Notices by Gino Kofutua (lorengerrior813), page 2
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Hire an interim coo
When and How To Hire an Interim COO In many organizations, the chief operating officer is one of the most important executives in the c suite. He or she serves as the head of the businessҳ operations and, in many cases, acts as a second-in-command and surrogate for the chief executive officer. The significance of the COO means that some organizations canҴ get by without one. Therefore, at certain times, such as during team transitions, deciding to hire aninterim COO is essential. Other organizations are just reaching the point of needing a chief operating officer. In this case, an interim operations head may also be helpful. What Does a Chief Operating Officer Do? The chief operating officer is the c-level executive in charge of the daily operations of the organization. Depending on the size and diversity of the business, this can be a very strategically focused position or a more day-to-day-focused position. This can include analyzing and refining operations. It can also include working to improve organizational communication and efficiency. In some cases, a COO may head up high-importance projects that require the involvement of a top executive. For other organizations, the head of operations may principally act as backup and a partner to the CEO. It is perhaps the most variably defined member of the c-suite. In many cases, the role of the COO is to help the CEO achieve success for the organization. In other words, the exact purpose of the operations chief depends on what the top executive needs. This relationship can make keeping the top operations job filled a high priority for the organization. Having the role vacant, especially unexpectedly, can become a critical concern for the CEO and board of directors. What Is an Interim COO? Aninterim COO is essentially just a short-term operations executive. He or she may hold the role for a preset period of time or may hold it until a permanent chief operating officer is named. There are two main types of interim COOs: Internal: An existing member of the business team takes on the role of the COO during the search for a permanent candidate. This arrangement typically arises when the existing chief operating officer leaves without a transition plan. In many cases, though not all, the internalinterim COO may be named as the permanent successor. External: Sometimes there isnҴ an internal candidate for the position. Other times, outside expertise is needed to achieve organizational success. In either case, a consultant or simply an external candidate takes over the role. Usually, this type of interim executive will not take over permanently; however, that may be the result in some cases. Regardless of whether the individual is an existing member of the team or an external hire, theinterim COO will typically function in the same way that a permanent one would. In some circumstances, this may be in primarily an oversight role, keeping the ship on course until a permanent candidate is found. In other cases, the interim COO may be specifically tasked with changing things up. In short, much like a full-time operations chief, the role of the interim executive is very much dependent on the current needs of the organization and c-suite team. Thus, exactly what an interim COO does will depend on how and why the prior executive left, or in some cases why the position was created. Reasons To Hire an Interim COO Hiring an interim executive may seem like a distraction from finding a permanent candidate. However, there are many excellent reasons to hire someone in a temporary operations role: Allowing Time To Find a Permanent Successor: Executive searches take time. Finding the right person that can lead your organizationҳ operations to success rarely happens overnight. However, finding an interim COO, especially an external consultant, can be done almost immediately. Maintaining Confidence: Having a hole in your executive team can lead board members, investors and other stakeholders to get nervous. This is especially true if you donҴ have a clear succession plan. Hiring a temporary executive can help to soothe any worries. Not only is the position filled, but this strategy also projects an image of thoughtfulness and confidence. Ensuring Internal Stability: When someone leaves your leadership team, it can make things feel uncertain for your team members. This is only multiplied when that person is a c-level executive who affects everyone in the organization. Choosing to hire an interim COO can help provide a sense of continuance and stability. Keeping Things Running: The top operationҳ job in your organization is an important one. Keeping your day-to-day operations organized should always be a top priority. Hiring an interim COO may be necessary to simply keep things on track. Avoiding Overworking Other Leaders: In some cases, other operations leaders will be able to take over the responsibilities of the COO. However, this can lead to overworking your management team. Depending on your circumstances, it may be essential to find some outside help. Of course, interim executives arenҴ just about bridging the gap. Sometimes you need to hire someone to help manage a transition. Other times, you may be creating the chief operating officer position for the first time and want a trial run. Here are some other reasons to hire an interim COO: Getting the Necessary Skills: Sometimes a temporary, outside COO can bring new skills to the position that you need. For example, if you are opening up new global operations, having someone with international experience is essential. Therefore, you may want to bring on a temporary executive while you find an appropriate permanent candidate. Offering Outside Perspective: Objectivity is important in the c-suite. However, it isnҴ always easy to maintain. Getting someone in from the outside can be very beneficial in terms of objectivity. It is an excellent way to get a fresh perspective on how your organization is operating. Managing Essential Projects: Critical projects sometimes need special attention. If you have not previously had a COO but need someone to ensure the success of a major undertaking, having an interim COO may be useful. You can either make it a permanent position or simply have a temporary operations head for the duration of the project. Sometimes bringing on a temporary executive is the right choice for your business. It can help you ensure continuing success and/or manage a period of transition more effectively. Better yet, it prevents you from having to rush to find a successor or go without someone heading up your operations. When Should You Hire an Interim COO? Clearly, there are strong reasons to hire an interim COO. However, you may still be wondering when the right time is. Typically, companies hire interim executives after a c-suite member leaves and before his or her successor is hired; however, there are some other circumstances as well. For a COO Transition: The simplest circumstance for hiring an interim COO is in between two permanent executivesҠtenures. Sometimes people retire or quit without a clear succession plan or with one that canҴ be implemented immediately. It takes time to find a worthy successor and having an interim chief operating officer can help keep things steady. When a Turnaround Is Needed: If your companyҳ operations are in poor shape, it may be necessary to make a leadership change. In these cases, an interim COO may be helpful. Sometimes, an outside consultant with experience in operations improvement can be preferable to an internal or permanent executive. During a Growth Period: Sometimes organizations, especially relatively new ones, find themselves on the precipice of a period of major growth. Perhaps you have landed a new deal for international distribution or earned a major contract. In these instances, it can be prudent to bring on board new leadership that is skilled in handling larger operations. Before an Essential Project: Developing new systems or undertaking large projects can necessitate specialized skills from your chief operating officer. In these cases, it can be helpful to hire an interim COO. Following a Firing: Although it is in some ways similar to any other transition, an executive being fired brings special challenges. Uncertainty tends to be much higher after a COO is fired than if he or she leaves voluntarily. Furthermore, there may be specific damage from mishandled operations that needs to be rectified. When Your COO Is Sick: Sometimes people get sick. If your chief operating officer needs some long-term leave to manage a health situation, it can be beneficial to bring an interim COO on board. In these cases, an external consultant is an excellent choice. Hiring