The Harper Report Archives

An old German proverb, roughly translated, states “to change and to change for the better are two different things.” Over our years of helping organizations of all sizes deal with a vast array of changes, we’ve seen that the skepticism embodied in this proverb runs wide and deep. Resistance to change can emerge even when the advantages may seem obvious, such as in the case of a move to new, improved facilities. The skepticism and resistance can be especially strong when the change is viewed as one being imposed by an external “them,” whether “they” are management, regulatory bodies, or even peer groups.

Focus on Commitment Over Compliance

Whether you’re dealing with restructuring, new regulations, new customer requirements such as quality certifications, or even a hostile takeover, changes based upon compliance are the most challenging ones to implement because of the natural resistance we tend to have to situations we didn’t initiate.Read More

Recently, we met with the CEO and senior executives of a company that was preparing to receive FDA approval of a number of new drug applications. Despite the prospect of imminent success after years of investment and waiting, these savvy leaders recognized that they needed to be ready to head off a possible crisis: effectively bringing a number of new products to market all at once while balancing their current product portfolio.

In fact, these executives are not alone in recognizing the challenges that success can bring. We’ve learned over the years that regardless of the size of a company, success can provoke its own type of crises. After the initial celebration subsides, it can be an unpleasant surprise to realize that the world really has changed and that long-established operations must also change – sometimes dramatically – in order to accommodate growth and new expectations from customers, employees, and other stakeholders.Read More

With the 2008 Summer Olympics in full swing, this issue of The Harper report discusses the parallels between athletic performance and business performance. What separates average companies from those that are superstars?

Focus On Achieving Sustainable Long-Term Performance Objectives

Superstar athletes and teams know they can’t burn out after one event. They increase their value by setting long-term performance objectives to achieve multiple medals over a number of events. Likewise in business, the focus on achieving sustainable long-term performance increases your company’s value.Read More

Especially in a difficult economy, our wishes can help us move forward. This issue of The Harper Report demystifies wishing and discusses how to use it on an ongoing basis to accelerate progress and improve business results.

Three Essential Elements Of Wishing

While research groups routinely use wishing as a way to unleash creativity and problem solving, wishing is just as powerful for developing business objectives and strategy. Studies show that the more we open our minds to what we really want and commit to a course of action, the more likely it is that we’ll do what it takes to make our wishes come true.Read More

It’s one thing to make changes when you’ve decided to do something different.  It’s quite another thing to make changes in order to comply with new requirements, rules, and regulations.  This issue of The Harper Report provides you with tips for moving forward under these difficult circumstances.

Focus on Commitment Over Compliance

Whether you’re dealing with new legislation and regulations, new customer requirements such as quality certifications, or even a hostile takeover, changes based upon compliance are the most challenging ones to implement because of the natural resistance we tend to have to situations we didn’t initiate (see “Digging Deeper” below). While people will usually comply with new rules and regulations, I believe you can accelerate progress and achieve better results by gaining others’ commitment to successfully implementing the changes.Read More

Recently, I’ve been hearing more business leaders talk about scaling back to prepare for tough times ahead. However, a turbulent economy doesn’t necessarily have to end up negatively impacting your company – it all depends upon how you approach the challenge. While we can’t control circumstances and events, there are things we can do to rise to the occasion.

Add New Value To Your Current Customers

Changes in the economy may sensitize your customers to the value of what they spend their money on, where they spend it, and when they spend it. But — they are spending money. Three things you can do:Read More