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
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.
A quick observation: My best clients, the ones who get the most value from our work together, take the ideas we discuss and put them
Strategy isn’t about starting from today and going forward into the future. It’s about defining the future you want and working backwards from it to
Nearly every company has experienced a period of prolonged financial difficulty. Growth does not occur in a straight line, but rather in a series of
Newly-promoted executives face a number of significant challenges as they adapt to an executive role. One of the most significant is the ability to think
If you want exponential growth, you need to have a very clear picture of the business you want to have in the future: What will
Business strategy is all about having a distinctive position in your market, and making that distinctiveness sustainable. A distinctiveness that can be easily replicated is
To grow your business and improve profits stop thinking of your company as one of many competitors in a broad market, and define a narrower
The CEO has the responsibility to think strategically about the company and its business. This is a two-fold challenge: The first part is to extricate
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
Business strategy is all about competitive advantage. An brilliant strategy is be both unique and sustainable. If it’s not unique, then you’re simply running the
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
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
An arsonist is someone who finds little things to pick on, to call attention to, and to question. They start small “fires” here and there
An important focus for any business strategy is to establish a competitive advantage for the firm. The two primary ways to do this are to
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
This one is simple: If strategy and culture go head-to-head, bet on the culture. Here’s why: Too many leaders, especially those who are out to
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
A strategic vision is, by far, the least appreciated element of strategy, yet it has the power to focus the strategy, energize innovation, and mobilize
I watched a Charlie Rose interview with Joni Ives last week. Ives is the now legendary head of design for Apple — the guy who
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
This newsletter is entitled “On the Same Page.” It can refer to many things including an orchestra whose members are following the score, or the
Over my career I’ve worked with at least a thousand executives, including hundreds of CEOs and presidents. The best ones aren’t so concerned with making
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
Strategy should be exciting, challenging, and stimulating. It should elicit the very best thinking of your key people, get the creative juices flowing, build enthusiasm,
Gone are the days of big binders with detailed projections, economic analyses, and all the other stuff that is old even before it is put
My most successful clients are very good at aligning individual goals with strategic intent so that everybody is actively working to achieve the company’s strategy
Long gone are the thick binders GE used decades ago to create detailed plans for the next five years. Even the approaches pioneered in the
One of the highest concerns of presidents I talk with these days is how to create an organization that is more proactive in sensing external
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
Today’s business world requires innovation and change and companies that aren’t good at these can quickly run into difficulty. But often overlooked is the role
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
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,
The Vail condo I’ve been to a few times has a large hand-lettered sign in the garage that reads, “Wait for me, for I am
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
I’m finding that executives in most companies are running flat-out these days. Many of the companies who contact me say their executives simply don’t have
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
When implementing a strategy, it is imperative to adapt to conditions. In most cases, this means not following the plan, but improvising to adjust to
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
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
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
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxYnDKLv0eg&w=560&h=315]
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
When the smell of melted cheese in Starbuck’s new breakfast sandwiches began to overwhelm the aroma of fresh coffee in his stores, Howard Schultz made
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
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
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 —
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
I was in Austin last week working with an international group on strategy. One of the key discussion topics was the need for change and
“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
Many leaders are simply not good at communicating their business strategy to the people who will execute it. That can be fixed with good coaching.
Early in my consulting career, I worked extensively with Wilson Sporting Goods. One day I interviewed an elderly gentleman who was the wood head designer.
The experiment was simple. The scientists put a few bees and a few flies in a glass jar, and placed the jar against a window
Leadership effectiveness at all levels is an important component of successful strategy implementation. I’ve worked with hundreds of corporate leaders and I’ve seen all kinds.
Think about it. Google, the iPhone, Facebook, the microwave oven, the CD player…. None of these were a result of continuous improvement. I’m all for
In some leadership groups, opinions appear to be more important than facts. I’ve seen senior management groups where an executive’s in-depth knowledge and experience is
Most organizations set aside time each year for the senior team to discuss strategy and develop a strategic plan. Yet, in my experience, few companies end