such a person helps your team keep running without the appearance of replacing your unwell operations lead. As a Test Run: Most companies arenҴ founded with a full suite of executives. In fact, many chief operating officer positions are created to offload some responsibilities from the CEO. However, knowing when the right time is to hire can be difficult. You can bring on a temporary executive as a test run to see how things go first. In all these circumstances, deciding to hire an interim COO instead of waiting for a permanent successor or offloading responsibilities to other managers can be an impactful decision. Doing so can bring stability and competence to your organizationҳ operations team during a period of uncertainty. The Advantages of Short-Term and Partial Executives An interim executive can be a useful addition to your team in many cases. Clearly, there are plenty of situations when hiring one is the right decision, and there are many good reasons to do so. However, it may seem like a permanent COO would offer all the same advantages. This isnҴ quite true: Less Pressure: Hiring executives is not an easy process. They will have a major impact on your organization, so finding the right person is important. When you hire an interim COO, there is less pressure to find the ideal candidate. Instead, you can simply bring on someone who can do the job. Then you have time to worry about who will achieve long-term success. Malleability: Executives, especially those working with large teams, tend to have a lot of expectations about how they will run their operations. An interim executive, however, knows that he or she is only taking the job short term. Your temporary executive can more easily play whatever role is needed. This is especially true for external candidates. Try Before You Buy: Again, hiring a c-level executive is no simple matter. It can be nice to try out the role before making a commitment. This can take the form of a trial run for a specific person or a trial for the position itself if it is newly created. Fresh Eyes: There is no replacing an outside set of eyes. Sometimes you need this perspective right away, so hiring an interim COO can bring in that objective opinion without the need for a lengthy search process. Fast Turnaround: When you need someone quickly, there is really no replacing an outside consultant for taking on a vacant role. Often the turnaround time can be a matter of days or weeks rather than months. Some temporary COOs also offer partial executive services. When you need some help with your operations but arenҴ ready for a full-time leader, this can be very helpful. It has many of the advantages of an interim COO but functions as a part-time team member. Considerations When You Hire an Interim COO When you hire a temporary executive, it is important to set clear goals for the position. Specifically, know what that timeframe of the job is and what you hope to achieve. Having clear objectives will help you to ensure the process is successful. The candidateҳ qualifications are also a consideration. He or she must possess many of the same skills as a permanent COO. However, there may be less pressure to find an exact fit as the role is temporary. Sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_operating_officer shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/pages/0604fraseblunt.aspx councilofnonprofits.org/sites/default/files/documents/Why%20and%20How%20to%20Hire%20an%20Interim%20Executive%20Director.pdf tsne.org/blog/questions-ask-when-your-nonprofit-needs-interim-executive-director bridgespan.org/insights/library/hiring/interim-leadership-looking-beyond-the-executive-di larryputterman.com/9-reasons-hire-interim-ceo/ The postHire an interim coo first appeared onKamyar Shah.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 23:42:03 PDT from web -
What is PCOS + The 4 Most Common Root Causes
Have you heard of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS?Maybe youҲe even thinking, әes, I have PCOS.ԠAfter all, itҳ believed that 10%-20% of all women have some form of PCOS נitҳ one of the most common hormone disorders in women. I was (possibly) one of them. To this day I still donҴ know for sure if I had PCOS נno doctor ever had a conversation with me about it, but I did see it listed on an ultrasound report once and had quite a few of the telltale signs. The good news is that PCOS typically stems from The postWhat is PCOS + The 4 Most Common Root Causes appeared first onTop Seller Website.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 23:19:47 PDT from web -
13 Ways To Prevent Burnout Before It Happens
Prioritize Your Time There is really no secret to preventing burnout. Much like any other project, itҳ all about prioritizationd time management. If tasks are properly planned, delegated and executed, there is no need for anyone to be overwhelmed or overworked. Couple that with proper time management and the burnout issue will be unlikely to even surface. ֠Kamyar Shah,༡ href="https://www.worldconsultinggroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://www.worldconsultinggroup.com/">World Consulting Group Originally published at:tps://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/09/28/13-ways-to-prevent-burnout-before-it-happens/#22e6f76779b1 The post13 Ways To Prevent Burnout Before It Happens first appeared onKamyar Shah.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 23:14:16 PDT from web -
Ten Powerful Ways To Position Your Startup Against The Tech Giants
Gather And Publicize Positive End-User Feedback Call it what you like נword-of-mouth or organic brandingנbut the gist will remain the same: End-user satisfaction thatҳ publicized is the answer. Thereҳ reallyய better way to beat a larger company and even the playing fields. Get your happy user to say so and say it publicly online.ࠖ༡ href="https://twitter.com/kshahwork" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://twitter.com/kshahwork">Kamyar Shah,༡ href="https://www.worldconsultinggroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://www.worldconsultinggroup.com/">World Consulting Group Originally published at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/09/25/ten-powerful-ways-to-position-your-startup-against-the-tech-giants/#303da919581a The postTen Powerful Ways To Position Your Startup Against The Tech Giants first appeared onKamyar Shah.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 22:54:20 PDT from web -
3 Ways Companies Can Retain Working Moms Right Now
865,000 women left the U.S. workforce in September 2020 alone. from HBR.orghttps://j.mp/38Cvlny viaVWCG.Com
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 22:40:43 PDT from web -
Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
Shredded zucchini, mashed ripe banana, dark chocolate morsels, and chopped walnuts are all packed into one delicious muffin! Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are a great way to sneak in (or use up) zucchini, are made with less sugar, and made all in one bowl. When the garden (or FarmersҠMarket) gives you zucchini, makeŠRead More The postGluten-free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins appeared first onTop Seller Website.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 22:20:28 PDT from web -
What We Can Learn About Unity from Hostile Takeovers
Power transfers can be fraught. But there is a path forward. from HBR.orghttps://j.mp/2IvAJOn viaVWCG.Com
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 22:16:27 PDT from web -
Employer Branding from a Marketing Perspective: CMOs & Marketing Experts Share Advice on How to Balance Consumer Brand and Employer Brand
Kamyar Shah, Fractional CMO༯strong> 1) How should companies be treating their employer brand, especially in comparison to their consumer brand? The differentiation between employee and employer brand is futile; those two have a symbiotic relationship. The same goes for consumer brands. 2) Do they both matter? Of course both matter. Positive branding from any aspect and any level usually has a positive impact on overall brand perception. The brand value is transferable both in depth and breadth. 3) How should companies balance both? It needs to be a cumulative effort that enables branding from any/every level. The benefits are mutual to all; employee, employer and the company. The storytelling portion of a brand can work its way all the way up to the corporate level. Originally published at https://b2b.kununu.com/blog/marketing-and-hr-employer-branding-from-a-marketers-perspective The postEmployer Branding from a Marketing Perspective: CMOs & Marketing Experts Share Advice on How to Balance Consumer Brand and Employer Brand first appeared onKamyar Shah.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 21:50:24 PDT from web -
So, Why Are We Still Afraid?
