Game Theory, a branch of mathematics, is a powerful tool that can enhance corporate strategy. This theory, often used in economics, political science, and psychology, enables strategists to navigate complex business scenarios by considering the interactions between different players and predicting outcomes.

The process of merging two or more companies presents both challenges and opportunities. The potential for value creation is immense, but unlocking this value necessitates a well-planned and executed Post-Merger Integration (PMI).

Does this scenario sound familiar? You bring your team together to come up with a creative solution to a problem your customers are facing. But everyone has their own opinions about what to do, and the team can’t even agree on what the problem is you’re trying to solve. So, you keep having meetings and endless discussions trying to build a consensus, and in the end, everyone agrees to a less-than-stellar compromise just to move the project along.

Many organizations are actively looking to implement Design Thinking and opt to use a facilitator to expedite the process. A facilitator is an extension of the team and can significantly decrease the time needed to learn and adopt the framework. When adding a Design Thinking facilitator to your team, make sure to look for more than just an understanding of the process and tools used in practice. 

Over the past year, many CEOs have commented that they are experiencing a period of rapidly increasing demand for their goods and services. Although this is the problem that most companies wish for, a collection of headwinds have successfully kept corporate growth rates within reasonable spectrums. The great resignation, supply chain & transportation issues, and increasing inflation are all making it hard to maintain margin while increasing market share.

The development of a winning business strategy can be challenging. It is the basis for aligning people, resources, and profitability - but the skills necessary to create the strategy can be elusive. Award-winning strategists need to be one part leader, one part analyst, and one part futurist. At Stonehill, we always admire individuals in our profession that do great work. Here are a few of the top strategy consultants that you may want to follow on LinkedIn.

As you may already know, the only constant in running a business is that of change. Many of the strategies and tactics that we discuss provide insight to that change and give an operator the ability to react and manage the outcomes. Although this is an active process, once a year it is important to slow down and do some strategic planning.

A great culture doesn’t just happen; it must be planned, taught, nurtured, and encouraged. Your culture is formed by how people work together, connect, interact, and socialize. You can unlock passion and potential when you enable real bonds among your team, and build a culture of positivity, trust, kindness, and respect. Here are seven ideas to help you establish and develop a great culture.

John Staten is the President and Chief Operations Officer of Holiday Inn Club Vacations. Recently, Stonehill spoke with John Staten, President and COO of Holiday Inn Club Vacations, as part of our Voyagers and Visionaries interview series. We interview leaders from various industries to get both professional and personal insights during this challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An onboarding playbook focuses acutely on organizational realignment, process and systems integration, synergy tracking, and product/service and customer realignment. Stonehill has adapted the traditional onboarding playbook by utilizing Design Thinking to create a unique approach to an effective post-merger integration (PMI) plan. And to no surprise, it all starts with empathy.

As part of our Voyagers and Visionaries interview series, Stonehill recently spoke with Paul Reilly about his professional and personal insights on the Future of Work, innovation in the financial services industry, and adjustments in his style of management due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Paul Reilly is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Raymond James Financial. 

Corey Neil serves as President and Chief Operating Officer at The Bank of Tampa. In this interview, Mr. Neil discusses his views on the future of work, the state of banking, and pragmatic business decisions every leader should evaluate, both in times of uncertainty and stability.

Dr. Christopher R. Shafer is the Director of Program Management with Quest Diagnostics, a Fortune 500 Company, and leader in the laboratory and medical diagnostics space. In this interview, Dr. Shafer discusses his views on the future of work, the state of public health, and pragmatic business decisions every leader should evaluate, both in times of uncertainty and of stability.

As we look to the future one thing is certain – the economy will continue and we will adapt to the new surroundings. Impacts to businesses are becoming clear and leaders are starting to identify initiatives to ensure profitability. Regardless of the industry, it is obvious that the future of work is more than just having people work from home and collaborating online.

Generally following a crisis, our fellow human beings have a lot of patience and empathy when things do not operate as smoothly as they once did. If you own or operate a business, the following are just a few of the questions you should expect to address in the coming weeks and months to prepare to return to delivering great customer experience (CX) and employee engagement (EE).

Design Thinking is a formal process that allows for the creation of practical, innovative, and cost-effective resolutions that enhance the customer experience. Many change management, technology, and transformation professionals have been adopting Design Thinking concepts to accelerate change in large organizations. Here are a few Design Thinking thought leaders that you should follow on LinkedIn.

For organizations that need long-term volunteers, the overwhelming desire to make a positive impact to a cause that’s meaningful is generally the primary driver for a volunteer. But does the organization make it easy and enjoyable to participate or are there a lot of barriers that can frustrate volunteers?

Over the last several years companies have invested a significant number of dollars in big data projects. Depending on the organization the projects are started in a variety of ways. Some companies want to become more innovative and provide a wide-reaching goal, some want to adopt artificial intelligence and see big data as a foundational element, and some just want to better understand their business and customers.

Over the last few years, the business environment has changed. Businesses are adopting new technologies, processes, and ideas faster than ever before. In order to stay competitive, leaders must keep up with their customer expectations and the latest innovations within the market.

As an industry, healthcare is committed to providing expert care with as much certainty in outcomes as humanly possible. Millions of dollars are invested each year to create “zero-error” environments, precision medicine, and other equitable practice measures. Yet, how does an organization in an industry that relies on certainty and precision, navigate uncertainty and instability in the marketplace? The answer is seemingly simple: Precision in Decision.