Agile Strategy
spent an evening with a friend who believes that business strategy as an exercise and as a direction setting device is dead -- cold and gone in this ever changing world.
i can understand this opinion since i have come to be very uncomfortable with the words "strategy" and "strategic" -- they are much overused and often combined with shallow thinking to produce a binder for the book shelf.
yet, as much as i dislike the words themselves, strategic thinking about the direction of the business is still critical to business survival; the necessary thinking just occurs in a different way.
today i practice what i call "agile strategy", still composed of critical thinking about the business, its products/services, and environment; but not conducted as a rote yearly business group grope.
the agile strategy process is living, year round. it is not a monolithic study addressing the whole business at once and it only tries to see a short distance into the future.
each business unit maintains and updates their component of the strategy (within the corporate framework); maintains it as a living document with updates in whatever frequency is needed
the business unit components fit into a company-wide strategy framework (not a rigid strategy); based upon core competencies, core processes and capabilities, and the overall environment in which the company operates
both at the company and business unit levels inflection points (potential changes in the market, customer preferences, and competition) are identified indicating the need for changes in the framework or business unit modules. these inflection points are under constant monitoring by the company and business unit. when one is encountered (activated by the market or competition), previously discussed changes in the corporate framework and business unit strategy modules are exercised.
business strategy today is not a process, but a living, breathing force field of insight and agreement within the company; much like the much discussed Higgs field of particle physics. again like the Higgs field, the corporate strategic framework should pervasively and positively impact the market presence of every business unit within the company.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Capitalism
i did not write this article nor am i a McKinsey alumnus, since my career was with Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., but it is simple the best thinking on capitalism that i have seen in a long time.
suggest that you might want to read it.
http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/corporate_social_responsibility/redefining_capitalism?cid=other-eml-nsl-mip-mck-oth-1411
you will probably have to copy it and paste it into your browser.
i did not write this article nor am i a McKinsey alumnus, since my career was with Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., but it is simple the best thinking on capitalism that i have seen in a long time.
suggest that you might want to read it.
http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/corporate_social_responsibility/redefining_capitalism?cid=other-eml-nsl-mip-mck-oth-1411
you will probably have to copy it and paste it into your browser.
Bumps In the Road
so, the economy is gaining strength, your business is growing, and you are thinking about building a business strategy to cope with future growth. good idea, but in itself it is incomplete.
we live in a business world of lumps and bumps, ups and downs, booms and busts. as the chart below indicates, the next recession and associated business/consumer panic is just around the corner.
it is only a matter of time, and not much time at that, until the next downturn impacts your business.
that is exactly why business strategy today must be built upon "what ifs", with a core direction and at least two to three potential tweaks or modifications to that direction (inflection points) based upon economic and competitive trip wires.
the inflexible business with a plan and a tunnel vision looking forward is dead meat in today's marketplace. it's like flying an airplane; you must always be looking up, down, left and right and you need to know what your next move is when you see opponents in any of those views.
business strategy today is a living process, tied to inflection points in the environment around us.
so, the economy is gaining strength, your business is growing, and you are thinking about building a business strategy to cope with future growth. good idea, but in itself it is incomplete.
we live in a business world of lumps and bumps, ups and downs, booms and busts. as the chart below indicates, the next recession and associated business/consumer panic is just around the corner.
that is exactly why business strategy today must be built upon "what ifs", with a core direction and at least two to three potential tweaks or modifications to that direction (inflection points) based upon economic and competitive trip wires.
the inflexible business with a plan and a tunnel vision looking forward is dead meat in today's marketplace. it's like flying an airplane; you must always be looking up, down, left and right and you need to know what your next move is when you see opponents in any of those views.
business strategy today is a living process, tied to inflection points in the environment around us.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Top Trends in the Cyber Domain
Exponential growth in mobile devices -- drives exponential security risks -- 7 of every 10 professionals are breaking company I/T policies often with handhelds
C-Suite targeting -- hackers already have a complete profile of your executive suite
Your company is already infected -- learn to deal with it
Global systemic risk now includes cyber risk -- a security breach in a single company can impact a whole value space
Insider threats are real and often go unanticipated
More companies are using cloud computing, opening to blind side security threats -- check out your cloud carefully
Source: Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
Exponential growth in mobile devices -- drives exponential security risks -- 7 of every 10 professionals are breaking company I/T policies often with handhelds
C-Suite targeting -- hackers already have a complete profile of your executive suite
Your company is already infected -- learn to deal with it
Global systemic risk now includes cyber risk -- a security breach in a single company can impact a whole value space
Insider threats are real and often go unanticipated
More companies are using cloud computing, opening to blind side security threats -- check out your cloud carefully
Source: Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
Imperatives for Today's Businesses
- Rethink the consumer value proposition
- Rethink your value space -- look hard at those you think of as non-competitors
- Build or migrate to a flexible, continuously learning business model
- Modularize the business value chain and social network -- think of Lego blocks
- Build an innovation engine; a living, human one around professional staff -- reward the failures that serve to teach us
- Define, promote and communicate corporate values -- a moderately stable port in a continuous market storm
- Think of vision, roles, strategies, products, and services as flowing rivers, continuously changing
Contradiction
i worked with many smart and well educated professionals over my "employed" career and still do in my "post-employed" career. during that time i have learned something, at least one thing, from every person with whom i have worked.