Now that we are several months into this COVID-19 pandemic we have a lot more data. Initially there was a lot of concern about the unknown, but now we have the data. If the American health care system is good at anything, it is stats and numbers for disease rates. We are really good at tracking disease. Not so good at eradicating, preventing, mitigating or curing it, but quite good at tracking it. Even with possible manipulation of the data, the trends can be seen. In Yakima county where I live, we have been number one county on the Westż/p> The postSo, Why Are We Still Afraid? appeared first onTop Seller Website.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 21:43:56 PDT from web -
The Evolution of the Chief Operating Officer
The chief operating officer is one of the key members of the C-suite in many organizations. In addition to overseeing the operations of the organization, he or she may also be the second-in-command to the CEO. For a long time, this position has played a key role in running large organizations. However, you may be surprised to learn how few companies have aCOO position. According to the Harvard Business Review, only 37 percent of the largest European businesses had an active chief operating officer role in 2010. The United States isnҴ far off of these numbers. So, what is a chief operating officer? How did the position come to exist? What is changing about this role currently? And, what can we expect in the future forCOOs? What Is a Chief Operating Officer? The primary purpose of this job is to oversee the daily operations of the company. It is a C-level position. Therefore, it typically handles a relatively high-level oversight of operations, with the specifics delegated to lower-level executives and managers. In many cases, theCOO position exists to allow the CEO to focus more on strategy and the long-term and less on the everyday management of the organization. As such, the specifics of the chief operating officer job description may vary depending on the needs and personality of the chief executive officer it is serving under. Depending on the company, theCOO may also function as a second-in-command to the CEO. While often unofficial, this relationship is why the duties of the top operations executive are so variable: his or her function is to support the CEO in running the business. This also means that the COO is frequently seen as the logical successor to the current chief executive officer. The Origins of the COO Although having managers dedicated to daily operations is hardly a new concept, the title of chief operating officer only arose in the second half of the 20th century. It emerged as the C-level nomenclature for corporate offices took precedence. Quickly the COO position became one of the big three C-suite jobs along with the CEO and CFO. In many cases, the aim of theCOO role was to shift some of the daily oversight responsibilities away from the CEO. However, despite quickly becoming a staple in many large corporations, the position was loosely defined from its beginning. Due to its nature as the right-hand person for the CEO, the chief operating officer was almost immediately a corporate chameleon. For example, Richard D. Parsons held the job at Time Warner despite having no authority over the organizationҳ operating division. In other cases, the COO job was much more clearly operations related and the corporate president served as the second-in-command. Trends Among Chief Operating Officers Today EY, a research and leadership development organization, recently conducted a study of chief operating officers to learn more about their work. Notably, this included insights from COOs about what they thought of their roles and how things are changing. About a third of COOs and half of their colleagues in the C-suite consider the position to be the toughest job in the organization. This is largely informed by the necessity for flexibility and foresight. Large organizations are growing increasingly complex and ensuring their operational success both today and in the future can be a serious challenge. This level of challenge may see the COO filling the role of C-suite MVP. It can serve as both a reward for top team members and a way to get the most value out of talented people. Many of the respondents to EYҳ research also indicated that the job is not sufficiently strategic. Its historical role has been in executing the long-term goals of the leadership team. However, many people holding the position today think that this focus is too microscopic. Instead, they believe chief operating officers of the future will need to play a greater role in the strategy to be successful. Undoubtedly the biggest trend of the research is that people in the top operations job feel the role is in a state of flux. New challenges and opportunities mean that it is not as defined a position as it once was. This can make being a COO stressful. However, it can also present opportunities for growth and success to ambitious executives. A large percentage of the COOs studied by EY noted that their greatest concern is the Ӭack of acceptance or understandingԠof their roles. They believe that a lot of people donҴ understand what the operations chief is supposed to be or how best to use his or her talents. This may help explain another major trend today: the declining prevalence of chief operating officer positions. The Decline of COO Positions Many organizations have done away with the chief operating officer role. According to executive search firm Crist Kolder Associates, only 36 percent of Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies had a COO in 2014, down from 48 percent in 2000. This is likely the result of new information technologies allowing chief executive officers to oversee operations more directly. Therefore, they are able to handle the various non-C-level, operations-related executives and managers reporting to them without the need for a COO as a middle person. It is also notable that it is growing increasingly less common for the CEO and chairperson of the board to be the same individual. This split has further increased the leadership capacity of the CEO. In turn, this minimizes the need for a C-level executive specializing in operations. As individual executives are able to handle more responsibilities, organizations are also getting flatter. Rigid hierarchies are going out of vogue as leaders realize that a collaborative approach to running their businesses is more productive. Again, this reduces the need for the traditional hierarchy of executives. Finally, more boards are expecting their executive searches to be both internal and external. They want to find the right person for the job rather than simply elevating an anointed successor. This trend has taken away from the function of the COO as the heir apparent to the CEO. All this means that maintaining a chief operating officer position is less popular among the worldҳ largest corporations. However, removing the position isnҴ the only option. Other organizations have reimagined it to better match the needs of today. In fact, many companies that have eliminated the role may, perhaps, have been better served by a creating a new definition. A New Chief Operating Officer for the New Business World Over the last decade or two, the C-suite has been introduced to some new titles. For example, some companies now have chief brand officers and chief diversity officers. These new roles reflect new priorities for organizations. Branding has taken a larger stage and maintaining a diverse workforce is a requirement for many companies. Not surprisingly, changing priorities means that the chief operating officer role of today is different from when it was first conceived. In some organizations, it has become the top leader for the employees while the CEO acts as the public face. The COO may also help other C-level executives connect their work with the rest of the organization. For example, if a CIO is working to introduce new technologies to the company, the operations chief may help him or her better understand the needs of the team members. Furthermore, as more businesses take a collaborative approach to their work, having someone focused on aligning team members with the strategic goals of the organization is important. So, while the need for an executive head of operations may have changed, that doesnҴ mean the role is unimportant. In fact, it may be more necessary than ever to have a COO. Roles a COO May Play Today As the positioning of the chief operating officer changes within the leadership team, his or her key roles also change. There are many ways that a COO can continue to be helpful in the modern business world: Strategy Implementation: This is the role most closely related to the traditional responsibilities of the job title. The top operations executive can focus his or her efforts on making the C-suiteҳ strategies a reality. This may be executing the CEOҳ long-term goals, working with the CFO to find well-aligned acquisitions or a host of other implementation-related jobs. Change Leadership: Perhaps the only constant in the business world is change. In some cases, an organization will bring on a COO to handle the leadership change of a particular strategic shift. In other cases, an organization may want someone in the role to help manage the ever-changing needs of the organization in a dynamic world. Experienced Mentorship: Developing leaders is essential to the success of an organization. The chief operating officer can offer his or her experience and insight to help develop younger leaders. This can be a significant job, especially if the demands on the CEO prevent him or her from filling this role. Partner: Sometimes chief executives simply need someone to work with them to get things done, whether that is as a sounding board, someone to serve as backup or someone to be a right-hand. This facet of the job is why the top operations executive has often been considered the second-in-command in many organizations. Someone serving as achief operating officer may fill some, all or none of these roles. However, they represent some of the most common applications of the position in companies today. They also demonstrate how flexible the job can be and how organizations may be able to better use their COOs in the future. Expected Changes for Chief Operating Officers in the Future You may wonder what to expect from chief operating officers in the future. Some suggest that we are seeing a resurgence of the use of COOs. As leadership teams begin to better understand what the position can achieve, the interest in having one as part of the C-suite increases. According to Nate Bennett and Stephen A. Miles, writing for the Harvard Business Review: ӗe can easily argue that there is a growing need for the role. First, consider the widening scope of the CEOҳ job. Today, we have bigger companies, with expanding global operations, aggressively pursuing acquisitions.