Article wrote by Sénamé

How to Prevent Everyday Profit Margin Waste: Actionable Tips

Recently, during my travels, I encountered an unexpected flight delay at Amsterdam airport that shed light on a significant issue: preventable profit margin waste. The scene was all too familiar – interminable queues at check-in counters, exacerbated by a glaring shortage of personnel. As a consequence, I, along with numerous fellow passengers, missed our flights. This setback led to a frustrating 10-hour wait before rebooking for the following day and prompted my contemplation about the avoidable loss incurred by the airline.

Amidst the collective inconvenience, it struck me that had effective measures been in place to prevent profit margin waste; the airline could have reaped substantial benefits. By optimizing operational efficiency, not only could the original flight have taken off with a full complement of passengers, but the replacement flight could have accommodated additional travelers, bolstering profits in the process.

This experience made me see how easily a company can lose profit and reminded me of a book I read long ago called Six Sigma Simplified by Jay Arthur. This book talks about a tale of two factories.

According to Jay Arthur, every business has two “factories” running simultaneously:

  • The “Good Factory” is where you focus most of your energy
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How to Conquer the Five Dysfunctions of a Team: Strategies for Business Owners

Why the perception that the scope of team dysfunctions is confined to just five represents a grave misconception that needs urgent correction. This prevailing belief undermines the multifaceted nature of team dynamics, potentially obscuring the broader spectrum of challenges that can impede team success.

Is your team failing to function well despite fixing the common five dysfunctions of a team? Today is your lucky day. In this blog, I will share my fortuitous discovery, which will give you an insight into other team dysfunctions you may have overlooked.

Recently, I had the idea to write a blog article on team dysfunction. Just like everyone will do, I decided to research the keywords to find out what people out there thought about team dysfunctions. I started by typing “Team dysfunction” on Google, and to my surprise, at least all the results in the first five pages were based on “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni.

I was surprised because this didn’t match my expectations. In my mind, I expected to find different sources or a variety of viewpoints on team dysfunction. I was shocked to be the only one with a unique perspective on such a sensitive subject …

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How Trust Flourishes When You Say “Yes”: A Guide for Business Leaders

One of the most valuable things in business and life is trust. Trust is hard to earn but can be easily lost. As a consultant, I have encountered issues related to trust and its effects on business. Specifically, I’ve witnessed the remarkable impact of saying “yes” in business on cultivating and maintaining trust. I have observed how confidence can affect business and life, and I’ve come to a significant realization: in most cases, people who kept their word earned trust. People tend to say YES to those they trust, and this correlation between trust and saying “yes” is undeniable.

What does it mean to say YES?

We use the word YES to approve if something said is accurate or correct. YES comes from the Old English word gise, gese, which means “so be it!”

There are many ways to convey the sense of YES. Some of the synonyms include: definitely, of course, sure, by all means, that’s right, you bet, you’re on, affirmative, be my guest, I don’t see why not, yea, yeah, yebo, yep, you betcha, yup, is the Pope Catholic?

The meaning we give to a YES varies. Saying YES after long and arduous peace negotiations or at …

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How Talents Over Skills Drive Sustainable Organizational Growth

Over the years, while deeply engaged in designing team alignment programs, I’ve interacted with numerous dedicated business owners and recruiters, all driven by the quest to secure the finest additions to their workforce. However, what struck me profoundly was the unwavering determination exhibited by each of them in pursuing remarkable individuals who could contribute to their enterprises. This phenomenon often seemed to transform the recruitment landscape into a fierce battleground, where securing the right talents bore semblance to a relentless competition for achieving nothing short of sustainable organizational growth.

As much as the recruiters in their job advertisements were looking for talent, when I interacted with job applicants, most did not discuss their talents but skills, know-how, and competencies. Isn’t that strange? Our education system never delivers a diploma for talent but always certifies abilities. I noticed a big misalignment between what companies were looking for and what the applicants offered.

In this article, I will share my discovery of the misconception of these two terms to help applicants understand what the recruiters are looking for by answering the following questions:

  • Are talent and competence the same thing?
  • What are the differences between these two terms?
  • How do they affect
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How Saying “NO” Wisely Can Be Your Ultimate Success Strategy

Your present circumstances directly result from the choices you’ve made along your journey. Every decision, whether a resounding “YES” or a thoughtful “NO,” has played a role in molding the trajectory of your business and personal life. Today, you find yourself reading this article because you’ve deliberately opted to explore valuable insights – particularly regarding the art of saying “NO” wisely. This crucial aspect of decision-making has the potential to redefine your ultimate path to success.

Looking back at the success stories and struggling businesses of people I have met during my coaching career, I wanted to identify the common factor that led to the success or failure of companies. That is when I realized one thing that stood out: the ability of a business owner to say NO or accept the word NO. Yes, you read that right; saying NO was the last piece of the puzzle. In this article, I want to share this fantastic discovery of why saying NO or accepting the word NO is one of the most coveted superpowers of an entrepreneur.

In my career, I have met many people who had difficulty saying NO, which has gotten them into big problems. Think of it …

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