Organizational Performance

A Radical Approach to Leadership

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:00:00 GMT

The key to India-based Satyam Computer Services' success has been a cutting-edge leadership model "designed to break down the barriers of hierarchy, empower people, and distribute leadership," according to a company executive. Here's how they make it work.

Help Wanted in India

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With net sales of $6 billion in 2007 and with enough might and fame to attract knowledge workers, Stryker is a prominent company worldwide. Yet even this highly successful global business faced major hurdles in hiring talented software developers and engineers in India.

Sharing Knowledge Improves Stryker's Performance

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Measuring internal customer service is driving positive results in one of the world's biggest medical equipment companies. This profile of a major division of Stryker -- with 1,800 employees in 21 countries who speak almost two dozen different languages -- reveals how.

Turning a Crisis Into an Opportunity

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Like many Asian banks, Siam Commercial Bank suffered tremendously during the 1997-98 financial crisis. But it managed not only to pick up the pieces and regroup -- it moved to the front of the pack. Here's that company's success story, which offers a model for any business going through wrenching, and possibly fatal, change.

Successfully Forging a New Path

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

When its sponsor, United Airlines, was facing bankruptcy, Alliant Credit Union had to break out on its own -- there was no other option. Here's how the company learned to be successful on its own terms.

Great Leadership Under Fire

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Following a drought and a disastrous harvest, farmer cooperative Auglaize Provico saw profits plummet. The losses were devastating and possibly fatal. But under the leadership of a persistent and visionary CEO, Larry Hammond, the co-op turned calamity into victory, and profits rebounded substantially. In fact, Hammond's small co-op, a remnant of 19th-century farming, achieved things that global mega-companies and trillion-dollar governments fail to do all the time. Here's how.

Probing the Dark Side of Employees' Strengths

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Managers who introduce a strengths-based approach to their teams invariably ask this question: Is there a "dark side" to employees' strengths? Can a person with strong command become too pushy, or a person with strong analytical talents drive colleagues crazy with endless questions and hypothetical scenarios? In this article, a strengths expert probes these vexing questions and, using real-life examples, offers surprising (and reassuring) answers.

An International Paper Mill Saves Itself

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

When the nearly 900 workers at a Texarkana mill faced a weakening market and, worse, multiple rounds of downsizing, they could've given up and waited to lose their jobs. But instead of choosing to be victims of the global economy, they consciously -- and conscientiously -- set about saving their mill, and themselves. Here is their success story.

Don't Mislabel Your Employees

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

If you manage someone whom you think is too "bossy" or "opinionated," read this article. You'll find that those seemingly negative traits, among others, may actually provide clues to that employee's talents and strengths.

How Ann Taylor Invests in Talent

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Does spending on workplace learning and development deliver measurable business results? Is employee education a "nice to have" for organizations, rather than an essential investment? The retailer Ann Taylor has been wrestling with these questions for some time. A leading executive there explains how the company has created a clear and measurable link between its investment in developing talent and its bottom-line business performance.

A Caterpillar Dealer Unearths Employee Engagement

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Fabick CAT invested $500,000 in its people, and the payoff was enormous. Here's how the company made employee engagement a part of its culture, largely by becoming less bureaucratic and a lot more open.

How The Ritz-Carlton Is Reinventing Itself

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Brand recognition alone doesn't keep hotel guests coming back, says Simon Cooper, chief operating officer and president of one of the world's most admired companies. In fact, that recognition is just the first step in a customer's journey toward engagement. In this candid interview, Cooper discusses how The Ritz-Carlton's fame can undermine its brand promise, how to train staff to be spontaneous, and why engagement is the company's key commodity.

To Form a More Perfect Customer Experience

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Business leaders, take note: You can learn a lot from the federal government. This profile delves into how a Department of Labor agency became a model purveyor of customer engagement.

An HCA Hospital's Miracle Workers

Thu, 12 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Already an esteemed hospital with a high-performing staff, Medical City Dallas wanted to improve the engagement of its employees. Its leaders were determined to uncover problems and identify deficiencies -- and to correct them. This effort has meant a lot to the hospital's health -- and especially to two extraordinary patients.

Stryker Selects Top Talent

Thu, 10 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT

For more than two decades, this global company has delivered at least 20% organic growth annually. Stryker executives attribute this achievement largely to recruiting people who have the right innate talents to drive the business forward. Indeed, attracting and retaining a high-performing and self-motivated workforce is central to the company's corporate strategy.

Securing Growth Through a Great Workplace

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 00:00:00 GMT

In an industry with chronic turnover, Weiser Security has discovered an innovative way to retain talented employees while keeping customers engaged. The company has created a model that organizations in any industry can follow.

This HCA Hospital's Healthy Turnaround

Thu, 13 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT

The Medical Center of Plano has always been viable -- but viable isn't acceptable in a town with 29 other world-class hospitals. To increase market share and profitability, this HCA hospital had to find a way to beat its competition. Here's how it met the challenge.

How Marriott Vacation Club International Engages Talent

Thu, 11 Nov 2004 00:00:00 GMT

When Marriott Vacation Club International launched two new initiatives in 2003 aimed at improving employee performance, some in the company doubted whether the investment would pay off. But one year later, the financial results convinced even the skeptics: "I'm finally seeing a people solution that really impacts the business," says a top MVCI executive.

Are You Selling Your People Short?

Thu, 09 Sep 2004 11:00:00 GMT

Corporate managers routinely subject employees to performance reviews that emphasize people's "areas for improvement," not their talents. The problem with this approach is that by focusing on weaknesses, organizations fail to capitalize on their employees' strengths. It's time to view your people differently.

ASB Bank: Good Isn't Good Enough

Thu, 12 Aug 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Three years ago, ASB Bank was an admirable financial institution. Twelve employee survey items (and a whole lot of work) later, it has increased its total assets by $7.5 billion and become truly world-class. Find out how.

Wachovia Takes Customer Engagement to the Bank

Thu, 08 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Wachovia is doing great things for customers and shareholders, but this wasn't always the case. Just a few years ago, service hit a low point, and the company struggled to keep its customers. A crucial factor in Wachovia's turnaround, says CFO Bob Kelly, is "the bank's tremendous success in increasing the quality of service we provide our customers."

Caterpillar Constructs a Leadership Pipeline

Thu, 10 Jun 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Caterpillar Inc. is undertaking a major new construction project: building an even better organization -- one that excels at finding and developing its next generation of global leaders. And, using proven leadership assessment tools, the Fortune 100 giant has already unearthed top talent.

Mutual of Omaha's Healthy Preoccupation With Talent

Thu, 13 May 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Insurance giant Mutual of Omaha could have coasted on its reputation for decades. Instead, the company that brought us Wild Kingdom is intensely focused on taming the most obstinate beast of them all: organizational and cultural change.

How Saks Welcomes New Customers

Thu, 08 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Three years ago, Saks Fifth Avenue faced a serious challenge in attracting and welcoming new customers. The difficulty would be to manage the "soft side" of the business -- what customers and employees felt. Here's how Saks gets and keeps new customers -- that is, how it remains exclusive without excluding anyone.

Why Big Lots Customers Keep Coming Back

Thu, 08 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT

The giant retailer keeps prices low -- but its stock value high -- by engaging employees, who in turn engage customers