Լ/p> They add that CEOs are expected to be the public face of the company while also interfacing with the companyҳ team. In other words, while the CEO may have greater leadership capacity, the expectations for the top executive have also increased, perhaps to a greater degree. So, many organizations may be able to benefit from an operations chief acting as second-in-command. Others argue that with the always increasing rate of change in the business world, COOs are needed as an agent of change. David Spencer, writing for CIO, summed it up simply: Ӵhe modern COO connects the dots.ԠOrganizations need to adapt to stay competitive and they need someone who can help hold things together as they change. Exactly what will happen is impossible to say. One thing we can be certain of is that the future of the COO will not look like its past. The business world is ever-evolving and leadership teams evolve with it. So, whether there is a resurgence of chief operating officers or a continued decline, those who do hold the title will need talent and experience to be able to face the challenges of tomorrow. Ensure Your Companyҳ Operations Success Whether you have a growing company that isnҴ ready for a full-time COO, want to reduce the position to part-time or just need some outside expertise, Kamyar Shahҳ fractional remote COO service can help. As the role of thechief operating officer is constantly changing, it can be helpful to have on-demand access to insight and talent when you need it. Get in touch today to learn how Mr. Shah can help with your operations or other executive needs. His years of experience across multiple industries afford him unique insight into how to prepare a businessҠoperations to meet the challenges of today and the future. https://hbr.org/2011/11/understanding-the-coo-in-europ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_operating_officer https://www.forbes.com/sites/strategyand/2015/05/20/the-decline-of-the-coo/#44021a277cee https://www.ey.com/gl/en/services/advisory/the-dna-of-the-coo״ime-to-claim-the-spotlight https://hbr.org/2006/05/second-in-command-the-misunderstood-role-of-the-chief-operating-officer https://web.archive.org/web/20110714183334/http://www.ninamunk.com/documents/PowerFailure.htm The postThe Evolution of the Chief Operating Officer first appeared onKamyar Shah.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 21:19:07 PDT from web -
Streaming Database Use Cases
At its core, a streaming database is one that is intended to collect, process and even enrich an incoming data stream in real-time, often right after the data itself is created. Note that this is in contrast to a more traditional Relational Database Management System, also commonly referred to as an RDBMS for short. In that scenario, a database administrator would load data via a series of tools at a predetermined frequency depending on their needs. This can happen weekly or even nightly as the context demands it. Itҳ equally important to note that a streaming database is The postStreaming Database Use Cases appeared first onWorld Consulting Group.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 21:09:21 PDT from web -
The Evolution of the Chief Marketing Officer
Who could forget when IHOP changed its name to IHOb last summer, a move that had people talking and creating memes for weeks afterward? What about when SpaceX took the Tesla Roadster into space? You might even remember when Coca-Cola named K-pop group BTS as its new spokespeople, generating more than 1 million conversations about the announcement. Each of these events had two things in common: they got people posting to Twitter and making Facebook posts about big companies and there was a marketing team, complete with achief marketing officer, at the helm. These days, marketing is practically a buzzword: everybody knows what it is. Despite that, most consumers נand even big business owners נdonҴ have a real idea of the importance of aCMO and how the role evolved. The Early History of Marketing When most people think of marketing, they imagine the online, print and digital advertising campaigns of recent decades, but the reality is that marketing has been around practically since the dawn of time. Even when bartering was the most common form of payment, only the best cobbler got meats from the best butcher, for example. Honing your skills and ensuring everybody knows you have them has always been an important part of success in any community. Marketing in the 1900s Although ӣhief marketing officerԠwas yet to become a job position, marketing truly started to take off after World War II. D. Steven White, a professor at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, wrote a blog post indicating that companies in this era had one umbrella that covered sales, promotions and public relationship, and only that department cared about the marketing initiatives. Businesses slowly began to shift to a company-wide marketing model in the 1960s, and by the 1990s, it was the most common method. Customer service was of the utmost importance for every corporation, and every employee was expected to do his or her best to provide a high-quality experience. Enter Marketing Technology During the 1990s, companies began to expand their marketing technologies, creating data mining programs and customer relationship management software to help them track their customers and create a better experience. Around the time when more information became available and required analysis in order to be effective, the chief marketing officer really started to come into its own as a vital role. Then vs. Now When the role was born in the 1990s, the chief marketing officer was simply responsible for analyzing market research and focusing on advertising. While a tough job in and of itself, it was not nearly as expansive as it is in todayҳ digital world. Today, CMOs focus less on selling the product and more on building mutually satisfying relationships with current and potential customers. It WasnҴ a Straight Shot to the Spotlight Despite the appreciation for the role of chief marketing officer today, the same couldnҴ be said just a few years ago. Forbes even went as far as to proclaim the role dead in an article in 2012. The article claimed that the CEO is the person who sets the overall marketing strategy and then requires the CMO to do all the grunt work, leaving most people in the role of CMO with little job satisfaction. They werenҴ wrong. Just six years ago, many marketing officers found themselves considering career changes because they felt undervalued. The Change Began Simply put, social media began the change. In 2012, only 56 percent of Americans had social media profiles, but that number jumped to 67 percent by 2014. As of 2018, 78 percent have a social media profile, and most have multiple profiles. In the last few years, marketing has become even less about advertising the product and more about creating a communicative, personable brand as a whole. Social media users want to see interaction from the companies they support, and the chief marketing officer is the one who can make that happen. Why? He or she is the one who spends time өn the trenches,Ԡtaking the information from CRM software, analyzing it and turning it into facts the company can use to further its marketing campaigns. By 2017, the role of the chief marketing officer was once again at the forefront of corporate branding, with an increasing number of people in the role saying they have a major responsibility not only in marketing but in customer service. Many of them also now have seats at the executive table as companies realize the importance of inclusivity in their ad campaigns and online correspondence. The CMO has a deeper understanding of the companyҳ audience and exactly what type of advertising will work best. For example, a business catering to those 60 and older may not have much success with meme-based marketing, but those catering to millennials are likely to have more success when using memes. Simply put, without a chief marketing officer, most big businesses would simply be left floundering and using a hit-or-miss approach to advertising and maintaining a customer base. How CMOs Are Benefitting Businesses A chief marketing officer benefits the business or businesses he or she works with by helping to create an excellent customer experience. In turn, that customer experience makes it more likely that the business brings in more sales and bigger profits. A CMO doesnҴ just bring in more profits in the form of more customers, though. He or she is also responsible for analyzing marketing campaigns to determine what works and what doesnҴ. Are fewer people clicking on email campaigns now? The CMO can decide where to tweak them so that they perform better. Perhaps a certain social media campaign didnҴ go quite