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Below is a selection of newsletters from Todd Herman Associates. Included are case studies showing examples of how businesses have improved their systems and processes, quarterly reports that illustrate the type of work we have done and plan to do, and open topics with general analysis of topics relating to running a business effectively.
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2012
- January 2012
- Closing the Gaps: Using Personal Accountability to Progressively See More Clearly
Read how Personal Accountability can help close the gaps on performance potential.
2011
- December 2011
- Hating the Right Things
"If you hate injustice, tyranny, lust and greed, hate these things in yourself." — Mahatma Gandhi
- November 2011
- "The Robustness of People"
Even with all the benefits of Process and Technology, we can never completely engineer People out of the equation.
- October 2011
- Case Study: "The Wall of Knowledge" - Clarifying Business Needs and Issues to Specify Systems Requirements
This innovative and collaborative methodology for defining clear business requirements ensures your project expectations are met.
- September 2011
- Obliquity
Complex business problems can often be solved more efficiently by allowing the solution to reveal itself as a project progresses.
- August 2011
- Permanent State of Re-Invention
Re-invention — The process of actively adapting to continuously evolving conditions to ensure personal and organizational success.
- July 2011
- Case Study: Executive Dashboard — The Tip of the Iceberg: Delivering Meaningful Information to Executives
Business intelligence systems offer you a plethora of analytical data about your company's operations, but getting to the most useful metrics can be daunting. This month's case study illustrates how easily comprehensive performance data can be accessed and presented in a concise, visual format.
- June 2011
- Thinking is Overrated...and Feeling is Underrated
Our 7th Annual Summer Book Review — Thinking vs. Feeling!
- May 2011
- Getting Data to Tell Its Story
What is the data stored in your business systems trying to tell you?
- April 2011
- Be a Job-Maker
Are you a job-taker, or a job-maker? What's the difference?
- March 2011
- Case Study: Simplicity on the Screen, Complexity Behind the Scenes
In today's world, we don't need more complexity — we need more simplicity.
- February 2011
- The Efficiency of Trust
We use "trust" as a noun, but it can only be experienced as a verb...
- January 2011
- Honoring Commitments, Living in Integrity — Another Year of Personal Accountability
How can we "create value for everyone" through personal accountability?
2010
- December 2010
- The Unreal Other
How can we turn a person from an "unreal other" into a "real other"?
- November 2010
- Honesty Always Trumps Propaganda
What happened when you didn't just tell the truth and deal with the consequences?
- October 2010
- Case Study: The Goldilocks Strategy
Too hot! Too cold! Just right! How one client used the Goldilocks Strategy for choosing their approach.
- September 2010
- I'd Like My Crayons Back, Please
People, Personnel Management, Environment — Are These the Key Ingredients to a Successful Company? And How Can a Box of Crayons Help?
- August 2010
- Don't Change the Secret Sauce
Can you clearly define the key components of your company's success? Losing sight of what works could cost your business its competitive edge.
- July 2010
- Case Study: Avoiding MEGO
MEGO (My Eyes Glaze Over)...we've all experienced it. See how Todd gives you just enough "behind the scenes" technical details to tell the story while avoiding MEGO.
- June 2010
- Priming the Pump
Our 6th Annual Summer Book Review — Six books to prime your mental pump!
- May 2010
- The Perfect Company Size
Find out if there is a perfect company size.
- April 2010
- In Praise of Unlearning!
Find out how you have to sometimes "unlearn" in order to "learn."
- March 2010
- Case Study: What Were They Buying? — Managing a Complex System Implementation Project
Think project management is easy? Discover how outsourcing project management can be a cost-effective way of buying quick, high-quality results for your business projects.
- February 2010
- Buy One, Get Two Free: A Business Fable
"If we could automate some of our work, my staff's efforts would certainly be reduced," thought Jenna... And then what?
- January 2010
- Intentional Reality — Part 6: Personal Accountability Over 20 Years
How do formal accountability relationships benefit both the individual AND the company?
2009
- December 2009
- The Gift
Examine the choices you make for investing your own time, talent and treasure — to make a difference.
- November 2009
- In The Foxhole
If a client has a business-critical need, are you willing to crawl in the "Foxhole" with them?
