Seahawks’ […]
What is building for 2014?
When a new year rolls around, you know what happens: historians highlight the past, pundits ponder the future, and I wonder whether it is all more entertaining patter than productive reflection or context. But we all get into to the spirit of the exercise anyway. We know changes can occur in nanoseconds that will impact […]
Virtuosity and Vested – A Likely Pair
Yay! It’s the Christmas season. And right after my son Austin’s bright eyes and excited step, my favorite thing is the music. Concerts everywhere, carolers in the streets. Amy Grant serenades me as I drive. I even recognize the elevator music! It’s a divine time of year. I think about the musicians offering their talents […]