as planned. The CMO can use this information as a learning experience when creating the next campaign. The role of chief marketing officer is a pivotal one that no big business can do without and many small businesses donҴ want to do without, either. In fact, the scope of what it means to be a CMO is larger now than ever before. How Companies Can Improve CMO Tenure One of the biggest problems with hiring a chief marketing officer is that many donҴ stick with the job, and with seemingly good reason. Even now, most CMOs feel they are overworked and underpaid, and as much as 80 percent of CEOs feel their chief marketing officers are doing a dissatisfactory job. The communication breakdown likely enters the picture because many people donҴ have a well-defined idea of what a CMO is supposed to do. Some CEOs seem to expect everything from their CMOs, but nearly half of CMOs feel that they spend so much time approving campaigns and reviewing finances that they never have the time to spend assessing the long-term growth plans the company expects to see. If a company truly wants to get the most out of its chief marketing officer, the CEO must be willing to set clear, defined goals and provide time, space and proper compensation for the CMO to do the job well. Above all, remembering that the market is an adaptive one is extremely important. The Three Types of Chief Marketing Officers As with most job positions, the role of chief marketing officer is not a standard one and does not work the same for each officer or within each company or organization. While the different types of CMOs can vary greatly, most roles fall into one of three categories: Commercialization CMO ֠More than 46 percent of CMOs fall into this category. They are primarily responsible for sales and marketing, such as hosting events, creating digital content and running promotions on social media. Enterprise-Wide CMO ֠Enterprise-wide chief marketing officer roles cover about 23 percent of CMO roles. These CMOs are strategic players in terms of creating more profitable businesses. They are often vital components of the product design teams and sales innovation teams. Strategy Focus CMO ֠More than 30 percent of CMOs focus on company strategy. They analyze company growth strategies and plans to determine how well they work and where changes can be made. These CMOs focus on product design, customer insight, and innovation. While some chief marketing officers specialize in one area above the others, a strong CMO will have working knowledge in all areas. A business owner may choose to hire someone who has one specific purpose or who works across all areas, depending on the companyҳ needs and budget. How CMOs Fit Into the World of Independent Contractors The way we work is changing. An increasing number of people want to work from home exclusively. Others want to take their services where theyҲe needed, as theyҲe needed. People who work as a chief marketing officer are no exception. For this reason, manyCMOs are now working as independent contractors, focusing their skills on several companies at once, working part-time or on an as-needed basis. This business model is beneficial for both the contractor and the corporation alike. For the CMO, working as an independent contractor offers freedom. Shorter contracts mean he or she is never locked into one position or company for too long, which is especially helpful if the job isnҴ what was expected. The freedom also means being able to work in different locations or take time off between jobs to travel or otherwise experience life. Finally, a CMO who works as an independent contractor often gets to hone more skills since he or she works for multiple companies, often that have very different needs. Hiring a part-time chief marketing officer is beneficial to the business owner as well. Sometimes an organization doesnҴ require a full-time, long-term employee to help with its marketing campaigns. Even so, that doesnҴ mean it wouldnҴ benefit from an expert when the time does come for a new ad campaign. This is the perfect situation in which it would be advisable to hire a CMO who works as an independent contractor. It allows the business owner to spend money only when needed to instead of keeping a full-time employee who may not always have work to do. Additionally, because the business owner wonҴ need to provide benefits or other compensation often related to long-term employment, the company can focus the budget on finding someone who is truly the best for the job. What the Best CMO Looks Like So, how do you become the kind of chief marketing officer that companies want to hire? If youҲe a CEO, how do you find the best CMO? The answer is to look for several specific skills: People Skills ֠A good CMO must have the people skills necessary not only to work with his or her superiors but with a team of other marketing specialists. In some cases, the CMO will also be required to speak directly to current or potential customers. Analytical Skills ֠CMOs must have strong analytical skills. They must be able to look at large amounts of intricate information and find patterns that show what works for a company and what needs to be reimagined. Creative Skills ֠A CMO must be creative. In many cases, he or she will need to use that creativity to design new products, create their packaging and imagine entire ad campaigns that are both cost-effective and engaging enough to bring in new customers. The Future of the Chief Marketing Officer Experts believe the need for professional, qualified chief marketing officers will continue to grow. As marketing continues to shift from ӳell, sell, sellԠto ӥngage the customer and create a relationship,ԠCMOs will become even more vital if corporations want to succeed. Technology will continue to advance, too, and as new AI programs cover even more data, the chief marketing officer will be there to bridge the gap between computer data and creating products that truly keep the customer coming back. Whether youҲe a business owner who hopes to employ a CMO in the near future, or youҲe a CMO who wants to understand more about your role in the marketing world, one thing is certain: the CMO isnҴ going anywhere anytime soon. The postThe Evolution of the Chief Marketing Officer first appeared onKamyar Shah.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 20:54:47 PDT from web -
So, Why Are We Still Afraid?
Now that we are several months into this COVID-19 pandemic we have a lot more data. Initially there was a lot of concern about the unknown, but now we have the data. If the American health care system is good at anything, it is stats and numbers for disease rates. We are really good at tracking disease. Not so good at eradicating, preventing, mitigating or curing it, but quite good at tracking it. Even with possible manipulation of the data, the trends can be seen. In Yakima county where I live, we have been number one county on the Westż/p> The postSo, Why Are We Still Afraid? appeared first onTop Seller Website.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 20:34:14 PDT from web -
WeWork Cofounder Miguel McKelvey: Blind Spots in Leadership
What we can learn from WeWork about building diverse, equitable, and inclusive company cultures. from HBR.orghttps://j.mp/38AwVWH viaVWCG.Com
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 20:30:02 PDT from web -
Hire an interim cmo
How To Hire an Interim CMO You work hard for your business. Naturally, you want it to thrive. It may be tempting to try to handle everything yourself so that you maintain control, but this can be a recipe for disaster. This is especially true when it comes to your public relations and marketing teams. Whether you own a startup with plenty of potentials, a small business that suddenly finds itself expanding rapidly, or a large corporation that could benefit from some reorganization, aninterim CMO can help you fill in the blanks. What Is a Chief Marketing Officer? Before you can determine whether you need aninterim CMO, you must understand what a chief marketing officer does. The CMO oversees the marketing plans of a small business or large corporation. Although specific duties depend on the type of business and its size, CMOs typically have a base list of responsibilities, including acting as part of the CEOҳ executive team. Smaller companies might have a single marketer, but larger ones often have an entire team. The main role of the chief marketing officer is to ensure the company presents a good image. This includes managing the public relations team, interacting with customers with a goal of creating a better product or service, and determining future marketing techniques. These tasks involve performing market research, communicating well, creating advertising campaigns, and much more. Some CMOs also develop new products and manage the sales team. Digital marketing is an important part of the job, especially now that most consumers research products and services on the internet before buying anything. Chief marketing officers typically have at least a bachelorҳ degree in marketing or business. Many go on to attain masterҳ degrees as well. A variety of skills are also required: Leadership skills, including the ability to inspire others Analytical skills for understanding data Communication and interpersonal skills Knowledge of branding, including principles and service management Flexibility Ongoing knowledge of changes in best marketing practices While some companies do have enough need to hire a chief marketing executive full time, many do not. For this reason, many CMOs work as freelancers. The interim CMOs work part-time for one or more businesses, providing expertise for anywhere from a few weeks to a few months before moving on to help another business. The Benefits of Hiring a CMO You canҴ do everything yourself. Hiring a chief marketing officer takes some of the pressure off the