A sales and operations planning approach can yield big benefits to the organization, says Karen LaBombarda, principal at TMG Associates. But first, companies must overcome people's natural resistance to change.

Every company needs the kind of people who handle day-to-day management tasks, says Joe DeSantis of Office Depot. But there's also a critical need for true leaders, who can inspire an organization to achieve more.

In good times or bad, companies can find value in taking a close look at where they are siting manufacturing plants and distribution centers. Mike Jones, president of St. Onge, offers some tips on how to derive maximum value from that effort.