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.

3 Steps to a High Performing Culture

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Culture is the glue that binds an organization together, and it’s the hardest thing for competitors to copy. Your story, your purpose and your values are what make your business distinctive. When culture is carved into a unique identity, with an uncommon brand promise and a clear set of behavioral expectations, your people learn how their contributions help the organization succeed. Culture is what enables your people to evolve as your most sustainable competitive advantage. Yet some companies continue to think that the aim of strengthening culture …

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Pursuing Mastery

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Bob Schultek Author of  The Gauntlet Pursuing mastery in the workplace can take several forms. It can refer to an extraordinary competence, related to technical excellence or subject matter expertise. Under this perception, masters are those who have the highest level, a “state-of-the-art,” understanding and technique in a given discipline. There is a compulsory set of specific skills to be learned and applied. But for leaders, encouraging their personnel to pursue the mastery of a function or …

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The 3 “Cs” of Exceptional Service

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Recently, my awareness was raised about the great diversity of customer service experiences we encounter every day. During a recent hotel stay, my perception of exceptional service was redefined. Every staff person I met at this facility – at the door, at the front desk, in the restaurant, in the hallways and in a meeting room support role – shared a common purpose of sustaining their guests’ comfort and satisfaction. They …

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Discovery Questions That Provoke Awareness

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet When we need help to resolve a problem, none of us wants to be sold; but we do appreciate the opportunity to explore what we value and why, without the high pressure tactics.A customer may have a good handle on his or her specific challenge or goal to be achieved, but often there is less clarity about why achievement is important. Resolving the problem may address a visible, troubling short term pain point, but could the …

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Leadership Happens in the Moments

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Every day, there are moments when you can choose to lead. Leadership is more about these moments than it is about accomplishing grand initiatives.  Making a difference is all about these moments. One member of your team might be stuck and need your guidance or suggestions to open another path. When a choice between two possible options is required, rather than immediately making the decision, you ask your team to consider …

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Performance Makes the Difference

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet There are leaders who believe that discussing performance with an employee, using a structured process, is a waste of time for the organization and for the employee. If the process is conducted inappropriately, then they may be right. Some businesses have ceased performance discussions entirely.On the other hand, when leaders believe that their people make the difference, then they appreciate their responsibility to invest in their human resources, initiated through individual discussions …

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Maximum Output & Human Capital

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Our capitalistic economy promotes efficient business operation as a means to maximize profit. Operating efficiently means that systems which drive the business processes are performing optimally, with functioning elements synchronized to consistently deliver quality work on time and within established cost standards. All components of the system, including the human assets, perform best under these circumstances, and can sustain targeted output with minimal stress.But since competition drives capitalism, there are …

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Intimacy and Satisfaction

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet When you last faced a purchase decision, what helped you feel more comfortable with your choice?  What gave you confidence that your judgement was appropriate and correct? You had worked through the analysis and were satisfied with it…but in retrospect, there was something more that convinced you that your decision was the right one. This level of satisfaction is most often due to a productive experience with your salesperson. At first, your basic …

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Change Resistance

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  Few change initiatives succeed the first time they are launched. Resistance to change is a potent human reaction so expect challenges and outright rejection. It’s what you do next that matters.   If you continue to believe wholeheartedly that your proposed change will increase the value produced for customers and your company, then persevere. Evaluate the basics of your strategy:   Are you appealing to the appropriate audience? Do they have the experience and analytical ability to …

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Leaders Enable Team Success

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Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Leaders want their people to succeed; success lifts the person and the leader. Leaders cannot succeed if those they lead fail. The most effective leaders invest significant time engaging and coaching their people. Exceptional leaders appreciate that empathy and emotional intelligence, paired with experience and intellect, enable them to engage and collaborate with their employees such that those they lead gain awareness about how each person makes a difference. This truth is what …

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