CEO so that he or she can focus on other aspects of the business. Adding a CMO to your team has a wide variety of benefits. A CMO creates integrated marketing plans. The purpose of these plans is to create a seamless branding experience for the customer and encompasses advertising, direct marketing, digital marking, and any other avenue displaying the companyҳ brand. A CMO knows the ins and outs of advertising. A strong campaign relies on someone who understands human emotion. Even the colors you choose for your advertising are important. A CMO knows how to create the best campaign and has the best software to track data and tweak advertising as needed to get the desired results. A CMO can save your company money. CMOs who have knowledge and tools arenҴ just making your job easier, theyҲe keeping more money in your company bank account. Fewer Ӵrial and errorԠincidents in advertising mean fewer dollars spent and likely a better return on investment. Reasons Hiring an Interim CMO Is a Better Option Unless you own a large corporation (and sometimes, in spite of owning one), you probably donҴ need to hire a chief marketing officer full time. In fact, maintaining a full-time marketing team might even be costing you more money than itҳ making you. For this reason, many business owners are turning toward hiringinterim CMOs. These part-time chief marketing officers help during specific events to ensure things run smoothly. There are several benefits to going the part-time route when hiring a CMO: Hiring Someone Quickly ֠Despite your best intentions, there could be a time when your company ends up in a public relations nightmare. If you need to repair your professional reputation and quickly, aninterim CMO will have the best chance of helping you do it. Assistance During Large Rollouts ֠Oftentimes, rollouts of new products or services are when businesses need the most help. Large rollouts require not only a strong advertising campaign but plenty of product design, packaging design, and product testing to ensure you provide the best item possible to your customers. An interim CMO can help you do this. Saving Money ֠Finally, an interim CMO is the best way to spend money. Imagine you have a large product rollout that will take three months, but you donҴ do a lot of advertising for the rest of the year. Paying a full-time CMO means youҲe providing nine monthsҠworth of salary with very little return on the investment. An interim CMO will only need to be paid for the three months you need him or her. Additional savings can be calculated when you factor in that most interim CMOs are independent contractors, so you wonҴ be required to provide insurance. How To Know When Itҳ Time To Hire a CMO Now that you know the benefits of hiring a CMO, itҳ time to decide if you need one. The main reason you might decide to hire an interim chief marketing officer is that you no longer have the expertise necessary to handle marketing and public relations on your own. Someone who has specialized experience is more likely to help your business thrive. Even if you donҴ feel you need to hire a CMO, it is important to listen to your current teamҳ needs. A team that asks for more direction is often a good team. By hiring an interim CMO, you give the members the tools theyҬl need to continue creating and implementing quality product design, package management, advertising, and more. Finally, consider your story. This is especially important if your product or service is technological in nature. Even consumers who need these types of products want to feel inspired and have their emotions played to. If you arenҴ sure how to create the type of story that will draw in more customers or keep current ones, a CMO can help. In fact, some of them even have niche skills in story creation that they can implement into your advertising and customer service efforts. The Types of CMOs Knowing what to look for when youҲe ready to hire an interim CMO depends on what you need from him or her. Some experts believe every CMO fits into one of two categories: the storyteller or the quant. A storytelling CMO is the type you want if you need someone who is intuitive and focused on reeling in customers based on playing to their emotions. These CMOs often read audiences more easily and have an extroverted and creative side that makes them charismatic and able to keep people interested. Storytellers are inspiring enough to keep your entire team motivated to handle large marketing campaigns, such as those that feature digital media, special events, and even billboards. Keep in mind, though, that these types of CMOs often operate on a grander scale and therefore use more financial resources. The other type of CMO is the quant. These individuals are all about performance. While they still have the communication skills necessary to deal with the public, they appeal more to your companyҳ numbers than its customers in most cases. Quant CMOs have a strong understanding of product management and know how to track and analyze data to determine how well products or services are performing, how much interest is coming from your advertising campaigns, and whether your return on investment is reaching its potential. They often focus on growth marketing by generating leads. Qualities To Look For During the Hiring Process Whether you need an interim chief marketing officer who is better with people or with numbers, you should ensure potential CMOs have a strong understanding of several key components to marketing: Growth Marketing ֠Growth marketing refers to the tasks surrounding your companyҳ performance data. A quality CMO will know how to track and analyze that data and stick to (or improve) a performance budget. Members of the growth marketing team are responsible for bringing in new customers. Determine a potential CMOҳ knowledge by asking about terms such as CAC (calculating customer acquisition cost) and LTV (lifetime value). Brand Marketing ֠Brand marketing refers to creating your overall brand. In addition to narrating the story of your company and its products or services, CMOs who are responsible for branding must lead teams of people who design and build your websites, run your social media sites, and create your television, billboard, or direct mail advertisements. Brand metrics are an important part of this skill set. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) ֠CMOs who oversee a CRM team must know how to use email, data notification, retargeting, and other skills to keep existing customers engaged. This may include teaching your account reps how to be more personable if you work in a technological industry. In addition to these important roles, the right interim CMO will have the skills to fill several other needs. He or she must know how to partner with other companies when needed, implement and analyze insight tools such as focus groups or polls, perform public relations work, and create all your companyҳ online and offline content. Questions To Ask During the Interview Process Finding the right interim CMO isnҴ just about reading excellent resumes. You need to know which questions to ask during the interview process to ensure the person you hire really knows the ins and outs of his or her position and your industry. Consider some of these questions as you prepare to hire candidates for the job. What is your approach to company branding? There is no ӲightԠanswer to this question, but asking it allows you to get a feel for the candidateҳ personality and determine whether he or she will be a good fit for your company. Ideally, you want someone who wonҴ take up a lot of extra resources and who understands your audience base. For example, an up-and-coming tech startup will likely want a stronger media presence, while a smaller business that caters to older generations may still find success in print advertising. How do you approach pricing? This isnҴ about asking the CMO what he or she wants to be paid (although that is important too, especially when hiring a freelancer), but about how he or she charges your clients or customers. A quick look at the streaming services popping up each day shows that subscription pricing is popular among many companies, but that doesnҴ mean it will work for you. Remember to ask why the potential candidate feels his or her pricing idea is the best one for your company. What have you learned in the past year? Marketing trends are ever-changing, and your CMO needs to keep up with the times. By specifying ӷithin the past year,Ԡyou show you expect your CMO to keep up with the trends. Of course, youҬl need to remember to research the most recent tools and techniques CMOs are using to ensure you receive a satisfactory answer. Can you provide an example of the strategies you think would work for our company? A good interim CMO candidate will have researched your company thoroughly before attending an interview. Asking this question shows you whether he or she did the legwork necessary as well as provides him or her with a chance to show off innovation and creativity. Ultimately, learning how to hire a CMO is partly being able to understand the role yourself, partly knowing what you want your company to achieve, and partly going with your gut during the interview process. Sources: forbes.com/sites/quora/2018/07/05/should-a-startup-have-a-cmo/#53662e707457 paladinstaff.com/jobs/careers/chief-marketing-officer-job-description/ expert360.com/resources/articles/the-rise-of-the-on-demand-chief-marketing-officer medium.com/swlh/startup-lessons-hiring-a-cmo-part-1-fe0c9968860d chiefoutsiders.com/blog/questions-hiring-cmo The postHire an interim cmo first appeared onKamyar Shah.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 20:12:56 PDT from web -
Is Franchising Right For You? Eight Questions To Ask Yourself
