Is our federal government bloated?
Reducing uncertainty through expansive thinking
My friend and fellow strategic thinker Bill Welter asked me a great question: “Why do so many leadership teams get surprised by adverse events or fail to be prepared if previous uncertainties come to light?” Bill is the author of some great strategy books and has a terrific newsletter on how to advance your preparation for the future. The question has become urgent as Trump’s rapid-fire moves have generated considerable uncertainty. For example, supply chain experts must deal with on-again, off-again tariffs and biotech companies with cutbacks in research funding … or maybe not. And even without these latest moves, the world seems increasingly less predictable due to geopolitical issues and natural disasters. A required attribute for today’s leaders is the ability to deal successfully with uncertainty. What does that mean exactly? Let me present a matrix that will advance this discussion. This…
Off brand. On brand. Examples from which we can learn.
When companies depart from what makes their brand special, they are off brand. Disappointment arises in the emotions of customers, employees, and other stakeholders. Here’s one example. Off brand Boar’s Head is a premium deli meat and cheese company. The purported advantage of the brand’s offering is highest quality. The superior quality was so great, it earned a higher price. Once a customer, I now walk past the Boar’s Head refrigerated cabinet at the front of my grocery store. Why? I’m repulsed by its recent actions. At the end of 2024, 10 people died and many others were sickened across 19 states after eating its deli meat. The company then had a massive recall of 71 products and eventually closed its Jarrett, Virginia plant. More than a few companies have product performance blips which are then corrected. But the Boar’s Head issue was…
The root causes of higher-than-necessary healthcare costs.
An earlier post highlighted who benefits from our nation’s dysfunctional healthcare system. Our system costs twice the average of the 12 countries that belong to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In 2022 our cost was $12,555 per capita compared to the average of $6,414 according to The Peterson Foundation. In the second highest nation – Switzerland – cost was $8,049. The blog post demonstrated that we do not get better population health outcomes from the higher prices we pay. In this post, let’s look at four root causes of higher spending on healthcare in the U.S. Any hope of finding a solution requires an understanding of these factors. Our system First, we have a highly fragmented system for paying healthcare providers. Medicare, Medicaid, self-insured employers, insurance companies (paying the healthcare bills for insured individuals), and individuals without insurance each require different…
Why This Election Is So Close
Six friends. All professionals, each uber-active in the affairs of our community. Mutual respect runs high. We are well-read, even across the political spectrum. Yet we are at opposite ends in this election cycle when voting for President. We are a microcosm of why this election is so close. Trump cannot win without the votes of non-MAGA Republicans and Independents. Three are in our group, along with three Democrats. The Independent is a former GOP member who left the party over Trump. This man is a former marine, newsman, and recognized business leader who feels strongly (and correctly) that leadership starts with character, and Trump lacks positive character attributes. Among the Democrats, one is a former independent so outraged by the GOP supporting Trump two election cycles before that she became a Democrat. That’s me. Admittedly, I have always leaned democratic (while voting…