Thean - Rhythm : how to achieve breakthrough execution and accelerate growth

Rhythm changed our entire business. In the first year, we had a $3.5M turnaround that was the direct result of becoming more focused and aligning our resources. This is only our second year and the process continues to have an exponential impact on our company. Rhythm has been the single most important investment weve made in the last twenty-three years.

Randy Carr, president and CEO of World Emblem International, Inc.

Complexity is a byproduct of growth, and without proper attention to the right priorities, future growth will likely stall. Patrick helped us define those priorities that are truly driving our business forward making energy and resource allocation simple.

Mike Rans, vice president and general manager of Kinkelder USA

Rhythm is a very readable, practical guide for what entrepreneurs and CEOs can do to meet growth challenges and grow successfully. Im particularly pleased that Thean recognizes the importance of strengthening teams as they grow and finding other jobs in the company for people who have maxed out. Id recommend this book to every entrepreneur, CEO, and senior manager in a company with growth potential.

Brad Smart, bestselling author of Topgrading

Growth is an imperative for high-potential ventures, and the acceleration of growth comes from excellence in execution. Thean has an acute understanding of this paradigm but he advances that thinking by introducing rhythm as a conceptual imperative for a growing company. Rhythm lever-ages thought, planning, and execution competencies to increase value. If you think you have a good company, read this book and you might make a lot more money than you ever conceived possible.

Stephen Spinelli, Jr., PhD, cofounder of Jiffy Lube; president of Philadelphia University; former vice provost of entrepreneurship and global management at Babson College, and author of seven business books

Rhythm introduced me to a new system to enhance harmony and balance in our companies. Its about hitting that sweet spot between the tense times and the safe times in the growth cycle for every company.

Jack Stack, CEO of SRC Holdings Corp and author of The Great Game of Business

The rhythm of business is accelerating and the nature of strategy is transforming. Thean offers a tested, proven process for winning in a fast-paced world.

Kaihan Krippendorff, CEO of Outthinker LLC and author of Outthink the Competition

If you want to lead a great company, Patrick Thean has written the how-to on achieving greatness. The system he has designed works! Design the future, put the plan together to realize your future, then implement with impeccable discipline. This is the framework for the ultimate success story. The process worksArbill is living proof.

Julie Copeland, president and CEO of Arbill, and chair of the Womens Business Enterprise National Council Forum (20142015)

Published by Greenleaf Book Group Press
Austin, Texas
www.gbgpress.com

Copyright 2014 Patrick Thean
All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder.

Distributed by Greenleaf Book Group LLC
For ordering information or special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Greenleaf Book Group LLC at PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709, 512.891.6100.

Design and composition by Greenleaf Book Group LLC
Cover design by Greenleaf Book Group LLC
Cover image: iStockphoto.com/Maydaymayday

Rhythm is a registered trademark of Patrick Thean and Leadline, LLC.
Think Rhythm; Plan Rhythm; Do Rhythm; Think Plan Do Rhythm; SuperGreen; and Red-Yellow-Green are trademarks of Patrick Thean and Leadline, LLC.

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-62634-080-0

Ebook Edition

To my parents, Who instilled in me the values of hard work, determination, and integrity. Thank you for your unconditional love and support.

This book could not have been written and finished without the help of my colleagues and customers. I first want to thank Cindy Praeger who encouraged me to keep going every time I felt that the book had conquered me and it was too much to do. Your ability to keep the end in mind while encouraging me to rewrite just one more time is astounding. Your dedication and commitment are greatly appreciated. I also want to thank Lari Bishop, my editor. This book could not have been birthed without Cindy and Lari.

I want to thank my Dream Team at Gazelles Systems. Jessica Hoffpauir proofread this book numerous times. Thank you for being meticulous. Ryan Walcott, Chris Cosper, Nancy Sacani, Tiffany Chepul, Barry Pruitt, Alan Gehringer, Melissa Enriquez, Deb Colson, Melissa Perna, Jennifer LeVine, and Ray Wee. How you guys found time to help me and review the work while taking care of our customers was amazing. Thank you for your involvement, support, and passion. It is truly a blessing to be able to work with each one of you every day.

I also want to thank Verne Harnish, who has dedicated his life to helping entrepreneurs and growth companies. Thank you for the impact you have had on my professional life. As the founder of YEO (Young Entrepreneurs Organization) now called EO, you have helped so many entrepreneurs. Your teachingsMastering The Rockefeller Habits, The One Page Strategic Plan, and Meeting Rhythmshave inspired a lot of my work.

God has blessed me with an amazing family. You dont get to choose your family; God chooses them for you. Thank you Lord for my parents. I am deeply indebted to my amazing wife, Pei-Yee. Your love and selfless dedication to Joy, Nicole, and me is what allows me to thrive at home and at work.

Last but not least, thank you to our clients. It is a privilege to work with each of you. Thank you for trusting us with your teams and your dreams. Special mention goes to the following clients who shared their stories and specific insights about how they broke through their ceilings of complexitythose growth challenges that can stop any company in its upward climb. Nothing helps us learn better than real-life stories and examples. Thank you for sharing how you used Rhythm to grow your business and get your teams focused, aligned, and accountable, so that other entrepreneurs can learn from your experiences and apply it to their own situations.

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Chicago Public Schools: Chicago Public Schools is the third largest school district in the United States. Within this district, the Office of School Improvement (OSI) works to better conditions for Chicagos students who are most vulnerable to school dropout and lifelong poverty. The mission of OSI is to radically and quickly transform Chicagos most struggling schools through effective implementation of federally sponsored school-wide reform initiatives. OSI was built under the leadership of Donald Fraynd, now the founder and CEO of TeacherMatch. www.cps.edu