Do The Franchiseҳ Guidelines Fit With My Vision For How To Run A Business?༯strong> Franchising, in general, comes with strings attached that include corporate৵idelines on pretty much everything youҲe allowed to do or not do. Ask yourself if youҲe going to be able to run the business the way you think it should be run. If the answer is no, then franchising is probably not for you. ֠Kamyar Shah,༡ href="https://www.worldconsultinggroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://www.worldconsultinggroup.com/">World Consulting Group Originally published at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/09/18/is-franchising-right-for-you-eight-questions-to-ask-yourself/#5b64ad7e52ce The postIs Franchising Right For You? Eight Questions To Ask Yourself first appeared onKamyar Shah.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 20:08:35 PDT from web -
Real-time case studies
Real-time case studies One of the most effective ways that I have tested over the years isಥal-time case studies. In its most basic version, you have the employee doಠsimilar tasks: one the way they think they should be doing it and one෩th tools or SOPҳ that allows them to do it faster and more accurate.͡jority of the time the employee almost instantaneously have an epiphanyd seek to optimize all possible tasks. Contributors: Kamyar Shah from༡ href="https://kamyarshah.com/" rel="nofollow">KamyarShah Originally Published at: Increase The Efficiency Of Your Employees With These 6 Simple Tricks The postReal-time case studies first appeared onKamyar Shah.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 19:51:29 PDT from web -
Fractional Chief Operating Officer
Advance Your Growing Business With a Fractional Chief Operating Officer Running a growing business is an exciting and fulfilling experience. However, it is not without its challenges. One of the most common is deciding when to create new positions. For example, your business may need the experience and insight of a chief operating officer but not yet have the need for a full-time executive. Afractional chief operating officer may be the answer youҶe been looking for. What Is a Fractional Chief Operating Officer? A COO is a top-level executive whose primary focus is on the operations of the business. The right COO can improve your productivity and efficiency. Many companies forgo this role during their initial stages. This creates a gap in which the company has some need for a COO but not enough to justify a full-time position. Afractional COO is a consultant who functions as a part-time chief operating officer. Your company gets the insight of a top operations executive without having to bear the full-time cost. It is a powerful way to achieve your organizationҳ goals in an affordable manner. What Does a Fractional COO Do? The job functions of a fractional COO are largely identical to those of someone in a full-time position, only the job duties are performed part-time and/or on a temporary basis. However, the purpose of the fractional option is often a little different and more specific than that of the full-time individual. A full-time COO is in charge of the daily operations of the organization. Basically, he or she is the executive who oversees the functions related to creating and distributing the products and/or services the business sells. In a new or growing business, these functions may be performed by the founder and/or the top executive, often the CEO. One of the key roles filled by the COO is ensuring that the businessҳ operations run smoothly and efficiently. This can be through analyzing, organizing and/or improving the companyҳ processes and allocation of resources. It is in this area that a fractional executive offers the most value. All businesses have limited time, monetary, human and other resources. Applying this capital efficiently can be the difference between success and failure. For a growing business, greater efficiency can significantly accelerate expansion. Afractional COO will help to oversee and improve several aspects of most businesses. Allocate resources to generate the maximum possible value Translate the companyҳ strategic goals into operational actions Assist with planning based on stakeholder requirements Monitor and streamline staffing Oversee knowledge management and sharing Enable the executive team to have greater visibility of key performance indicators Plan and implement processes that support all the above Most companies use a fractional COO for around one or two days per week. However, you can use the service however much or little your business needs. Key Benefits The most significant benefit of a fractional COO is getting the experience and ability of a senior operations executive at a substantial discount. Many growing companies opt to hire a less-experienced individual full time. This option is often more expensive and less impactful than engaging a fractional chief operating officer. By bringing a wealth of experience to your organization, a fractional COO can help you in many ways. Here are just a few possible benefits: Offer insight into process best practices: The processes that work for a start-up business can be significantly different from those of an established business. Having someone with insight into which practices work and which donҴ can be very valuable. Provide unbiased and experienced assistance with strategic planning: A COO is typically a central part of planning for the future. He or she is charged with not only creating plans but also translating them into daily operations. An experienced perspective can help you make the right choices for your business. Align organizationҳ teams and their communication as an outside expert: Weakening communication is a familiar growing pain for many businesses. This is especially true as they transition from the start-up phase to being a more established organization. A fractional COO can help you to overcome those obstacles. Ensure success by offering capable project management skills: Critical projects often need an experienced hand to guide them. It is common for COOs to directly oversee the most important projects. This can be the key difference that leads to lasting success. Enable better budgeting through a focused review of operations programs: A fractional COO can analyze and develop the budgets of your programs. This can help ensure better allocation of resources while also improving your insight into how your business spends money. There are many other benefits to hiring a fractional COO, but they all translate to greater efficiency, profits, and growth. Simply having an unbiased, outside perspective brought in can be a major boon to your organization. When that perspective is built upon experience, the effect is magnified. Beyond simply making your company run better, a fractional executive can also help you prepare your business for the future. Growth brings new challenges, and expanding organizations need to consistently adapt to match their business operations to their size and capability. The Value of Timeliness Another important benefit of a fractional consultant over a full-time employee is the time needed to get started. Hiring a new executive can be a significant resource investment. It can take months to find the right candidate. Even after finding the right person, it usually takes at least two weeks before he or she can start. A fractional COO, on the other hand, can potentially start as soon as you engage him or her. As the individual works as a consultant, the only barrier to starting immediately is having sufficient schedule time. Similarly, your relationship with this individual can be temporary and can be concluded relatively promptly. This temporary nature is significant because it means you can have a fractional COO when you need one and not when you donҴ. How Can Your Company Use a Fractional COO? There are numerous ways that companies use the services of a fractional COO. One of the great benefits is that he or she can work on the tasks that will bring you the most benefit. Some possible job duties include the following: Assessment: Legacy processes are sometimes the greatest obstacles to success for growing companies. You can use your fractional COO to assess your current methods of operation and offer advice on how to improve. Even small increases in efficiency can lead to significant improvements in profitability and growth over time. Executive Project Management: The most important projects need the right set of hands to guide them. Consider using your fractional consultant to act as the manager for your most critical projects. This could be a broad, executive undertaking such as transitioning to a new system of organization or a specific, high-priority project such as delivery of an important product. Interim COO: Whether you have had a COO before or not, you may find yourself with a need for a temporary hire while you find the right full-time candidate. A fractional executive can be the perfect option for fulfilling this need. If you are preparing to hire your first operations chief, having a test run with a part-time consultant may be advisable. Alignment: One of the challenges to organizational success is teamwork. Whether you have a small team or a large one, helping people from different disciplines work together well can be hard. Your consultant can help you to not only align your teams with each other but also with your strategic goals. Planning: If you are developing your plans as your company enters a new phase of growth, a fractional COO can offer advice and experience. Alternatively, if you already have goals set, he or she can help you turn those goals into reality. Improvement: Sometimes your business operations teams donҴ perform at the level you need them to. Your executive can help you to find the right personnel and make necessary changes to increase effectiveness and efficiency. Reporting: Understanding what is happening in your business can become difficult as you grow. Reporting metrics and