- October 2009
- Case Study: They Wanted BlackBerrys...And Then What? — A Case Study: Overhauling Job Quoting with Process Standardization and New Technology
What happens when the right technology is implemented?
- September 2009
- There Are Teachers Everywhere
Who are your teachers? What are their lessons?
- August 2009
- Two Decades — Evaluated Experiences, and Lessons Learned
Todd's Top 10 lessons learned through 20 years of running a management consulting practice.
- July 2009
- Case Study: Time to Value — A Case Study: Developing and Unifying Applications to Support a Call Center
How this client quickly converted receivables into cash.
- June 2009
- What You Can Control Is...
Our 5th Annual Summer Book Review — Business books by Alan M. Webber, Gordon MacKenzie, M.J. Ryan, and Marshall C. Cook
- May 2009
- Hope and Fear
How quality, cost, and cycle time can be affected by the current economy.
- April 2009
- Rafting When the Water is Low
Navigating a smooth ride in a tough environment takes strategic thinking.
Published in The Business Journal September 11, 2009
- March 2009
- Case Study: Great People + Manual Process + Questionable Technology = Poor Results — A Case Study: Improving Data Integrity and Management Analysis by Integrating Systems
How an integration project provides high value-added management analysis, helping stakeholders make better business decisions.
- February 2009
- Finding Another Source of Capital
In today's economic climate, wouldn't it be great to find a low-cost source of recurring capital?
Published in The Business Journal April 17, 2009
- January 2009
- Sorting — Experiences and Accountability in 2008
What is the true value of evaluating an experience?
2008
- December 2008
- A Really Big Idea
End Homelessness in Guilford County? Yes, we can.
- November 2008
- What About the People?
How are people involved in aligning a business' key assets?
- October 2008
- Case Study: It Only Looks Easy — A Case Study: Marking the Trail for Process and Technology Improvements
How we helped this client jump-start the development of a new application by clarifying their executives' vision and planning implementation steps.
- September 2008
- The Lever
How a leader's leverage amplifies strengths — and magnifies weaknesses.
- August 2008
- Without a Doubt
What is the value of feedback? To remove doubt about performance.
- July 2008
- Case Study: Putting the Customer First — A Case Study: Improving Customer Satisfaction with Electronic Billing Statements
How our business review of a key process made it easier for customers to pay our client.
- June 2008
- I Wish I Had These Books 25 Years Ago — Annual Book Review Issue
Our 4th Annual Summer Book Review — Books to manage, lead, and inspire by Marcus Buckingham, Richard S. Gallagher, Marty Neumeier, Bob Burg and John David Mann, and Juris Rubenis and Maris Subacs.
- May 2008
- Framing Your Thinking
Do you have a framework for thinking that helps produce ideas, insights, and improves your intuition?
- April 2008
- "The Value of the Unanswered Question" — A Fable
A business fable about a Controller who wants to make a difference.
- March 2008
- Case Study: K.I.S.S. — A Case Study: Developing a Fast and Simple Call Logging and Tracking System
How one client decided to quickly solve their call logging and tracking problem with a low-cost custom application.
- February 2008
- The ROI of Doing Nothing
Getting more ROI — find out which processes and technologies have the highest return.
- January 2008
- Intentional Reality: Part 4 — Personal Accountability in 2007
Looking back at 2007 and plans for 2008.
2007
- December 2007
- The Other 46 Weeks
Sufficiency thinking in the Other 46 weeks of the year.
- November 2007
- The Discipline of Alignment
Achieving alignment in your business strategy by using technology to align your people, processes, and technology — together.
- October 2007
- Case Study: Build vs. Buy vs. Both — A Case Study: Designing and Managing Business System Customizations
How one company chose to improve their business through business system customizations — with remarkable results!
- September 2007
- "You want it WHEN?!"
How to gain speed in your business.
- August 2007
- No Guessing. No Surprises. Tell the Truth.
"Despite the scarcity of truth in the workplace, the supply still exceeds the demand."
- July 2007
- Case Study: Stopgap — A Case Study: Streamlining a Sales Order Entry Process
How a custom application allowed this client to efficiently handle an anticipated increase in sales and reduce rework by Customer Service.