during that same period i also learned to see or pick out those that will excel to the top of their career ladders. these are the people who i sought out (and still do today) to work with. these are the "exciters", those who are changing our businesses and the world around us.
so how do i see these winners?
the answer is two part;
i worked with many smart and well educated professionals over my "employed" career and still do in my "post-employed" career. during that time i have learned something, at least one thing, from every person with whom i have worked.
during that same period i also learned to see or pick out those that will excel to the top of their career ladders. these are the people who i sought out (and still do today) to work with. these are the "exciters", those who are changing our businesses and the world around us.
so how do i see these winners?
the answer is two part;
- "egolessness" -- we all have egos in some way, but this is my term for a person whose ego is in check enough to allow them to see and hear what others fail to see and hear in the world around them -- these are the observers, the seekers of wisdom
- contradiction processing -- these are the people who can hold and process contradictory stories, opinions, or facts simultaneously in their mind, be open to both, and move in the direction of the greatest logic and benefit. few can do this well, but those that are open to it and learn this skill are rocket propelled in their careers and accomplishments
be a winner
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Complex Adaptive Systems
we now live in a world of complex adaptive systems (CSAs)-- systems with many interacting parts each of which exhibits behavior which is conditional upon the behavior of other related parts.
financial market turmoil, ecological deterioration, joblessness, population growth, disease, hunger, climate change, conflict, rapid urbanization -- are all complex adaptive systems
systems which are impossible to understand by summing the states of individual parts
CSAs present themselves as dilemmas, not problems -- a dilemma is an issue with no correct or perfect answer
to address dilemmas we must blend multiple minds and disciplines -- e.g. ideas in physics can help us understand economics and poverty -- we need intellectual integration on all of our business teams
CSAs are all around us even if we don't think about it. babies, drink, food, politics, terrorism, etc.
the photos above are all of CSAs -- we are immersed in a world of CSAs
we now live in a world of complex adaptive systems (CSAs)-- systems with many interacting parts each of which exhibits behavior which is conditional upon the behavior of other related parts.
financial market turmoil, ecological deterioration, joblessness, population growth, disease, hunger, climate change, conflict, rapid urbanization -- are all complex adaptive systems
systems which are impossible to understand by summing the states of individual parts
CSAs present themselves as dilemmas, not problems -- a dilemma is an issue with no correct or perfect answer
to address dilemmas we must blend multiple minds and disciplines -- e.g. ideas in physics can help us understand economics and poverty -- we need intellectual integration on all of our business teams
CSAs are all around us even if we don't think about it. babies, drink, food, politics, terrorism, etc.
the photos above are all of CSAs -- we are immersed in a world of CSAs
Thursday, September 4, 2014
The Bird's Eye View
The world is now a global, multi-state system -- China, India, Russia and others are rivaling the U.S. for moral, economic, and military power
An unprecedented shift in wealth from West to East is occurring and will continue
Terrorism is unlikely to disappear within the next 10 to 20 years due to global economic disparity
State capitalism is likely to remain the leading form of government in the East -- state having the dominate role in economics and business
Asia, Africa, and Latin America will account for virtually all population growth over the next 20 years -- <3% of the growth in the West
Resource issues will gain prominence on the international agenda -- water, energy, and food
Demand for food will rise by ~50% by 2030 -- in the longer term Africa will become the breadbasket of the world
Current green technologies are inadequate for replacing the existing energy architecture -- new technologies are unlikely to be commercially viable and widespread by 2025
Global extreme weather is a done deed -- the only remaining questions are when and how much
The middle class is rising -- 135 million people escaped dire poverty between 1999 and 2004, more than the population of Japan
Major discontinuities and shocks will continue throughout the world -- nuclear proliferation, nuclear accidents, pandemics, financial crises, terrorism
The world is now a global, multi-state system -- China, India, Russia and others are rivaling the U.S. for moral, economic, and military power
An unprecedented shift in wealth from West to East is occurring and will continue
Terrorism is unlikely to disappear within the next 10 to 20 years due to global economic disparity
State capitalism is likely to remain the leading form of government in the East -- state having the dominate role in economics and business
Asia, Africa, and Latin America will account for virtually all population growth over the next 20 years -- <3% of the growth in the West
Resource issues will gain prominence on the international agenda -- water, energy, and food
Demand for food will rise by ~50% by 2030 -- in the longer term Africa will become the breadbasket of the world
Current green technologies are inadequate for replacing the existing energy architecture -- new technologies are unlikely to be commercially viable and widespread by 2025
Global extreme weather is a done deed -- the only remaining questions are when and how much
The middle class is rising -- 135 million people escaped dire poverty between 1999 and 2004, more than the population of Japan
Major discontinuities and shocks will continue throughout the world -- nuclear proliferation, nuclear accidents, pandemics, financial crises, terrorism
Understanding
"Begin with an understanding" is one of my favorite phrases -- one that applies to you and whatever company that you chose to join.
