Business Resources & Education
4 Best Books on Accountability: Individual & Organizational
Personal accountability is an essential building block of success. When we take responsibility for our actions and words, both the good and the bad, we can learn, grow, and build
The Four Steps To Becoming An Accountable Leader
“Leader” isn’t just a title you’re given at your job. It’s a way of being in which you take accountability not only for your actions but your outcomes. A leader
3 Best Types of Organizational Goals to Model for Success
If you are looking to set some professional goals for your organization, there are ways to achieve long-term success. In theory, it is nice to set personal resolutions, but those
5 Workplace Miscommunication Examples (& How to Avoid Them)
For a business to be successful, it’s essential that its employees effectively communicate and work together to ensure that tasks are done correctly. But language is a complicated art, and
The Three Phases Of Change Management
Creating any type of big change in an organization takes thoughtfulness, commitment, accountability and patience — though not as much as you might think! It’s often assumed that change takes
What is Change Management?
Change management is the ability to link the structural change with the behaviors and ownership needed by the people to rapidly achieve your desired business outcomes. 5 Types of Change
5 Best Examples of High-Performing Teams
For most business owners to have continued success, they need to employ individuals they believe can help further their company’s growth. However, even with dedicated personnel, it can still be
Service-Profit Chain: Build Business Profitability
Have you ever wondered how large companies like Amazon and Apple continue to stay successful? People continue to buy their products and use their services, and it seems like there’s
8 Personal Accountability Habits of a Great Leader
Whether or not you carry the title of leader or manager in your job, you have the opportunity to be a great leader. Leadership is not something that is bestowed upon a person —
How to Be a Team Player in Business
“The Last Dance,” an HBO documentary about the Chicago Bulls, tells us a lot about teamwork. When Michael Jordan first joined the Bulls, he was the star of the team.
Program Management: Guide to Roles & Responsibilities
Have you ever tried to decide what to eat for lunch with a group of friends? A group of people with varying opinions trying to decide what to eat for
The Importance of Multidisciplinary Teams
A renowned basketball coach once said that the inherent strength of a team is found in each member. And that the unique strengths of each member are what makes the
Drexler Sibbet Team Performance Model: Does It Work?
The best organizations operate through teamwork, but getting each member to work seamlessly with each other can be a challenge, especially without a plan. Drexler-Sibbet’s Team Performance Model provides organizations
Lewin’s Change Theory: Why it Matters For Organizational Change
The behavior of change (how people accept, embrace, and perform it) is the core component of modern organizational change management. Kurt Lewin’s Model of Change was the first widely recognized
7 Habits of High Functioning Teams
Organizations are only as successful as the teams who move them to success. The difference between being a high-functioning business team and a low-functioning business team is the difference between
The Best Virtual Team Building Activities [2021]
By Mark Samuel – While many companies are starting to plan their journeys back to the office, many are making coming back to work optional for their employees and some
Four Leadership Traps That Prevent Accountability
By Mark Samuel – Leaders in an organization wield a lot of power and responsibility. They set the tone for their team, make decisions that affect business outcomes, foster leadership
11 Benefits of an Accountability Coach
An accountability coach is a professional who works with you and your business to help develop new skills that are required for problem resolution and resource management. There are numerous
Accountability vs. Responsibility: How to Know the Difference
When evaluating Accountability vs Responsibility, it’s important to remember responsibility has to do with the tasks you’ve set out to accomplish, but accountability is a mindset and has more
A New Paradigm To Prepare For The Future
By Mark Samuel – The standard wisdom for planning the future has been to look at past results. Studying metrics that included past revenue, sales, customer purchases, market reactions and
Cross-Functional Teams: Challenges & Tips
Cross-functional teams haven’t always been popular, but nowadays we know organizations can’t get breakthrough results without them. When departments operate in functional silos, they simply don’t have the knowledge, awareness,
5 Dysfunctions of Cross-Functional Teams
By Mark Samuel – A cross-functional team is any team that includes members of multiple departments. Creating cross-functional teams in your organization can be a great way to reduce breakdowns,
The Role Of Personal Development In Business
By Mark Samuel – During a time when the line between our home and work life is blurring, it’s important to talk about the role of personal development. The work
Tips for Developing a Cross-Functional Team [2021]
Companies of all sizes benefit from what successful start-ups already know. Cross-functional teams can be a goldmine of innovative ideas and productive collaboration. Suppose you can minimize the dysfunction of
What Is A Cross Functional Team
Cross-functional teams (CFTs) are groups of employees from different functional areas within a company or business. Another word for cross-functional is cross-departmental. For example, a CFT could include individuals from
6 Advantages of Cross-Functional Teams
By Mark Samuel – What is a Cross-Functional Team? Business organizations are riddled with silos. A silo is when functional teams or departments don’t communicate or work with each other,
How to Set Up a Cross-Functional Team in 5 Steps
By Mark Samuel – Business teams are always looking to be better together, to be more productive, to get along better, and to achieve successful business results. One of our
Team Agreements: What You Need To Know [2021]
By Mark Samuel – What are team agreements? Team agreements are agreements that are co-created by the members of a team about how to behave, communicate, and work together on
How Agile Can Transform Itself For The New Decade
By Mark Samuel & Stacia Topping – Agile has proven to be such a valuable process and tool for technology companies that organizations in other industries have adopted it with
Business Teams 101: Definition, Building, & Execution
By Mark Samuel – What is a business team? A business team is any team that works together for a common goal, typically for a business organization or company. Business
Common Knowledge About High Performance — Debunked!