- June 2007
- Brain Food: Our 2007 Summer Book Reviews
Useful books for your business and yourself by Sam Harrison, Kathryn D. Cramer and Hank Wasiak, Keith Yamashita and Sandra Spataro, Paul Arden, and James C. Hunter.
- May 2007
- "qual·i·ty"
qual·i·ty \'kwol-i-tē\ n. 1. A high level of service that meets or exceeds a client's expectations.
- April 2007
- Reading the Tea Leaves
A guide to understanding what your top business technology initiatives may be.
- March 2007
- Case Study: Helping a Business Owner Work On The Business — A Case Study
How one business owner benefited from working "on the business," not just "in the business."
- February 2007
- focus + distance = clarity
It's amazing how many issues can be quickly addressed once the power of clear, concentrated thinking is engaged."
- January 2007
- Intentional Reality: Part 3 — Reflections on a Year of Personal Accountability
The benefits of becoming accountable with a "No Excuses" attitude adjustment.
2006
- December 2006
- Raising The Ocean
Making a difference in the world by taking action.
- November 2006
- Taking Stock
How you can use this year's experiences to make a better 2007 for your business.
- October 2006
- System Erosion — Part 2: Symptoms, Causes, Recommendations, and Outcomes
Symptoms and diagnosis — is system erosion already upon you?
- September 2006
- System Erosion — Part 1: Definitions, Concepts, and Analogies
When systems should be at their best. When systems start to erode.
- August 2006
- Bridging "creativity" and "experience": Insights at 17 Years
Insights that helped Todd act with a renewed sense of purpose and that can help you in your business.
- July 2006
- Case Study: Turning "tech speak" to "business use" — A Case Study: Using Web Services to Deliver Information to Mobile Devices
How SOA and web services delivered on the promise of rapid application development, providing this client with the a cost-effective way of getting information.
- June 2006
- Stories: Our 2006 Summer Book Reviews
"Stories" to help your business from books by Craig Hovey, Gary Sutton, Patrick Lencioni, Douglas Preston.
- May 2006
- From"force" to "finesse"
Interesting findings from IBM's "2005 Global CFO Study"
- April 2006
- Case Study: Business Analytics Gets Down to Business — A Case Study: Integrating Multiple Data Sources to Analyze and Reduce Inventory Levels
How our technology analysis for this client resulted in changed processes that quickly yielded signficant financial results.
- March 2006
- Call Us When...
Examples of how specific challenges prompted our clients to call us for help.
- February 2006
- Intentional Reality — Part 2: What do People, Process, and Technology Have To Do with Personal Accountability?
The second part in our series on personal accountability called we call "Intentional Reality."
- January 2006
- Intentional Reality — Part 1: What is Personal Accountability?
Introducing Todd's series on personal accountability.
2005
- December 2005
- Insanity...
The sounds of process inertia.
- November 2005
- Case Study: Assessing the Systems Environment to Identify Business Risks — A Case Study
How we helped a company reduce its risk of compromising sensitive data.
- October 2005
- Pay It Forward...
What is the role of a business in responding to human need? How do you help promote paying it forward in business? What is the benefit of paying it forward?
- September 2005
- To The Limit...
Explorations in taking your business "to the limit" through thought experiments.
- August 2005
- Case Study: Sometimes Simpler is Better — A Case Study: Using the BlackBerry Platform to Improve Tenant Service
How this client leveraged BlackBerry and other business system technology to make company representatives more effective "on the road."
- July 2005
- Book Reviews for Summer 2005
Summer reading that can help your business — Books by Harry Beckwith, Steve Farber, Patrick Lencioni, and Ben Bova.
- June 2005
- "Show me an empty chair..."
"Show me a well-defined process, and I'll show you an efficient and effective business." — The first e-mail edition of Todd's newsletters.
2004
- April 2004
- Wireless Addiction: A Business Fable
How we helped this client improve and standardize its processes and reduce cycle time.
2003
- June 2003
- When You Have a Hammer In Your Hand
Learn to use the right tools (like E-mail) for their intended purpose.
2002
- October 2002
- Get Moving, Get Better
In order to get the best company always strive for better.
