• Jim’s Reading List

    I'm often asked, "What do you read to stay ahead of the game when there's so much going on?" In response, I've put together a list that blends fundamentals with new thinking. Here's a reading list I recommend you consider.
  • Featured Client

    FedEx Express needed to increase U.S. export volume in one of its largest US operations. By reducing silos between functions and aligning strategic goals and incentives, we helped increase volume by revenues by 23%, all with a 1,447% ROI.

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It’s the people!

Capital, raw materials and technology sit idle until someone does something with them. What people do with these assets determines whether a business wins or loses. It’s that simple–and that hard.

  • We help organizations dramatically improve operating and financial performance through strong leadership and passionate, turned-on people.
  • We guide business leaders through periods of major change and transition.
  • We connect the business strategy to the people who need to implement it.
  • We provide perspective based on best practices and knowing how organizations should work.
  • We know the right questions to ask!

Check out this 6-minute video: ITT Corporation leadership believes that to improve and sustain successes realized by implementing lean/six sigma that it needs to imbed the change in the company’s culture. It asked the Jim Shaffer Group to help integrate the technical and cultural aspects of change—the hard and the soft—into its lean transformation efforts. In our first project, on time delivery went from 70% to 95% and quality improved 40%.


About Jim Shaffer

Jim Shaffer is an internationally recognized thought leader who specializes in improving business performance and managing large scale organizational change. He helps business leaders in a variety of industries significantly improve and sustain operating and financial performance while achieving exceptional returns on the investments made in generating the improvements. Learn more…

jim | December 9, 2009

Funny Business

Welcome to my blog, Funny Business.
The blog is an outgrowth of The Leadership Report, a monthly electronic newsletter focused on improving organizational performance through strong leaders and passionate, turned-on people. The Report was an outgrowth of my book, The Leadership Solution, which was designed to help leaders improve performance by connecting people to strategy.
This blog [...]

jim | February 8, 2010

Super Bowl Ads Were Yawners

I’m fascinated by great advertsing. It’s the stuff that pulls, industry lingo for sells. In other words, it makes money for the sponsor. Novel idea in some circles.
But the softie side of me also loves the ads that poke a little or jerk at the emotions. Because I spent a number of years in the [...]

jim | February 8, 2010

Undercover Boss Should Stay That Way

I alerted our Leadership Report readers to this new CBS “reality” TV show last week.  It came after last night’s Super Bowl. I couldn’t handle it after watching such a great game.  Sort of like chasing a perfectly grilled prime ribeye with a cheap white zinfandel. (Is there an expensive white zin?) 
For those who were watching [...]

jim | January 18, 2010

One Banker’s Mindset

According to a piece in The New York Times  a couple of weeks ago, at least one banker attempts to rationalize high pay in the financial industry with the need to fund the industry members’ personal lifestyles.
In an objective article by Steven Brill, a banker defends the need for high pay that’s paid now–with no deferral.  
“A lot [...]

jim | January 12, 2010

Book Review: A Deliberate Pause (on entrepreneurship)

Larry Robertson, whose brain I’ve had the good fortune to pick from time to time, just published a new book, A Deliberate Pause.  The book  is far bigger than its 345 pages if you measure bigness by the quantity rich thinking and the number of ways it can be applied.
Through elaborate research and delightful storytelling, Larry Robertson [...]

jim | January 10, 2010

“And Would You Like Fries With Your Order?”

The other day I got a call from a leader who wanted to do a webinar and an email and perhaps a video.  I asked him what his objectives were–what he’d like to be different as a result of the activity he was requesting.
“I just think it’s time to get something out,” he responded.
“And what do [...]