Patrick Thean's Personal Blog

Mastering the Rockefeller Habits and One-Page Strategic Plan (OPSP)

If you are a Mastering the Rockefeller Habits fan, here are four tips to make your One-Page Strategic Plan work for you. Used correctly, it..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

7 Keys to Mastering the Rockefeller Habits One Page Strategic Plan (OPSP)

I was in Jakarta speaking at Taipan 2013. We had the strongest showing at Taipan ever with 220 people! CEOs with their teams worked hard on.. Read More

Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution

Strategy vs Execution: Don't Confuse Strategic Thinking and Strategy Execution

It is easy to confuse your strategy and your 3-year strategic plan. I have seen somany leaders tell me that they have a great strategy...

Focus and Alignment: 4 Questions to Ask Your Team

If you want your team to be focused and aligned on the right projects, you need to connect your strategy to execution.

Successful companies..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

Strategic Growth Initiatives: Create Your 3 Year Strategic Growth Plan Wisely

In a recent Annual Planning session, one of our clients asked us to help them review and renew their Winning Moves, the 3 year strategic..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

How CEOs Succeed - Achieve a Top Valuation through Strategy Execution [Client Spotlight]

Congratulations to Jeff Berstein, and the ImageFIRST Team! Calera Capital, a private equity firm, acquired a majority share of ImageFIRST,..

How to Drive Revenue Growth Consistently [Case Study]

The problem with revenue-generating strategies, or Winning Moves, is that you don’t feel you need to work on them when things are going..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

How to NOT Treat Your Customers

Apple just released the iPhone 12. It comes in various sizes, finishes and configurations as it enters the world of 5G. Of course I want..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

3 Year Strategic Plan: How to Achieve your 3 Year Strategy

There are many views or definitions of strategy. Renowned Harvard Business School professor and strategy expert Michael Porter provided..

Rockefeller Habits One-Page Strategic Plan: Strategies for Growth

I was facilitating a Rockefeller Habits mid-year planning session. As part of their regular Think Rhythm, the executive team was working..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

Culture is Key to Breakthrough Execution with Mergers and Acquisitions

How do you define success when buying a company? People buy companies for a number of reasons: to increase revenue growth, to acquire new..

Use Your Core Values and Job Scorecards In Your Hiring Process

Having a set of documented core values that you live daily is a powerful Execution Tool for your company. Let's start with your hiring..

Why CEOs Must Solve People Issues to Achieve Breakthroughs

My previous blog shared about how people issues might be mistaken for execution issues. There are a number of reasons why it is difficult..

No, Your Strategy Does Not Suck - You Just Have Too Many Good Ideas [Video]

“Patrick, my strategy sucks! I am not getting the results and growth that I want. What should I do?” I get this question quite often. On..

Strategic Storytelling Inspires Results [Video]

Storytelling may seem like an old-fashioned tool, today — and it is. That’s exactly what makes it so powerful. Life happens in the..

Execute For Your Core Customer

I was recently preparing for an Annual Planning webinar, which is focused on making the right decisions every year, month, week and day. I..

Annual Planning: Does Your Plan for 2013 Include Winning Moves? (Annual Planning - 2017)

It is important to have winning strategies that drive your annual plan. Don't just focus on revenues and profit and growth. Also focus..

Annual Planning Tips (Annual Planning - 2017)

Happy New Year to our friends and customers! Here is to a great 2012.

As you begin your new year, here are a couple of ideas and..

Do You Have the Right Data and Insight for Your Upcoming Annual Planning? (Annual Planning - 2017)

How do you prepare for your annual planning session? How do you get the best data and insights to maximize the outcome of your planning..

Annual Planning - Are You Winning on the Basics? (Annual Planning - 2017)

Great companies first win on the basics, then they wow you with something special. And that’s the cherry on top! But if you don’t first..

Don't Confuse Strategic Thinking And Execution Planning (Annual Planning - 2017)

It is easy to confuse your strategy and your strategic plan. I have seen so many leaders tell me that they have a strategy. Yet, when..

Work On Your 20 Mile March During Annual Planning (Annual Planning - 2017)

Jim Collins talks about the 20 mile march in chapter 4 of his book "Great By Choice". If you have not read this book yet, you should...

Annual Planning: Does Your Plan Include Winning Moves?

It is important to have winning strategies that drive your annual plan. Don't just focus on revenues and profit and growth. Also focus..

Do You Have A One Page Strategic Plan?

Many companies have nicely bound and thick strategic plans. Thick plans. What I call high "thud factor" plans. So heavy that if you drop..

Congratulations 2016 Inc. 5000 Winners!

With the launch of new levels of our certification program, development of breakthrough software features, preparing for our second..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

YPO Innovation Week Workshop (Video)

As a strategic partner of Young President’s Organization, last month we were privileged to be a part of their inaugural YPO Innovation Week..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

Congratulations Fellow Inc. 5000 Winners!

With the launch of the Rhythm book, new breakthrough software features and 8 new hires, 2014 was a big year for us. Obviously, I was..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

The Power in Taking Time to Think

As a write, I am on my way to Chicago to meet with my forum group. A forum is a small group, usually 8 to 12 like-minded CEOs and..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

How to Use A Culture of Execution as a Competitive Advantage

AvidXchange, a long time Rhythm client, recently told me a story about how their culture made the difference in accelerating sales. A..

The Best BHAG in the World Is...

"Patrick, can you please help me with our BHAG and get it done in our annual planning session?” I get this request frequently. The answer..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

Why BHAG Posters Don’t Work & 4 Ways to Make Yours Work!

I walked into the client’s conference room and noticed their BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) poster. I was impressive! It communicated..

