Aldridge, Kerr & Associates, Inc.

06/09/2022

Our most recent post on LinkedIn:

Thoughts on communication and ex*****on ...

01/28/2021

“To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail.” - Abraham Maslow, American Psychologist

Would a Master Carpenter attempt to resolve something for his Customers with a hammer as his only tool? Would a Chef be able to whip up a 4-course meal with only a spoon? In both cases, it is clear that in order for the Master Carpenter and Chef to be able to successfully deliver what they promised, they need numerous “tools.”

Having a variety of tools available increases the probability of anyone successfully offering a service or product. With that in mind, this year we will focus on ensuring you have “A Well-Stocked Toolbox.” (We will refer to this as our “Operational Effectiveness Toolbox.”) Those tools needed to create and build a strong operational foundation for success in 2021 and beyond will be introduced monthly throughout the year.

Like the Master Carpenter and the Chef, successful Business Leaders need to ensure they have relevant, effective tools so they can get the job done. The Master Carpenter makes sure his toolbox is full of those tools that he normally needs to complete a job; while the Chef ensures those needed tools are available to create an exceptional meal.

As we look at our “Operational Effectiveness Toolbox” in 2021, we will monthly be providing a list of those tools that build that foundation needed for every organization to sustain and grow. This “Toolbox” includes simple, yet powerful resources, methodologies, and/or processes that provide a framework needed both strategically and tactically to produce your organization’s desired results.

We can be guilty of ignoring the simple, yet powerful tools that can define, create, and implement what is needed in 2021 for ongoing success. Regardless if 2020 was an exceptional year or a challenge, keeping the Operational Effectiveness Toolbox well stocked provides what is needed.

As we look forward to a new year, new opportunities, and a fresh new start after a challenging 2020, we can bring our industry and business operational expertise to help you plan and executive for a successful 2021.

12/08/2020

Are you more like a cottonwood or oak tree?

A cottonwood tree, although beautiful, has a very shallow and soft root system. Its wood is prone to rot and it is unstable during severe storms. In contrast, an oak tree’s real strength is not in what we see, but in its mighty roots under the soil. Those roots can spread to up to seven times the width of its crown. Because of this amazing root system, an oak tree is more prone to withstand nature’s wrath and live a long life.

As we wrap up 2020, most of us have been presented with a variety of challenges: some have struggled to stay afloat; others are thriving because of the opportunities presented due to this year’s pandemic; still others are attempting to navigate the changes in how they do business. Regardless as to whether your challenges have been positive, frustrating, or life-changing, we all need to find a way to be like an oak tree — deeply rooted with a strong foundation.

This is a great time to pause and assess if our foundations are strong. Consider:
Do you and your Team have a clear understanding of your organization’s priorities?
Do the day-to-day tasks that everyone performs align with those priorities?
Are you clear on your organization’s risks and how to effectively mitigate them?
Have you built repeatable processes that better position your organization for the disruptions that can (and have in 2020) arise?
Are your processes clearly defined and documented?
Have you defined what 2021 will look like for you, your Team, and your Clients?

A strong operational foundation allows for deep, sustainable roots that will help an organization weather the storms.

10/05/2020

“There are many wonderful things that will never be done if you do not do them.” Charles D. Gill

What wonderful things can only you make happen?

07/23/2020

Thanks to Tom Bronson, Mastery Partners, for allowing me to be their guest writer discussing the Top 10 Reasons for documenting a Company's processes. Check out the article:

07/03/2020

Aldridge Kerr has partnered with CoSource, Inc. to provide guidance to organizations as they determine how best to move forward during this unsettling times. Tracy Voltin, CoSource's President and myself were guests on the Confessions of a Recovery Landlord's podcast. Check it out:

In today's episode, we interview Charlene Aldridge of Aldridge Kerr & Associates and Tracy Voltin of CoSource, Inc. They have joined forces to offer companies a process for determining how they plan and implement a return to the office. Tracy Voltin is President of CoSource, Inc. whose primary focus...

05/07/2020

“It is not enough to be busy….. The question is: what are we busy about?” - Henry David Thoreau

A man wanted the trees along his long drive trimmed. The quote he received was more than he thought he should pay so he bought a chain saw and spent several weekends cutting the lower branches back.

When he called the tree service for a new estimate, he was told the quote would now be double the original price. The tree company would now need to rent a truck with a bucket to reach the higher branches as the original bid assumed they would use the lower branches to reach the higher ones. But the man had cut away those lower branches and now the job was now more difficult to perform.

Has that happened to you where you attempt to save some cost by starting the job yourself only to discover you had been “penny wise and pound foolish?” Often, this causes the cost to be much greater.

We all agree these are difficult times as we evaluate “now what?” Companies are defining what is necessary as they move to this “new normal.” There needs to be consideration for the timing of when to return to the work place, who will return, what is required to transition, what additional requirements and what additional supplies are now needed. As you assess these next steps, be sure to avoid the pitfall of wasting time, resources, or money attempting to address issues that would be best addressed by Experts.

Aldridge Kerr’s knowledge and expertise can provide you with assistance as you navigate these next steps:
> Risk analysis and prioritization of focus for the coming months
> Project management support as you prepare for next steps
> Process assessment and documentation of what is required during this time of transition

Aldridge Kerr can help your organization navigate this time of transition. Contact Charlene Aldridge at 972.447.9787 or [email protected] to discuss how we can assist you.

02/09/2020

What's your company's biggest operational challenge?

11/04/2019

From one of our Clients: “Understanding how our activities need to align with our strategy goals has really brought a level of awareness of what is most critical to our organization.”

09/06/2019

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt, U.S. First Lady