analyzing key performance indicators can help you have better insight. Your consultant can help you develop the reporting practices as well as the analytics to fully understand what is being reported. Chances are, as a company founder or executive, you have taken on many of the most essential roles of a COO yourself. Having a fractional hire means that your company will have an experienced and focused individual handling your operations. Additionally, it means you will be able to spend more time on the strategic growth of your business rather than on running all of its day-to-day functions. Effect on Silos and Communication Many growing organizations experience issues with operational silos. These occur when different units donҴ communicate effectively with each other. One of the key responsibilities of a COO is to ensure that silos donҴ exist or are broken down if they do. Silos can lead to misalignment between groups. This can have some pretty significant impacts on the company as a whole. Inefficiency caused by groups being out of sync Poor understanding of the effect of each team on the larger picture Errors resulting from poor communication Low adaptability to new opportunities and challenges A fractional COO can address these silos and improve alignment. The outcomes of breaking down silos are worthwhile for almost any organization. Improved visibility for every team and individual of the rest of the organization Better communication between teams about current activities, goals, and obstacles Superior organizational foresight for future roadblocks and bottlenecks Enhanced feedback loop throughout the company More flexible approach to new opportunities and challenges Lower chance of errors occurring and a better ability to respond to them More competitive value proposition to customers Stronger cultural development Perhaps the most significant issue with organizational communication is that the needs change as the company grows. In fact, even as new products are created, new customers are found and new technologies are leveraged, communication needs change. Therefore, having a fractional COO who can help you respond to the ever-changing teamwork dynamics of your business can be immensely valuable. When Is the Right Time To Hire a Fractional COO? One of the best qualities of a fractional executive is the flexibility. You can hire a fractional COO for four hours per week if that is all you need. The right time to start working with one is whenever you have a need for operational improvement. Chances are that if you are asking yourself this question, you already have some need for assistance in running your companyҳ operations. Consider starting with a consultant on a short-time, limited basis to determine how much value he or she can bring to your business. If you are certain that you need someone to fill an operations executive role but arenҴ sure whether to hire a full-time individual or not, a part-time team member is likely the right choice. You can engage a fractional COO full time on an interim basis if needed. This will provide you with a chance to evaluate your needs and the impact of an operations chief. In short, fractional executives are great for businesses of various sizes and in differing stages of growth. Since you donҴ have to make a long-term commitment, simply starting a trial run is often a smart move. Find Your Fractional Chief Operating Officer Having afractional chief operating officer is an excellent way to get the valuable benefits of a COO without the sizable cost. This service can also be a useful opportunity to try out the COO role without having to commit to a full-time hire. In short, if you have been wondering whether your company needs an operations chief but arenҴ fully committed yet, a fractional consultant may be the right answer. Kamyar Shah is an experienced executive and consultant who can provide the fractional COO services your business needs. He has worked in strategy, management, operations, marketing, business development and more.Click here to contact Kamyar Shah to learn more or to engage him as your new fractional chief operating officer. The postFractional Chief Operating Officer first appeared onKamyar Shah.
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 19:19:14 PDT from web -
How to Make Edibles
So, youҲe wondering how to make edibles. Whether you want to make THC edibles or CBD edibles, youҶe come to the right place. The easiest way to make CBD edibles is to simply buy CBD oil and add a few drops to whatever youҲe cooking, but you can also follow the steps below using hemp flower. THC edibles are any food items that are infused with cannabis. There are two main steps that must be taken when making edibles: decarboxylation and infusion with fat. In their raw state, cannabis plants contain a cannabinoid called THCA, which has no psychoactive effects. The cannabis needs to be manipulated first in order to get the desired THC. This is why you canҴ simply eat cannabis or crumble it directly into your food. The process of manipulating the cannabis and turning the THCA into THC is called decarboxylation. To decarboxylate your cannabis, you apply a specific temperature of heat to the cannabis for a certain amount of time. Once this process is complete, you will have cannabis with THC, the component that gets you high. After you decarboxylate the cannabis, the other important step is to infuse it into a fat, like butter or oil. Cannabis is a fat-soluble material, so it wonҴ activate in water, only fats. There are a variety of fats you can use, and once infused, youҬl have a potent oil or butter that you can use to cook your edibles. What type of cannabis to use for edibles If you want to make CBD edibles, youҬl need some hemp flower. By law, hemp only contains 0.03% of THC or less, so it wonҴ make you feel high. CBD edibles are used for a variety of reasons, most often for pain or anxiety relief. If you want edibles that will get you high, youҬl need to use cannabis containing THC (not hemp). Your local dispensary should carry both types. Step 1: Grind Once you obtain your cannabis flower, itҳ time to grind. Some people prefer to break the flower into large chunks using their hands and others prefer to use a grinder to break it up a little smaller. Both will work, but make sure you donҴ grind it too finely. Grind enough so that youҬl be able to pick up a rogue nug and not let a gentle breeze carry away your fine cannabis powder. Step 2: Decarboxylate As mentioned, decarboxylation is a major part of the edible making process that you canҴ skip. Spread your cannabis out on a baking sheet in an even layer to ensure equal heating. Then bake it in the oven at 225 to 245 degrees Fahrenheit, for around 40 minutes. Different recipes disagree slightly on the exact temperature and time, but the heat must stay below 300 degrees to maintain the integrity of the THC. Make sure to shake the pan or stir the cannabis every so often so it decarboxylates evenly. Another method to decarboxylate your cannabis is to combine this step with the next, and decarboxylate your cannabis as you infuse it with your fat. To do this, place the ground cannabis and your chosen fat into a slow cooker or crockpot. YouҬl want to use a 1:1 ratio, for example 1 cup of ground cannabis and 1 cup of butter. Set the slow cooker to the same temperature as decarboxylation, 225-245 degrees, and cook it for 3-6 hours. This will obviously take longer than the 45 minute decarboxylation process, but itҳ an easy way to combine 2 steps and leave the mixture alone for a long period of time. Step 3: Infuse with Fat If you chose the first decarboxylation method, youҬl now need to infuse the baked cannabis with a fat. As mentioned, it can be an oil or butter. Butter is always a good choice, but some users prefer to use an oil such as olive oil, hemp seed oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil. Once you choose your fat, put it into a saucepan and let it heat up a little, then add your decarboxylated cannabis. YouҬl need to add some water as well, to make sure your butter doesnҴ burn. Water is important because it helps regulate the heat, and if your mixture gets too hot the THC will lose its potency. Let it simmer at a low heat, around 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir every so often and make sure the mixture does not boil. After 2 to 3 hours, itҳ done. Next, itҳ time to strain. Your butter will probably still contain some plant material, and youҬl want to strain that out so that youҲe left with a smooth infused butter. Line a funnel with cheesecloth, place it over a jar, and pour your mixture in. DonҴ just pour your mixture into a cheesecloth and squeeze, because some of the plant materials will get through. Step 4: Cook your edibles Now that you have your cannabis infused fat, you can cook anything you want! If you donҴ use all of your cannabutter right away, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use it within 2 weeks. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Cannabis infused oil tends to last even longer than cannabis infused butter. Many users like to bake with their fat, such as brownies and cookies, but it can be used for any food that you would put butter or oil in. Users have made everything from cannabis infused salad dressing to cannabis infused pasta. Storing your edibles It is important to label your edibles, so that you or someone else in your household doesnҴ accidentally consume them without knowing. If you made a baked treat, they will only last as long as a regular baked treat would, so freezing is ideal. Edibles will last for up to 6 months in the freezer. Hopefully you learned the basics of how to make edibles. Whether youҲe baking up some THC edibles or CBD edibles, enjoy yourself, be safe, and happy eating!
Wednesday, 17-Mar-21 18:25:47 PDT from web -
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