Topics: Strategies for Growth

Rhythm Blog by Patrick Thean – Launching Rhythm: How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth

These are very exciting days at Rhythm Systems. We are changing this blog from "Patrick Thean's Blog" to "Rhythm Blog - by Patrick." Over..

Annual Planning - Are You Winning on the Basics?

Great companies first win on the basics, then they wow you with something special. And that’s the cherry on top! But if you don’t first..

Do You Have the Right Data and Insight for Your Upcoming Annual Planning?

How do you prepare for your annual planning session? How do you get the best data and insights to maximize the outcome of your planning..

Is Your Team Building Skills to Manage a Company Twice the Size of Your Current Company?

Life was great. I was experiencing explosive growth. It felt like we were on a rocket going to the moon! Everything felt great. Then one..

Are You Making the Right Adjustments to Achieve Your Goals?

I have helped numerous companies with their execution plans over the years. One pattern shows itself almost every time. The original..

Work On Your 20 Mile March During Annual Planning

Jim Collins talks about the 20 mile march in chapter 4 of his book "Great By Choice". If you have not read this book yet, you should...

UBA Keynote - Differentiate, Execute, Win

I had a great keynote session today in Chicago at UBA's (United Benefit Advisors) 2012 Spring Meeting. Thank you for the warm welcome! ..

Strong Core Values Drive Great Business Execution

Great companies have great business execution in part because they have strong core values. If you are motivated by Tiffany's post "8..

Is Your Execution Connected to Your Strategy?

How do you know if your execution is connected to your strategy? Do you have 3 key winning moves in your company strategy that you are..

Are Your Decisions Tough To Make? Or Merely Tough To Execute On?

Many of us often struggle with making decisions. The tough decisions. I have found that there actually are only a few decisions that..

Build A Depth Chart For Your Key Execution Seats

NFL teams have a depth chart for their positions. If the starting quarterback is lost to injury, the backup takes over. If the backup is..

Annual Planning Tips

Happy New Year to our friends and customers! Here is to a great 2012.

As you begin your new year, here are a couple of ideas and..

Netflix - A Lesson in Mis-Alignment

It is critical to have a clear execution plan aligned with your strategy. Proof of alignment (or not) can be seen by your actions:

When And How Do I Know I Can Fire With Minimal Business Impact?

Jack Welch, was the CEO of GE that made Topgrading famous. He hired Brad Smart and they worked together to hire the top guys at G.E. He..

How To Use Critical Numbers To Move Big Rocks

I am going to be sharing about how to use Critical Numbers to move big rocks and achieve great things with your team. It is so important to..

Fire To Protect Your Core Values

So you have an employee who really does not live your core values … he or she just does not seem to fit in. You have discussed with him.. Read More

Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams

How To Set The Right Goals For Your Associate To Be Successful

So how do you set the right goals and get someone to be accountable to those goals? There are two reasons for someone to perform poorly... Read More

Topics: Strategies for Growth, KPIs & Dashboards

Testing Your Brand Promise - How Do You Know It Works?

I was recently asked at a conference "How do I know that my brand promise is a good one? How do I know it is working?"

Dig A Little Deeper And Solve The Root Cause, Not Just The Symptoms

Sometimes you just have to dig a little deeper for the answer. Too often, when faced with a problem, we find a solution quickly, and.. Read More

Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution

DO It Today... Not Tomorrow

Let's do it tomorrow.... Let's deal with it in our weekly status meeting tomorrow... Let's wait for his/her approval... These are all..

Using A Start Stop Keep Tool To Make Your Mid Year Adjustments

After our webcast on Mid Year adjustments, I received a couple more questions regarding using the SSK tool. Thought I would share them on.. Read More

Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution

The Power Of Executing On Customer Service With Speed

Speed... Speed... Speed. Reacting quickly to a customer's need or issue can transform a customer issue into customer delight. Especially..

The Power Of Knowing Your Critical Question

I am in Singapore, enjoying great food and catching up with great friends. One of my friends has a successful education and consulting..

How Do You Say NO To The Wrong Things?

It takes courage, and it takes the support and backing of your team as well as your manager or partner.

Courage... does not come from thin..

ROP Tip #2 - Measure Output Not Hours

Are you focused on how many hours your team is working or how much output and value they deliver? The true measurement of ROP is about how.. Read More

Topics: Strategies for Growth, Strategy Execution, Accountable Leaders & Teams

Do Less And Get More Done! Look For "Minor Majors"

Simplify! Do less and get more done! That seems rather difficult to achieve... doing less while getting more done. Life has gotten more..

How To Test That You Have A Strong Execution Plan For The New Quarter

Q2 just began. Hopefully we have all gotten our Q2 plans done and are ready for a great quarter. I always suggest that we QA our plans..

How Do You Facilitate Discussions For Great Outcomes In Planning Sessions?

Do you ever get frustrated in planning sessions when you are trying to generate ideas, yet get stuck in the details of why certain ideas.. Read More

Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams

Having Trouble Building Habits? Get Into A Rhythm!

It takes time, energy and focus to create habits. We have all tried at some point to create a new habit and realized unfortunately that..

Many companies have nicely bound and thick strategic plans. Thick plans. What I call high "thud factor" plans. So heavy that if you drop..

Simplify! Do less and get more done! That seems rather difficult to achieve... doing less while getting more done. Life has gotten more..

Q2 just began. Hopefully we have all gotten our Q2 plans done and are ready for a great quarter. I always suggest that we QA our plans..

When you go to a gas station to fuel up your car, you have a choice of fuel quality based on octane level ratings. You might have a..