6 Posts found for Author: Keith McFarland

Insights from Keith McFarland, author of The Breakthrough Company.

Content: Thought Leader | Authors: Keith McFarland, Wayne L. Strom | Source: Graziadio Business Report | Subject: Management

In my view, as we go into work every day, we should think about the three levers on a leader’s desk (Strategy, People, and Execution) and ask ourselves, “Hey, isn’t my job really to optimize these three things?” These are the things that determine whether a business wins or loses.

Content: Quotation | Author: Keith McFarland | Source: Graziadio Business Report | Subject: Management

When people get into a routine, their brains often shift into neutral: They become less likely to spot changes in the environment and less likely to question what they are doing and how they are doing it. Embedded in routines are assumptions about the world and how it works, assumptions we often mistake for reality. When the world changes faster than our assumptions about it, … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Author: Keith McFarland | Source: Graziadio Business Report | Subjects: Management, Perception

The vast majority of small businesses stay small – and not by choice. Only the most savvy and persistent – a tiny one tenth of one percent – break through to annual sales above $250 million. In The Breakthrough Company, Keith McFarland pinpoints how everyday companies become extraordinary, showing that luck is a negligible factor. Rather, breakthrough success turns out to be associated with a … [ Read more ]

Content: Book | Author: Keith McFarland | Subjects: Best Practices, Entrepreneurship, Management

One of the executives I interviewed said, “There’s no such thing as corporate culture.” His point was that the minute you start talking about corporate culture, it be comes somebody else’s problem–the leader’s problem. He said, “We don’t focus on corporate culture. We focus on character.” When you use the word character, that’s everyone’s responsibility. It’s about how we treat each other.

Content: Quotation | Author: Keith McFarland | Source: Chief Executive | Subjects: Character, Culture

They’re hyperconfident risk-takers. They make big decisions on the fly but often fail to see the big picture. They’re charismatic visionaries who don’t play well with others. That’s the stereotype of successful entrepreneurs. But how accurate is it? To find out, I administered the Test of Attentional and Interpersonal Style, or TAIS–a 144-question personality exam used by the U.S. military, big corporations, and Olympic athletic … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Author: Keith McFarland | Source: Inc. Magazine | Subject: Entrepreneurship