Customer centricity goes beyond good intentions—it requires a fundamental shift in how a company operates. Unlike businesses that prioritize products, profits, or efficiency, a customer-centric organization begins with the question, “What does the market need?” This approach focuses on delivering exceptional customer experiences (CX) and measures success through customer outcomes, not just sales or shareholder The post So You Want to Be Customer-Centric? appeared first on Denise Lee Yohn ..read more

“Is having a sacred playbook an asset that companies should preserve at all costs, or does it become a liability holding companies back as the world around them changes?  Is there a point at which a company’s size, growth, and industry-spanning tentacles make a unified culture of decision-making and inventing impossible?” These questions, posed in The post When Bad Things Happen to Good Core Values appeared first on Denise Lee Yohn ..read more

The failure of most DEI efforts result from the approach most commonly employed by companies. Reliance on programs and targets—such as employee resource groups (ERGs) and hiring quotas—without addressing the fundamental values and culture of the organization, only leads to additional bureaucracy rather than a genuine sense of belonging. While dedicated programs and metrics are essential for any cultural shift, they fall short when not undergirded by the ultimate goal of building trust.  Cultivating true trust is a straightforward yet profound approach that can drive meaningful and lastin ..read more

With the U.S. average annual employee turnover rate at 47%, employee loyalty seems to be a relic of a bygone era.  Even if you’ve managed to escape the escalating employee turnover trend, you might want to take a closer look at your employees’ attitudes. Just because someone stays at your company doesn’t mean that they want to.  Given that behavioral loyalty among customers doesn’t always equate with active preference, the same can be concluded about employees. But is that OK? Is trying to cultivate such a strong level of commitment so difficult to inspire that employers should ..read more

“Know thyself.”  For centuries, this has been the motto of great leaders.  Now, here’s a tool that helps you do just that.  It’s a new twist on a SWOT analysis that will help you uncover new insights about yourself. Instead of looking at Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to your company, look at your Self, your World, Others around you, and how you use your Time and Treasure.  In this new Smartbrief on Leadership video, I introduce this new tool. You just might be surprised at what you discover about yourself! related: Leaders Need To Take a Sabbath Brand ..read more

Celebrating my 20th anniversary of being an independent practitioner! As I reflect on my journey, I’m convinced that “culture” is as important for solopreneurs, coaches, and freelancers as it is for companies of thousands. Check out my thoughts on brand-culture fusion and why it matters for people who are self-employed. Let me know what you think. related: FUSION is here Kicking Off a Brand Journey How to Set Your Brand Purpose, Values, and Attributes The post Culture Matters For Businesses Of One appeared first on Denise Lee Yohn ..read more

Mentoring is a valuable path toward growth and development. A mentor can share insights from their expertise and experiences to help you grow and develop – and being a mentor can help you achieve clarity and focus as you reflect on your own development. A few pointers to get the most out of mentoring: Start with reflecting on your goals – be clear and specific about what you want to achieve. Set clear expectations so each party knows how to engage. Make it two-way – older mentors can benefit from reverse mentoring. Learn more in my new Smartbrief on Leadership video. related: What Great Le ..read more

Your core values can’t simply be words on your website or on a poster in your office; they must be used.  Learn how Amazon uses its core values in my new post on LinkedIn:  Do You Use Your Core Values Or Just Talk About Them? related: Do Your Core Values Have Teeth? Fusion: How Integrating Brand and Culture Powers the World’s Greatest Companies Leaders Must Go Beyond Giving Lip Service to Culture The post How To Use Your Core Values appeared first on Denise Lee Yohn ..read more

A lot of wisdom that helps teams wins on the football field also helps leaders win in business. Take for example “look the ball into your hands.”  This speaks to the importance of follow-through, whether you’re playing a game or leading a team. My latest Smartbrief on Leadership shares some of my favorite football phrases and how they apply to business.  Take a look here and let me know what other football adages or analogies come to mind when you think about business. related: Gridiron Insights for Business Success Business Is Now An Action Sport Surprising Leadership Lessons from ..read more

The principles in my book, What Great Brands Do:  The Seven Brand-Building Principles That Separate the Best from the Rest can be applied to employees, employee experience, and employee engagement. For example, in WGBD, I explain that Great Brands Avoid Selling Products.  Instead of simply focusing on selling products or services to customers, great brands create emotional connections.  Business leaders can apply this to employees by focusing on the employee experience.  Make sure that your organization doesn’t just treat employees as resources and interact with them on a ..read more