Add Excessive Meeting Syndrome (EMS) to your Business Glossary
EMS Is a fast-growing dysfunctional business practice. On a recent project, we realized that the company holds an average of 312 meetings a month. As we observed some of these meetings, we quickly noticed that participants engaged in what is known as Circular Conversations. Circular Conversations refer to lengthy debates that that do not develop or progress; the […]
Revitalizing the Customer Service Industry
As a frequent flyer, there is a level of customer service that is expected in the air. The courtesy of stewards, attentive to the needs of the passengers, can constitute what makes for a pleasant flight. Unfortunately, it has been my experience that effective customer service is becoming difficult to come by and it is […]
Experience: The Key to Project Success
As a management consultant, the first question I am usually asked is how much I know about a particular industry. My answer is always the same: Not nearly as much as my clients. I explain that I don’t take a project to teach my client how to make ice cream, print boxes, or produce whatever […]
10 Characteristics of Effective Meetings
Every person can see everyone else. The board is in front of everyone. An agenda for the meeting. Time estimates are determined for each agenda item. Always ask “How are we doing in our process today? How can we be more productive?”. A record is keep of the ideas generated and the decisions made. The […]
10 Important Expectations when Hiring Consultants
Pay for results, NOT ideas or recommendations. Meet the installation/implementation team. Take time to qualify and quantify the goals and objectives of the project. ROI is important, but do not make it the cornerstone of the project. Expect a mix of tangible and intangible benefits. Morale cannot be measured by numbers, but know it is […]
Add EMS and TMI to your Business Glossary
EMS is a fast-growing dysfunctional business practice. On a recent project, we realized that the company holds an average of 312 meetings a month. As we observed some of these meetings, we quickly noticed that participants engaged in what is known as Circular Conversations. Circular Conversations refer to lengthy debates that that do not develop […]
Are you Cost or Schedule Driven Company?
Is Your Company Cost or Schedule Driven? A company’s priorities are a testament to its culture. Many can narrow down their driving focus to one of two concepts: cost or schedule. When an organization is driven by cost, the main goal is to keep internal costs from moderate to below average. Other companies may find […]
Art Serpa on Professional Development
In the Early 1990s, I held the position of Department Head of the Outfitting area at Electric Boat’s Quonset Point Facility. As I entered my 18th year of employment at Electric Boat, I was also completing my education by earning a master’s degree in industrial technology at Rhode Island College. One of my responsibilities was to […]
Time Management and the Hierarchy of Communication
Executives often wake up to find hundreds of emails in their inbox. Out of these hundreds there might be half that they entertain and read. Divide those in half and you might find the actual number of emails that get responses. Perhaps one more divide would result in messages that directly involve the individual executive. […]
Art Serpa on… The Bottom Line of Business
During the construction of the Lewis and Clark Class of ships for the Navy, a shipbuilding program at General Dynamic’s NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, California, we found ourselves with a problem. The first ship built had cost overruns of almost double the budget and the ship was not going to make the scheduled delivery […]
