Workshops & Seminars

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How to Think Strategically

Michael Porter, perhaps the most widely cited expert on organizational strategy, says that “strategic thinking rarely occurs spontaneously.” To engage in strategic thought, you must think and reflect on the big picture—on the diverse players and forces in your environment. Anticipate the future. Use your right brain for intuition and wisdom. As Isaac Newton said “truth is the offspring of silence and meditation.”

This workshop was designed by Mark Rhodes, who has spent his career thinking about strategic thinking. The Strategic Thinking Workshop is offered in half-day, one-day and two-day versions.

Please write to Mark Rhodes for more information... markrho@mindspring.com.

How to Design and Redesign High Performance Organizations

Studies have shown that 70% of organizational strategies fail.To overcome these odds, competitive advantages must be leveraged through organizational design.

We believe that “Organizations are perfectly designed to get the results that they get.” That is, you “get what you design for” and if you want results different from the status quo, you need to change the design of your organization. We provide a proven methodology for deliberately designing your organization to achieve desired results. We are able to achieve rapid design enhancements through the use of accelerators -- a framework, a set of analysis tools, and a methodology for change.

The Organizational Systems Design (OSD) model provides an excellent framework to assist leaders in viewing their organizations systemically, and enabling them to create high-performance organizations built to get the desired results.

How to Create an Effective Strategic Plan

A quick study of the History of Strategy provides a blinding flash of the obvious: Successful strategy-making is most often an "emergent" process. Employing the emergent approach, the strategist maintains an open mind as to the future direction of the organization, and seizes the moment when opportunity matches organizational capability.

For this reason, we devote a full half of any strategic planning session to matters related to building the capability of strategic decision-making. Only then do we turn to the somewhat more traditional approach of identifying mission and long-term goals and objectives. We offer a two-day training workshop on Strategic Planning, as well as proven consulting assistance. 

How to Lead Change

Machiavelli said that there is "nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things.” In today's business environment, there is no more critical skill set for managers and executives thanleading change. We begin withGandhi's exhortation that any successful change effort begins with leader's who exemplify and embody the change to which the organization aspires. We explain the barriers and impediments to change, and introduce effective means, tools, and disciplines for effecting large-scale change. This workshop is provided in both one-day and two-day formats.

How to Have a Good Idea

Yes, Creativity and Innovation can be taught and learned. While many people don't see themselves as creative types, we all have the aptitude for generating novel and useful solutions to problems.  In this workshop, we explain state-of-the-art information about the way the human brain works to generate ideas and insight.  We share tools and concepts that are not only business-friendly, but life-changing.  We offer a one-day training session.

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