By Mark Samuel – In the field of organizational consulting, there are certain principles about achieving high performance that are considered common knowledge. I received my master’s degree in organizational
2020 Made Us Pivot; 2021 Could Transform Your Business
By Mark Samuel – If you want to transform your business, you must be willing to risk the unknown. The year 2020 was filled with unexpected and unprecedented challenges that
The Dangers of Adrenaline Addiction In The Workplace
What is Adrenaline Addiction? Adrenaline is a central component of an animal’s flight or fight response that kicks in when danger is sensed. Adrenaline causes one’s heart rate and blood
Offense vs. Defense: One Has Significant Benefits in the Workplace
At work, offense is being proactive. It’s what we call “playing big.” Defense is “playing small” or being reactive. Offensive vs. Defensive are terms that we’re familiar with when talking about
What Is Self Accountability? [Guide & FAQ]
Self accountability, also known as personal accountability, is a way of living in which you take responsibility for your actions and your life, learn from your mistakes, and quickly recover
8 Behaviors That Help Develop Personal Accountability
One of the leading concerns among senior executives is accountability from managers, leaders, and employees. Blame doesn’t solve problems and only creates a negative culture within a company. So how does an
Team Relationships: How to Understand & Improve Them
By Mark Samuel – We’ve all experienced team relationship breakdowns, especially at work in our teams and organizations. We try to address those team relationship breakdowns by implementing teamwork and
5 Myths of Accountability
By Mark Samuel – The myths of accountability are deeply ingrained in our business paradigms. Accountability is one of the most misunderstood terms in organizational development and a concept that
Are Silos Causing Breakdowns in Your Organization?
By Mark Samuel – Did you know that departmental silos are the biggest obstacle tohigh performance, increased profitability, value-driven culture, andoverall success? In my consulting practice, I’ve seen that bringing functional leaders together to speak
10 Best Tips for Building Trust in the Workplace
When trust in the workplace breaks down between individuals or teams, relationships suffer — poor communication, hiding, defensive posturing, blame and other forms of aggressive and passive-aggressive behaviors ensue. The
Create Effective Virtual Trainings W/O The Trial & Error
By Mark Samuel – Creating virtual trainings, and especially translating in-person trainings to virtual trainings takes skill and an understanding of the inherent differences between sitting in a room with
Pivoting In-Person Trainings & Workshops to be Effective Virtual Programs
By Mark Samuel – The viral pandemic of 2020 has become the Great Game Changer, not only for the decade, but most likely for the century. There has been so
Recovering from Pandemic Burnout
By Mark Samuel – Many people, including myself, thought we would only be working remotely for 3 to 5 months as a result of the pandemic. So much for our
Removing the Confusion About Business Priorities
By Mark Samuel – The word “priority” can often be a point of confusion for leaders and employees at all levels within an organization. Some of the common comments I
7 Tips for Creating Rapid Breakthrough Change
By Mark Samuel – What does Breakthrough Mean? A breakthrough is a change that uplevels both understanding and behavior to create an entirely different experience. In business, a breakthrough change
Team Habits: The Missing Link for Business Transformation
By Mark Samuel – Most team consultants talk focus on individual habits, styles of communication, and personal accountability, but hardly anyone ever mentions team habits. “I felt like I was
[PART THREE] Overcoming Three Common TRAPS to Creating Online Workshops
By Mark Samuel – So far we’ve explored two of the most common traps that even seasoned content designers and facilitators can make when they turn to offering virtual events:
[PART TWO] Overcoming Three Common TRAPS to Creating Online Workshops
By Mark Samuel – In Part 1, we shared one of the most common mistakes made by seasoned content creators and trainers—to underestimate the differences between live and virtual events.