- May 2002
- Case Study: Using Workflow Automation to Redefine Product Development
Over many years, this company's product development cycle gradually evolved in an ad hoc fashion.
- April 2002
- Building Muscle
How lean thinking principles contribute to a lean enterprise.
2001
- November 2001
- Case Study: Eliminating the Paper Chase with On-line Forms and Workflow Automation
How we helped this client improve and standardize its processes and reduce cycle time.
- October 2001
- Profiting from Process
What businesses must do in order to succeed this decade.
- April 2001
- How to Cut Costs and Improve Quality
How workflow automation results in quality improvements and cost reductions.
- January 2001
- Case Study: Improving Control Over Purchases Using Lotus Notes
ow we helped this client achieve better control over purchasing decisions.
2000
- October 2000
- Competing on Time
How time usage can be a strategic advantage for a company.
- August 2000
- Case Study: Improving Customer Access to Information Using Lotus Notes
Creating a custom application consisting of several document databases using the Lotus Notes® software.
- July 2000
- Case Study: Making Product Information Accessible Using Lotus Notes
Finding a more timely and efficient way to share product and pricing information with a company's sales representatives.
- April 2000
- Does Your Work Flow?
Workflow = The actions (work) and interactions (flow) required to carry out a business process.
1990s
- Qtrs. 3 & 4 1999
- "Adding Value" Means "Improving Information"
Learn about what it takes to "add value" to clients.
- Qtr. 2 1999
- Tuesday, August 1, 1989, 4:00 am
Todd looks back to the day he started his own business.
- Qtr. 1 1999
- Does Your Email Have ROI?
Read about how ROI comes not from technology, but from the correct application of technology to business.
- Qtrs. 3 & 4 1998
- And Now, A Word From Our Sponsors...
Find out who are a CPA firm's sponsors.
- Qtr. 2 1998
- Managing Knowledge
Can knowledge be managed?
- May 1998
- Case Study: Streamlining the Budgeting and Planning Processes Using Microsoft Excel
How we helped this client with a custom-developed personal computer application.
- Qtr. 1 1998
- What Clients Want, What Clients Need
Find out the difference between what clients want, and what clients need.
- Qtr. 4 1997
- Pursuing Balance
Pursuing balance is never ending.
- Qtrs. 2 & 3 1997
- Wanted: The CFO of the Future
See what the five areas of a CFO's agenda are.
- July 1997
- Case Study: Evaluating and Planning Financial Information Needs
Enabling management to react more effectively to competition and market forces.
- Qtr. 1 1997
- Apples and Oranges
The differences between Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange.
- Qtr. 4 1996
- Implementing the Big Picture
See how THA helps clients "Implement the Big Picture"
- Qtr. 3 1996
- Change!
Sometimes change is necessary in order to meet various challenges.
- Qtrs. 1 & 2 1996
- Communicating, Collaborating, Coordinating
Lotus Notes...a truly unique application.
- Qtr. 3 1995
- How You Benefit From Engaging A CPA For Consulting Projects
See how you can benefit from engaging a CPA for consulting projects.
- July 1995
- Case Study: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Presenting Competitive Financial Information
Using a competitive financial analysis model to compare financial information of a company against key competitors' data, focusing on profitability and asset use measures.
- Qtr. 2 1995
- Avoiding Obsolescence
How versatility is no longer required to maintain a competitive edge - It is now necessary to avoid obsolescence.
- May 1995
- Case Study: Leveraging Standard Cost Data to Improve Preliminary Product Costs
When designers and merchandisers designed new garments and finishes without good preliminary product costing information, standard gross margin percentages were below the companies expectations.
- Qtr. 1 1995
- Practice What You Preach
Read how THA ensures a successful practice.
- Qtr. 4 1994
- Value: A Function of Cost and Quality
Find out the relationship between Value, Quality and Cost.
- Qtr. 3 1994
- Small Firm, Big Service
How our clients rated us.
- Qtr. 2 1994
- Measuring Quality
See how our company identified requirements and conformances for measuring the quality of our business services.
- 1992
- Building Better Spreadsheets...And More
Find out how to build better spreadsheets and more.
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