Bob Schultek

Bob has more than 30 years of service as a senior sales and business development executive, CEO and business owner. His expertise includes customer-partnered business development, strategic planning, sales management, customer service, operational alignment, lean process analysis and improvement, quality assurance, and performance management. He has worked in the energy, medical device, bioscience & pharmaceutical, discrete and process manufacturing, packaging and distribution, communications and information technology, and business-to-business service industries.

Why Innovations Succeed

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Bob Schultek Author of  The Gauntlet The pursuit of innovation is a vitally important strategy for organizations seeking to accelerate their progress. Companies dedicate significant time, energy and investment to it, often optimizing the efficiency of their innovation process with the goal of improving their success rate. But what if this effort does not improve their ability to predict which innovations will succeed? As Dr. W. Edwards Deming, the renowned quality and management expert observed, every process is …

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3 Attributes That Increase Your Value to Customers

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet In a commoditized market, why do customers choose to build enduring relationships with some suppliers? It’s all about the strategic value you produce for them. Customers cite 3 attributes that increase your value: 1.   Reliability Customers expect you to keep your promises—it’s the price of admission into the relationship. If your team makes it easy to do business, perhaps delivering exceptional service as well, then your value is increased. What …

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Powerful Moments of Connection

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  Last weekend, a few of my closest friends and I gathered to share memories, stories and laughter at our college reunion. Each of us wandered off at times to reflect on our personal journey during those years, but by far, the most rewarding, enjoyable moments occurred when we were together, reconnecting with the experiences that created our bond. In addition to being the essence of a meaningful lifetime, enduring relationships are the lifeblood of a sustainable …

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Prioritizing Opportunities

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Promptly and efficiently evaluating multiple business opportunities can accelerate your reaction to them; move too slowly and the best opportunities may vanish. Ask these three questions for each opportunity to prioritize the alternatives by potential strategic value produced for your business: What quantifiable benefits are produced if the opportunity is successfully exploited? How soon will these benefits be realized? How likely will identified obstacles be quickly overcome? This prioritization will enable you to …

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Creating Your Future

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Balancing stability with the need for innovation is a key obligation for leaders. The sustainability of your business depends on finding a suitable equilibrium. Stability pays the bills, relying on structure and standard procedures to boost productivity and ensure high quality that increases reliability and reduces risk. But another consequence of this conformity is the cultivation of bureaucracy that breeds fear of failure, compromising innovation and resulting in a drift towards …

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Growth Is About Progress

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet You may believe that your business is not changing but is that true for your customers? How do you know? How will changes they are experiencing impact your business? Contributing to a customer’s growth is the most sustainable means of building enduring relationships that help your business thrive. Growth is about progress, and progress requires navigating change to succeed now and in the future. Change cultivates innovation, which then enables progress. …

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What Drives Customer Loyalty

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Bob Schultek Author of  The Gauntlet Surveys assessing business-to-business customer loyalty, measured as increased sales per customer over multiple years, consistently cite “selling experience” as the primary driver with a response rate that exceeds 50%; a “lowest price” response typically receives about a 10% rate. Additional response choices include better products or services, brand familiarity, higher performance than competitors, and others. When seeking to explain how “selling experience” creates this positive impact, it becomes clear that the …

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3 Core Values of Exceptional Leaders

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        Leaders are judged to be genuine when their actions are guided by their personal core values. These three values are particularly relevant for leaders who seek to be exceptional: Accountability. When there is a problem, accountable leaders look first to themselves. They accept responsibility for the consequences of their decisions. They credit their team when things go well, and when problems arise, accept the responsibility rather than blaming the team. When encouraging autonomy, these leaders …

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The Law of Thirds

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet One of the laws governing change initiatives states that those impacted by a change separate into three groups. One third of the group will immediately support the change. They are the spark that launches it and the energy that sustains it. They ask, “what if?” or “why?” and they’re the first to volunteer with an eager, “I’ll do it.” They are generous with their time and talent, putting in more than …

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3 Behaviors That Reveal Leadership Credibility

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  When asked in several studies how they judge a leader, employees cite attributes like vision, experience, communication skills and others; but consistently, the dominant response is credibility. When pressed to define “credibility,” people typically reply with a phrase like: “they walk the talk.” The consistency with which a leader’s actions align with his or her words defines leadership credibility. These 3 behaviors reveal how consistently you act in accordance with your words and values: 1. How you spend your …

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