Overcoming 3 Common TRAPS to Creating Online Workshops
By Mark Samuel & Licia Rester – Those of us who are experienced in delivering in-person training workshops with a high degree of success are finding the move to a
Conscious Leadership in Unsettling Times
By Mark Samuel – Business is always shaped by external drivers: those circumstances beyond our control that we must respond to if we want to succeed. Economic conditions, customer demands,
Solidifying Your Culture During and After Re-Entry
By Mark Samuel – This is part 4 in a 4-part series to help organizations navigate re-entry after the initial impact of COVID-19. If you’re just joining the conversation, don’t
Adapting Your Re-Entry Approach
By Mark Samuel – This is part 3 in a 4-part series to help organizations navigate re-entry after the initial impact of COVID-19. If you’re just joining the conversation, don’t
Creating an Outcome-Driven Plan for Initial Re-Entry
By Mark Samuel – This is part 2 in a 4-part series to help organizations navigate re-entry after the initial impact of COVID-19. If you’re just joining the conversation, don’t
Learn from the Virtual Workplace of the Pandemic
By Mark Samuel – This is part 1 in a 4-part series to help organizations navigate the virtual workplace and re-entry after the initial impact of COVID-19. A Roadmap for
The Master Choice: The Dichotomy of Goals and Purpose
By Mark Samuel – The conversation around goals is a familiar one to all of us. You can read up endlessly on tips and tricks for creating realistic goals, identifying
Best Practice Institute’s Best Business Book Roundup
By Mark Samuel – Louis Carter, Founder and CEO of the Best Practice Institute published a business book roundup of 33 of the best leadership books. And as the article
6 Steps for Taking Back Your Power During a Crisis
By Mark Samuel – The recent pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty in every area of our lives as our finances, personal health, and immediate futures are subject to
The New Everyday Hero
By Mark Samuel – Business in the coronavirus environment continues with people working from home, being laid-off or furloughed, or finding creative ways of collaborating with others while keeping social
Playing to Transform vs Playing Not to Lose
By Mark Samuel and Nate Johnson What do Blockbuster, the San Francisco 49ers, and me in the 9th grade have in common? We all played not to lose; we played
Is the New Year Calling for a New You?
By Mark Samuel and David Rodgers The first month of the new year is in the bag. It’s an exciting time with new goals, new challenges, and a fresh start.
Are You A Problem Solver Or An Obstacle Remover?
By Mark Samuel People solve problems in order to achieve success in their business, create a more satisfying relationship or grow to their next level of excellence. Who is a
The Low Down on Burnout
By Mark Samuel There is a major misunderstanding about burnout that suggests it stems from over-work, change, and driving toward higher levels of business results year after year. However, we
Is Tracking Performance Getting You Results?
By Mark Samuel A few years back, a client of mine implemented a Performance Management System to assist managers in coaching their direct reports. The company spent nearly one year
Guiding Your Team Through Inevitable Setbacks
By Mark Samuel It’s when we are sick and tired of being stuck that we are the most motivated to make a change. This could be getting more organized, losing
Are Old Habits Holding Your Company Back?
by Mark Samuel In the middle of a recent coaching session, a CEO complained: “I shared our new vision and mindset change in an All-Hands Meeting. People were inspired, asked
Getting Your Vision to Take Hold
by Mark Samuel I recently talked to a frustrated senior leader who said… “I’ve communicated the new picture, why we need it, and how urgent it is to our success.
The Biggest Mistake Leaders Make Communicating Their Visions
by Mark Samuel – So you’ve created your Picture of Success – a new vision that’ll take your company to new heights. You’re excited and you can’t wait to get
Tips on Developing a Collaborative Mindset
In business and life, there are often moments when one simply can’t seem to find a way forward. A collaborative mindset is a critical part of the path ahead. We
Are You Focused on Assessing Your Past or Clarifying Your Future?
by Mark Samuel In a recent meeting of global company executives, I was asked about the difference between traditional change management and a B STATE approach for getting breakthrough results.
IT Group Drives Company-Wide Transformation & Saves Millions
Challenge For two and a half years, the IT group of a global manufacturer with over 90 sites on four continents, attempted to implement a new business model without success.
New Hospital Culture Conquers 3 Transformations in 3 Years
Challenge A new urban hospital was an exciting contribution to the community. The facility was new, they had the latest equipment and top medical staff. Nevertheless, in the first couple
Transforming Resistors into Unified Business Leaders
Challenge For decades, a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant had been running under a smart, traditional leader that always promoted their environment as unique. The employees took pride in handling things individually
Boosting Succession Bench Strength & Changing Culture
Challenge A very successful shipping company was in the process of upgrading its aging equipment with the latest technologies. Their inspirational CEO foresaw three challenges that needed to be addressed:
Inter-Departmental Cooperation Saves Millions & Improves Service
Challenge The Development Services Division of a small city had recently changed managers. The new manager was surprised by the lack of collaboration between department leaders at all levels causing
Ownership and Accountability: Key Strategies to Empower Autonomy in Your Business
No one wants to be micromanaged, or be a micromanager—but managers are held accountable for completion of work, and if the work isn’t being done, micromanaging becomes the default management
5 Leadership Lessons with Mark Samuel
Which people in history inspire you the most? Why? John F. Kennedy, while not being perfect, was able to mobilize the world with inspirational messages of hope, personal responsibility, and care
Moving from Current State to Breakthrough State
While most leaders know what the change is that they want to accomplish, few understand how to make those changes happen, especially when there is pressure for massive change in a relatively short period
Is Your Team Stuck? Three things you haven’t tried yet.
by Mark Samuel When your team just isn’t stepping up to produce the results you desperately need, months can be wasted in assessment to determine the cause and how to