Learning from Facebook executive departures
The departures of key executives from Facebook last week are the latest over the past 18 months. They highlight a number of key lessons in
The departures of key executives from Facebook last week are the latest over the past 18 months. They highlight a number of key lessons in
I saw a professional soccer game on the big screen at a Mexican restaurant last night. I always admire how really good soccer players know
Strategy fails when it’s not implemented well – when it’s not connected to what goes on in people’s jobs day-to-day. You need to connect it.
Strategy formulation and planning are really two different things. And of course the value isn’t in spending three days setting strategy. The point isn’t walls
Make sure your organization is aligned with your strategy. It’s not enough to communicate the strategy. Two examples: Example #1: I was called with an
Exactly 20 years ago, Apple came up with a “Think Different” marketing theme. In part it was a rejoinder to IBM’s “Think,” but it resonated
Over the past 30 years, I’ve worked on strategy and strategy execution with the senior management of Fortune 1000 companies, mid-market companies, and Inc 5000
Professional race car drivers have their eyes well down the track in anticipation and readiness. So do the very best equestrians who immediately upon completing
Strategic incentives are a good idea at the top. But getting everyone one in a large company on the same page is difficult, and it
An organization that accepts mediocrity is a haven for under performers, and very frustrating for high performers. Here are ten ideas I found in my
From many years of coaching executives, here are five pointers for becoming a better leader: Hire people who are better than you in their discipline;
It’s February and you’ve got most of the year still ahead. See if you can answer these questions clearly and briefly: What is your strategy?
From over 30 years of working with organizations of all sizes and in many industries on improving business outcomes especially growth and profits: The most
Oops! In last Monday’s email, I wrote that a 1000-foot runway (implementation plan) would be insufficient for a beautiful jet (corporate strategy) that requires a runway
My client called me to help improve company performance. The strategy they had developed was beautiful, like a new 747, capable of taking them where
There are very, very few companies that have been great over a long time. It’s as if they were able to assemble an organization, a
Most strategies fail to achieve their objectives, not because the strategies are faulty, but because the implementation is weak. It’s like building a beautiful jet
There isn’t a strategy. The strategy is distributed in 3-ring binders, everyone celebrates getting that done and thinks the strategy will implement itself. The strategy
Here is a list of what my best clients do: Understand that your commitment to the strategy is on the line everyday. Lead strategy formulation
To dramatically grow your business, you’ve got to execute. Even it you’ve got a great strategy, how it is executed makes all the difference. I’ve
Of course increased revenue, profits, and market share are the real outcomes, but here are three ways you can tell if your organization is focused
Practical Tips for Successful Organization Restructuring If you’re doing an acquisition, merging, wanting to be more market or customer-focused, or restructuring to cut costs, the
I like to ask CEOs what their business strategy is. Sometimes I get a crisp, clear response, but often the answer either is a bunch
Leaders will sometimes tell me that people hate change. But it’s not true. Nearly all of my work involves some amount of organization change. Sometimes
Most attempts at organization change fail. Even if the change is eventually successful, the cost is often far higher than necessary. Those costs include complaints
An important factor in implementing your strategy is getting your board involved. Yet many of the boards I work with spend way too much time
For years I’ve helped companies improve innovation in a number of ways, and I continue to find that innovation itself is widely misunderstood. Innovation is
I attended my high school reunion over the weekend and it reminded me that the most powerful communication between people is a shared experience. It
In the 1991 Gulf War, the U.S. military attempted to “synchronize” all forces–getting them all to work together in order to concentrate forces. While it
Recently I gave a talk at the New York Bankers Association Senior Management Conference about how to sustain a high-performance organization. One key to sustainable
I find it fascinating to watch excellent coaches and I saw a master at work over the weekend. It was a horse eventing clinic run
In the cable industry, the final mile is connecting the cable system to customers’ homes. It is the most costly part of the entire system,
Every year, for the past 14 years, I have read a biography of a famous musician or composer. As I read each book, I listen
Last month I wrote about the three key factors of successful strategy implementation: A distinctive strategy, effective leadership, and a sharply-focused organization. Of the three,
An important leadership task is to create a strategic vision that is compelling and engaging. This is enormously important to building accountability and a culture
A key to market leadership, strategic planning, and strategic management is to have a distinctive strategy. Organizations with the same strategy are forever competing on
Most strategies fail to achieve their objectives. The problem is rarely the strategy and usually a weak implementation. Successful implementation requires far more than an