Every company has a personality, just like people
Every company has a value system, a vision, an ethical framework, and a set of goals
Fail to understand these factors at your own expense
If you fail to understand your company then no matter how hard you work you will always be handicapped
"Begin with an understanding" applies to all professionals and partners -- begin with an understanding of your own company
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Credibility Zone
we are all bound by our choices, past and present, and by our beliefs. our only freedom from this cage is our imagination and innovation. beliefs are necessary for survival, but in business they can blind us from the change that is so necessary to that very same survival.
when i work with a client on the development of a business strategy, we are often initially bound in by the beliefs of the client. even if the developed strategy is extremely viable and even potentially visionary for that industry, it can often prove to be unsalable to the client. why; because of a presentation and opportunity discussion that was not within the belief framework of the client.
we are all bound by our choices, past and present, and by our beliefs. our only freedom from this cage is our imagination and innovation. beliefs are necessary for survival, but in business they can blind us from the change that is so necessary to that very same survival.
when i work with a client on the development of a business strategy, we are often initially bound in by the beliefs of the client. even if the developed strategy is extremely viable and even potentially visionary for that industry, it can often prove to be unsalable to the client. why; because of a presentation and opportunity discussion that was not within the belief framework of the client.
our belief system can often fence us in so that we cannot entertain the possibility of an inflection point change in our business; even if that inflection can possibly make the difference between long-term success or a slow death for the company.
so how do you get the client to open their mind and possibly accept a path that could prove to be extremely profitable for them and their company. the answer is that you begin with an understanding; an understanding of management's values, beliefs, and experiences. this is why i like to spend social "out of the office" time with my clients. because it is in those periods of life where a clients values and beliefs become the most visible.
once you understand the beliefs you need further to understand that beliefs are firm, but not perfectly rigid. all beliefs have a "credibility zone" around them where the client can still hold on to the spirit of their belief while at the same time moving left or right to some extent.
so what i am saying is that before you get all excited about the great strategy that you helped develop, think about the clients beliefs (the instincts and experiences that are guiding them every day in their business decisions) and frame the description and delivery of the strategy presentation within the credibility zone of their beliefs. you are not changing or destroying the strategy, just framing the delivery within the belief framework of the client.
in other words think deeply and critically before speaking and begin with an understanding.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Change + Stability
as i have said many times, we live in a word of change -- constant change, every day of our lives
as a business leader we experience that change every day in every market and across ever customer segment. we often talk about building companies that not only adapt to the change, but learn to anticipate it and to capitalize upon it
so we are all very aware of change, but we often forget about stability; the stability that forms the platform, the strength and the energy to support all of that change
without stability we cannot live with, adapt, nor capitalize upon change. so where does that stability come from?
it comes from strong, convincing, open leadership
it comes from a corporate mission which is consistent, clear, and well understood by every professional in the company
it comes from values; corporate values that become an everyday way of thinking, life, and operation
it comes from customer delivery of products and services that exceed expected standards each and every time
so stability and change are yin/yang; very different, but both very necessary
want your professionals to always out-perform in a turbulent and ever change world -- give them stability -- and no that is not a contradiction in terms
as i have said many times, we live in a word of change -- constant change, every day of our lives
as a business leader we experience that change every day in every market and across ever customer segment. we often talk about building companies that not only adapt to the change, but learn to anticipate it and to capitalize upon it
so we are all very aware of change, but we often forget about stability; the stability that forms the platform, the strength and the energy to support all of that change
without stability we cannot live with, adapt, nor capitalize upon change. so where does that stability come from?
it comes from strong, convincing, open leadership
it comes from a corporate mission which is consistent, clear, and well understood by every professional in the company
it comes from values; corporate values that become an everyday way of thinking, life, and operation
it comes from customer delivery of products and services that exceed expected standards each and every time
so stability and change are yin/yang; very different, but both very necessary
want your professionals to always out-perform in a turbulent and ever change world -- give them stability -- and no that is not a contradiction in terms
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Today's Professional Role
Today’s Business Professional Success
Model
The Rules of the Road
1.
