Nimble Leader Volume II

Throughout  Nimble Leader  (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term.   In Volume V: Tools for Profit, you will explore axioms for improving business results.  Collectively – Market Position, Price, Volume, Mix, Cost, and Operating Working Capital represent what we call the Tools for Profit.  They are all interrelated.  Together, they represent a powerful framework for how you think, analyze, discuss, and act upon your business in ways that result in improved business performance, improved Operating Profit and improved Cash-flow . . . the lifeblood of every business.  The greater the level of ‘common’ understanding of the Tools for Profit by employees within and across your business’s functional areas, the greater the speed, flexibility, and depth of response your organization has relative to how you respond to fast-changing market pressures in a dynamic world.  In reading Volume V of Nimble Leader, you will focus on making money!  You will learn to relate Market Position – what you stand for in the minds of your customers – to the Price you charge; the Volume of products and services you sell; the Mix of your offering; the Cost you incur to grow your business; and the amount of Operating Working Capital – short term investment – required to support the ongoing operation of your business.   At a very fundamental level, you will also learn the ‘relative’ financial impact of deploying the different Tools for Profit in pursuit of profitable business.   You will even explore the impact and power of the dreaded price increase – the most powerful Tool for Profit!  

Throughout  Nimble Leader  (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term.   In Volume V: Tools for Profit, you will explore axioms for improving business results.  Collectively – Market Position, Price, Volume, Mix, Cost, and Operating Working Capital represent what we call the Tools for Profit.  They are all interrelated.  Together, they represent a powerful framework for how you think, analyze, discuss, and act upon your business in ways that result in improved business performance, improved Operating Profit and improved Cash-flow . . . the lifeblood of every business.  The greater the level of ‘common’ understanding of the Tools for Profit by employees within and across your business’s functional areas, the greater the speed, flexibility, and depth of response your organization has relative to how you respond to fast-changing market pressures in a dynamic world.  In reading Volume V of Nimble Leader, you will focus on making money!  You will learn to relate Market Position – what you stand for in the minds of your customers – to the Price you charge; the Volume of products and services you sell; the Mix of your offering; the Cost you incur to grow your business; and the amount of Operating Working Capital – short term investment – required to support the ongoing operation of your business.   At a very fundamental level, you will also learn the ‘relative’ financial impact of deploying the different Tools for Profit in pursuit of profitable business.   You will even explore the impact and power of the dreaded price increase – the most powerful Tool for Profit!  

Throughout  Nimble Leader  (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term.   In Volume V: Tools for Profit, you will explore axioms for improving business results.  Collectively – Market Position, Price, Volume, Mix, Cost, and Operating Working Capital represent what we call the Tools for Profit.  They are all interrelated.  Together, they represent a powerful framework for how you think, analyze, discuss, and act upon your business in ways that result in improved business performance, improved Operating Profit and improved Cash-flow . . . the lifeblood of every business.  The greater the level of ‘common’ understanding of the Tools for Profit by employees within and across your business’s functional areas, the greater the speed, flexibility, and depth of response your organization has relative to how you respond to fast-changing market pressures in a dynamic world.  In reading Volume V of Nimble Leader, you will focus on making money!  You will learn to relate Market Position – what you stand for in the minds of your customers – to the Price you charge; the Volume of products and services you sell; the Mix of your offering; the Cost you incur to grow your business; and the amount of Operating Working Capital – short term investment – required to support the ongoing operation of your business.   At a very fundamental level, you will also learn the ‘relative’ financial impact of deploying the different Tools for Profit in pursuit of profitable business.   You will even explore the impact and power of the dreaded price increase – the most powerful Tool for Profit!  

