The APQC Blog
All Posts
Engagement Must Be More Than a “Flavor of the Week”
The percentage of U.S. workers quitting has soared to a high not seen since 2001, reported The Economist just last week. With low unemployment and a surplus of job openings, employers need to strike a balance: They must find ways to get the most from their existing workers, while also providing a…
4-Step Guide to Knowledge Mapping
Knowledge mapping is one of the most powerful knowledge management (KM) approaches. A knowledge map is a visual representation of the organization’s intellectual capital. With it, stakeholders can pinpoint where critical knowledge is, how it flows, and any barriers or gaps. This helps companies…
Need for Speed? Agile and Flexible Project Management
As noted earlier this year, a key theme for process and performance management professionals is the need to re-evaluate our old and adopt new capabilities to stay relevant in today’s business environment. Previously we had discussed the growing need to elevate customer focus and key methodologies (…
How Bad Motivations Can Erode Leadership
We discuss in my last blog how to understand the organization and know what is and is not accepted. With that information in mind, you can focus on the individual. Helping them understand themselves is key to enabling them be the best they can be by individualizing their development. Step 2:…
When and How Much to Invest in Knowledge Management Technology
At APQC, we’ve long argued that your knowledge management strategy should dictate decisions about technology, not the other way around. Companies that chase every new KM “solution” without a clear business case rarely get the results they’re looking for. But analysis of APQC’s benchmarking data…
Take Action to Leverage Lean in Transactional Processes
I recently spoke with Brian Mauriello from Stiles Associates about the benefits of bringing Lean process tools from the shop floor into the front- and back-office as well as the innovation arena. In the first part of our conversation, we discussed his three recommendations for Lean. Here is…
3 Recommendations for Leveraging Lean in Transactional Processes
I recently spoke with Brian Mauriello from Stiles Associates about the benefits of bringing Lean process tools from the shop floor into the front- and back-office as well as the innovation arena. Here is part one of our two-part conversation. Why do you think this is an important topic…
The IRS has Mastered Accounts Receivable...and You Can Too!
Would you rather owe someone money or have someone owe you money? Maybe it’s just me, but I think both of these options are fairly uncomfortable. But, in the business world, owing and being owed money comes with the territory. And in no case is this truer than in that of the ultimate ower (and,…
Leadership Capabilities: How Do You Choose the Right Person to Lead?
Making sure that you have the right leaders in place is no easy or small feat. The essence of leadership is knowing the direction you desire to travel and having the ability to influence the head, hands, and heart of others to follow you there. Of these three, the heart is clearly the most…
Top 10 Ways to Prevent Turnover
Tight Labor Market Signals It’s Time to Step Up Retention Efforts Much attention is being paid to the possibility that automation will spur joblessness. This makes it easy to lose sight of the fact that there are too few workers to fill job openings today. Jobless claims edge lower as…