In business strategy, navigating change is of paramount importance. Every strategic plan requires changes in how the organization must perform, and no strategy is implemented
Just in the past week: A director in a nationwide software implementation company told me how her people were deeply stressed by overly-demanding work and
Business strategy is dependent on leadership skills to guide development and successfully implement. These leadership skills focus the organization on the strategy, continually energize people,
A key to business strategy implementation is navigation. Knowing where you are, how far you have traveled, and how much further you must go. On
In business strategy, determining your strategy is setting the course to achieve the vision and strategic objectives. After setting your mission and vision, you need
Business strategy begins with mission and vision–the destination. The strategy, and how you implement it, depend on knowing where you are going and what you
In leading strategy, it’s important to have working definitions of the terms. Different people have different definitions for words such as “goal” and “objective,” and
My mentor, consultant and author Alan Weiss, has a 1% principle. It goes like this: If you (or your organization) improve by just 1% each
Here is the first of my new 8-part video series highlighting key elements of corporate strategy and tactics, and comparing them to sailing strategy and
It’s inertia – it’s the belief that it will continue forever, or at least a long time. Success makes one feel cocky and self-important. And
In the cable industry, the final mile is connecting the cable system to customers’ homes. It is the most costly part of the entire system,
Some corporate strategies fail because the strategy itself is flawed or non-existent. For example, former Kodak CEO Kay Whitmore told me in 2000 that no
When launching a new strategy or change, the last thing you want to do is announce it to the full organization. That’s why major capital
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxYnDKLv0eg&w=560&h=315]
Microsoft jettisoned its version of “rank and yank” last week; a practice of forced rankings that resulted in internal power struggles and unhealthy competition. Leave
One doesn’t drive a car by looking in the rearview mirror, so why do that with performance reviews? When a manager emphasizes mistakes, shortfall, weaknesses,
Here’s what we know from decades of research: You cannot motivate anyone; they must motivate themselves. Extrinsic motivation (commands and incentives) is weak and fickle;
Whether you are politically for or against Obamacare, there can be no dispute about the implementation failure surrounding the $400 million website portal that was
We had intended to sail across Lake Ontario into Canada last week, but the weather and waves were not good, so we changed course for
Here’s how it often goes: The strategy session is done. The new strategy is compiled in binders and distributed to senior management. The binders make
Let’s say you need to change your strategy, make an acquisition, introduce a new IT system, or any other important change. How can you set
Many of the famous classical composers were excellent at improvisation. Mozart for example, would ask an audience for a few musical notes, then sit at
The success of your strategy depends heavily on the quality of your talent, particularly in key positions. Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, says the best
Most strategies fail to achieve their objectives. The problem is rarely the strategy and usually a weak implementation. Successful implementation requires far more than an
During détente back in the days of Gorbachev, a group of Russian diplomats was taken to an American supermarket. Contrary to the expectations of the
My Forbes.net blog post with Harvard Business Review and Forbes.com writer Dorie Clark last week addressed the two core elements of successfully implementing a strategy
I’m catching up on all the sailing magazines that have piled up since Fall, and preparing for another sailing season. My boat is ready to
Formulating a new strategy can be hard work, but it’s not nearly as difficult as implementing a strategy. That’s because implementing the strategy requires mobilizing
McDonalds told franchisees last month that “service is broken.” Rude employees, slow service, and a chaotic environment don’t lead to a good customer experience. No
How to Create a Compelling Vision Vision statements should be compelling. They should paint a clear, vivid description of the organization in the future —
In Philadelphia over the weekend I saw a Beatles tribute band backed up by the Philadelphia Pops. The concert was great, but what really struck
The sequestration issue is the latest in a series of economic/governmental crises that have marked the current administration’s tenure. This blog is about strategy implementation,
Having worked on CEO succession plans and processes for a number of organizations, I was intrigued this week when Pope Benedict announced that he was
The doctor appointment was for 3:30. I was still waiting at 5:00. They said the truck would be ready in an hour. An hour later
Samsung is testing Apple’s ability to respond post-Steve Jobs. It is a reminder that every strategy must adapt to change and that a company’s resiliency
Don’t assume that a team shares a common direction. Yes, they may agree that the strategy sounds good, but they’re not going to effectively implement
“Are you exercising?” he asked. “Yes, sure, I’m going on walks around the farm,” I said. “By exercising, I mean 30-40 minutes, 4 times each
There is fear deep in the heart of many organizations. It has become worse over recent years due to the economy, but it’s not new.
My message last week was that consensus decision making is a mask for weak leadership – either because the leader is afraid to make a