Amy Schultz Clubbs: Community partnerships — Being good neighbors makes good business sense
Healthy relationships are good for you — and in my experience, this is as true for companies as it is for people. At Molina Healthcare of Ohio, our involvement with community partners has enhanced our reputation, raised brand awareness, allowed us to model our mission in action and motivated everyone in the company to do […]
Todd Whittington: The strategic structure — Using a framework to manage business uncertainty can help you process it
The world of technology startups is dominated by one overriding characteristic: uncertainty. Uncertainty in marketing, feature sets, customer needs and even in revenue models nip at founders as they strike out and try to create something new. Uncertainty is not exclusive to young companies, as executives from small businesses to multinational corporations confront the unknown […]
Bill Glick: Why MDs may need MBAs to create value in the evolving health care landscape
Top-quality health care procedures are readily available in the United States, but disruptive trends are challenging health care businesses. Renewed attacks on health care costs, demands for greater access, exciting research on personalized medicine, evidence-based medicine and medical tourism are transforming health care businesses. Remarkably, these disruptive challenges are less about medicine and more about […]
Tom Feeney: Listening to clients — Three key tips to implementing a successful customer service metric
Companies use customer service metrics to gauge how customers view them. But that’s not enough — not if you really want to delight customers. Successful companies listen to what customers are saying and use it to drive operational change. Feedback isn’t just analyzed at the corporate level, but throughout the entire organization. When we rolled […]
Misha Malyshev: Why recruitment should always play second fiddle to retention
It’s no secret that the success or failure of any modern company is driven by the quality of its people. This was the basis for the “War for Talent” concept developed by McKinsey and Co. in the 1990s. But the “war” has since evolved into a new endeavor, as a mission to not only obtain […]
Para M. Jones engages Stark State College staff and the business community to keep the region's economic engine revving
Stark State College is focused on preparing students and graduates for the jobs that exist in its environment, says Para M. Jones, the college’s president. In order to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the community, however, the college must be able to pivot itself and its 500-plus employees to meet the needs of today’s […]
Leslie W. Braksick: Preparing for your next season — Finding a new purpose beyond the corporate world
When you are in the heat of the battle as a corporate executive, it’s hard to imagine what’s on the other side. Your life is consumed with phone calls, meetings, travel, dinners out, presentations, explanations, expense reports and budgets. There are endless requests for your time and point of view. It is a relentlessly busy, […]
Deborah Cannon had to reconcile for-profit and nonprofit business strategies to rescue the endangered Houston Zoo
Deborah Cannon understands how the world of private, for-profit business works. She was president of Bank of America for the Houston region before retiring with 30 years in the industry. Courted out of retirement by a headhunter, Cannon took the helm of The Houston Zoo, becoming its president and CEO shortly after the floundering city […]
Chris Clawson uncovers new ways to exceed the expectations of his customers at Life Fitness
Interviewed by Dustin S. Klein If you take a tour of Life Fitness with Chris Clawson, you may find yourself answering questions that you wouldn’t expect to be asked on a tour of a company that makes exercise equipment. For instance, he’ll probably want to know if you have a favorite wine or if you’ve […]
Kimberly C. Cripe: Four points that will help you create an extraordinary customer experience
We’ve all heard stories — many of which have taken on legendary proportions — about extraordinary service provided by the likes of Nordstrom, Disney and Ritz-Carlton employees. The luxury retail and hospitality industries have elevated customer service expectations in every business category, from fast food to financial, and yes, even pediatric hospital services. The difference […]