Doing a Post-Flight Check of Your Business

The pilot skillfully descends, hits the tarmac smoothly, and taxis to the hangar. What happens after the plane lands?

Rest & relaxation would be nice, but pilots always do a post-flight inspection of their aircraft. Not only do they make sure that everything is in working order, they also inspect every system for signs of possible malfunctions that could affect the next flight.

Business owners can avoid potential loss or harm by conducting both a Pre-Flight Check of events or projects yet to occur, as well as a Post-Flight Check. Let’s take a look at what you can do once a project ends. 

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Completing a Pre-Flight Check of Your Business

An airplane pilot has the responsibility to conduct safety inspections—both before they take off and after they land. Diligent maintenance checks can help to avoid things going wrong: equipment failure, accident, injury, or a catastrophic crash.

Before launching a project or initiative, risk intelligent business owners can identify potential vulnerabilities by conducting a Pre-Flight Check. This evaluation can reveal valuable information that is both quantitative (numbers) and qualitative (experiences and sensations).

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Honeybee, Scorpion, and Nuclear Employees [Podcast]

The best way to avoid problems and overcome barriers in a company is simple: Listen to the experiences and opinions of your employees. Although listening to negative feedback can feel challenging to leaders, it is one of the most valuable sources of risk intelligence.

In this episode, Grace explains the three ways for frustrated employees offer their opinions and which 5 steps will help you create Healthy Feedback Loops in your organization.

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Interpreting Numbers and Experiences [Podcast]

What’s the difference between quantitative data (numbers) and qualitative data (experiences & emotions)?

Keep reading to find out why these are both essential parts of overcoming barriers as an owner, and examples of where to look for vulnerabilities in your business.

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How to Estimate the Qualitative Loss From Staff Turnover

What is an employee worth to you?

Not just their ability to generate sales or produce a measurable outcome, but also in terms of the experience they provide, and the emotional impact they make?

How can we calculate the degree of value an employee brings to a company, and what we lose when they quit?

Previously, I discussed ways to increase Risk Intelligence after staff turnover, and how to calculate the financial impact.

In this third segment, I explain hidden values employees provide, the 9 things we lose when an employee leaves, and simple ways to calculate the cost of quality.

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Is Your Strategic Plan in SHAPE?

As much as we try, there are some things that come naturally and some things that don’t.

One of those “love-it-or-hate-it” activities is business planning, also known as strategic planning. The whole point of doing this is to define your organization’s:

  • overall direction (Strategy),
  • which goals you want to achieve (Objectives),
  • using which actions and resources (Tactics), and
  • how you’ll know it was successful (Measures).

I abbreviate Vision, Mission, Values, Objectives, and Measures with the acronym VMVOM.

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How to Recognize Implicit Bias After What Happened to Starbucks

A recent event at a coffee shop in Philadelphia has stirred controversy about subconscious bias, corporate policies, and how to repair a company’s fractured reputation.

In this article, I explain:

  • the facts behind this event (including quotes from the young men, Starbucks leaders, Philadelphia police and Mayor, and other experts)
  • What are Policies and Procedures?
  • When the Enforcement of Policy Shows an Underlying Bias
  • Starbucks’ Official Statement
  • Taking Action: What You Can Do to Prevent a Starbucks-Like Incident
  • The 7 Symptoms of Implicit Bias, and
  • My Conclusion

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Why Unconscious Aggression is So Hard to See as a Leader

Can we be aggressive toward someone and not even know it?

I think we can.

Aggression is behavior that is hostile, forceful, or destructive. It comes from the Latin ad- (“to”) and the word gradi (“to step toward something or approach; to attack”).

It is an outward expression of inward anger that can cause incredible harm to others, even if we don’t realize it at first. Sometimes it’s difficult to know what aggression looks like, especially if you’re very comfortable with a highly competitive atmosphere.

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How Do I Make a Weighted SWOT Diagram? [Video]

Today, I’m going to explain how to look for hidden opportunities and risks in your organization using a weighted SWOT analysis. This strategic management tool allows you to calculate your options, which leads to decisions that are risk intelligent.

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5 Reasons to Share a “Year In Review” of Your Business

Facing the good and bad of the past year takes courage, especially in re-living painful experiences. But self-evaluating the highs and lows in your past year is just the first step.

Sharing your findings with the entire world takes it to a whole new level.

In this post, I’ll talk about the benefits and downsides of making your Year In Review public, and why we’re afraid to fail.

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