Throughout  Nimble Leader  (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term.   In Volume IV: Boring Numbers? Make Them Sing and Dance!, you will move from the foundational importance of defining Market Position to the critical relevance of understanding financial statements.  Different groups within different organizations speak their own language; and oftentimes, they develop a world view that is shaped by their experiences.  However, if you speak ‘sales’, you may not speak ‘engineering’.  If you speak ‘operations’, you may not speak ‘new product development’.   The one language that cuts across all of the different groups is the language of numbers, and in particular, financial numbers.  Volume IV of Nimble Leader demystifies financial statements and key measures of business performance.  You are exposed to the numbers – the financials – through the eyes of a ‘business operator’.  Business operators only value the financials to the extent they provide assistance in making better business decisions.  They focus only on those numbers over which they have the ability to impact.  In reading Volume IV of Nimble Leader you will make the connection between strong financial results, a strong Market Position, and the act of positioning your business to uniquely and specifically address customer need!

Throughout  Nimble Leader  (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term.   In Volume IV: Boring Numbers? Make Them Sing and Dance!, you will move from the foundational importance of defining Market Position to the critical relevance of understanding financial statements.  Different groups within different organizations speak their own language; and oftentimes, they develop a world view that is shaped by their experiences.  However, if you speak ‘sales’, you may not speak ‘engineering’.  If you speak ‘operations’, you may not speak ‘new product development’.   The one language that cuts across all of the different groups is the language of numbers, and in particular, financial numbers.  Volume IV of Nimble Leader demystifies financial statements and key measures of business performance.  You are exposed to the numbers – the financials – through the eyes of a ‘business operator’.  Business operators only value the financials to the extent they provide assistance in making better business decisions.  They focus only on those numbers over which they have the ability to impact.  In reading Volume IV of Nimble Leader you will make the connection between strong financial results, a strong Market Position, and the act of positioning your business to uniquely and specifically address customer need!

Throughout  Nimble Leader  (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term.   In Volume VI: Results Matter!, you will shift your attention from theory to application.  As Winston Churchill said, "It is no use saying, 'We are doing our best.' You have to succeed in doing what is necessary.”  Like waves lapping the shoreline, certain activities will generate Operating Profit and Cash-flow, only to recede with the need for new waves to take their place.  Short-term, you might generate profit and CASH through actions in the areas of Cost reduction and Working Capital management.  Mid-term, you might generate profit and CASH through growing Volume and the judicious use of the Price increase.  Long-term, you need to infuse the market with new products that ultimately alter product and service Mix, replenishing the streams of Operating Profit and Cash-flow at higher margin.  When you think about managing your business to higher more profitable ground, the process can be messy and the outcome uncertain.  However, if you fail to take risk, you run the risk of missing out on significant opportunities that might add to your bottom line. Understanding the Tools for Profit and the relationships between Market Position, Price, Volume, Mix, Cost and Working Capital management is not the same as applying the Tools for Profit. Understanding the Tools for Profit implies the skill to take action.  Applying the Tools for Profit implies the will to take action.  In reading Volume VI of Nimble Leader, you will learn specific steps and explore different examples that will assist you in applying the Tools for Profit to improve your business performance!

Throughout  Nimble Leader  (six volume series), we explore key concepts that have proven to be practical, useful, and applicable to achieving sustained improvement in business performance over the long term.   In Volume VI: Results Matter!, you will shift your attention from theory to application.  As Winston Churchill said, "It is no use saying, 'We are doing our best.' You have to succeed in doing what is necessary.”  Like waves lapping the shoreline, certain activities will generate Operating Profit and Cash-flow, only to recede with the need for new waves to take their place.  Short-term, you might generate profit and CASH through actions in the areas of Cost reduction and Working Capital management.  Mid-term, you might generate profit and CASH through growing Volume and the judicious use of the Price increase.  Long-term, you need to infuse the market with new products that ultimately alter product and service Mix, replenishing the streams of Operating Profit and Cash-flow at higher margin.  When you think about managing your business to higher more profitable ground, the process can be messy and the outcome uncertain.  However, if you fail to take risk, you run the risk of missing out on significant opportunities that might add to your bottom line. Understanding the Tools for Profit and the relationships between Market Position, Price, Volume, Mix, Cost and Working Capital management is not the same as applying the Tools for Profit. Understanding the Tools for Profit implies the skill to take action.  Applying the Tools for Profit implies the will to take action.  In reading Volume VI of Nimble Leader, you will learn specific steps and explore different examples that will assist you in applying the Tools for Profit to improve your business performance!