Understand your company’s values and share them
with every person every day; understand the values of each member of your work
team in your company
2.
Always strive to belong to or help create one of
the top 2 to 3 companies in a value space (see definition is earlier entries) –
business success will follow
3.
Your goal is to become a trusted
partner/counselor of senior management – good things will then follow and
selling yourself will become unnecessary
4.
Make an investment in understanding the business
challenges your company is facing now and will likely face in the future
5.
Be present; observe with your eyes and ears what
is happening within your company’s businesses, not just what is complained
about
6.
Obsess around company impact – so what value did
I or we as a team add this month?
7.
Forward think around what value you can add to
your company’s business – if you don’t make senior management uncomfortable
sometimes, you are not pushing the envelope enough
8.
Have a thoughtful contribution to every business
meeting – never go to a meeting unprepared or to one that does not have an
agenda
9.
No surprises – business meeting, prepare,
prepare, prepare – not only your team, but senior management also – no
surprises
10.
Whether you know it or not, you are an
information technology professional today (at least to some extent) – lack of
functional information technology knowledge today is a career killer
11.
Technology is not the vision or the answer –
seamless business/technology innovation is
12.
Before you answer management’s technology
question, begin with a business understanding of what is driving the question
13.
Be honest with your management, even to the
point of polite dissent – it’s your duty
14.
Make your work transformative and high impact –
tell management something that makes them think differently about their
business
15. Never define your role exclusively by the
wording of a contract or agreement --
seek out opportunities to help your company outside of your defined duties –
what about your supervisor’s important upcoming meeting, how can you help her
excel
16. Pay for and reward staff performance, not hours,
sales or events – cross pollinate team thinking
With
a history of value, you are unlikely to be displaced
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Fear
i have never begun any business strategy without some measure of apprehension -- almost fear
the questions that spawn the apprehension are many;
who is this client -- really?
how does the company function in reality; not how the org chart says it should
how do they think?
what are their foregone conclusions?
where is there ego
what data/facts will be open and what will take extra work to discover?
you would think that after 30 years of in-depth and ever changing, cross-industry strategy experience the fear would go away -- but it doesn't
so what is the message -- it's that fear doesn't go away, we must just face it and move forward
the second message is to have an "empty mind", no foregone conclusions, and to let the data speak.
if you don't know the answer yet; that means that you don't have enough input -- dig more, ask more questions -- probe client minds
when you have the input (data), just read and study it, listen and think. let the data speak and the answer will become visible
i have never begun any business strategy without some measure of apprehension -- almost fear
the questions that spawn the apprehension are many;
who is this client -- really?
how does the company function in reality; not how the org chart says it should
how do they think?
what are their foregone conclusions?
where is there ego
what data/facts will be open and what will take extra work to discover?
you would think that after 30 years of in-depth and ever changing, cross-industry strategy experience the fear would go away -- but it doesn't
so what is the message -- it's that fear doesn't go away, we must just face it and move forward
the second message is to have an "empty mind", no foregone conclusions, and to let the data speak.
if you don't know the answer yet; that means that you don't have enough input -- dig more, ask more questions -- probe client minds
when you have the input (data), just read and study it, listen and think. let the data speak and the answer will become visible
Saturday, July 26, 2014
It's The Process
most companies that i see either have a business strategy built by consensus or don't have a strategy and want to build one, again by consensus without going through a comprehensive strategy building process.
the often avoided process takes time (often 3 to 4 months) and energy (3 to 4 of your best young professionals and an experienced leader).
the issue is that the product you are seeking is the process itself, not the resulting strategy document.
the process is the goal and is more than worth the effort.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Dinosaurs and Other Fossils
businesses are too comfortable today. the internet has changed society and people; they are more informed and more demanding, they want information, transparency, and a cause to believe in. they want to deal only with companies that can fulfill their needs quickly and conveniently
if your company is fat and happy today with a relative monopoly in your area of the business world, you had better take the blinders off because the earthquake is coming. if you still have a monopoly in your market segment -- it's just an artifact of history and will soon go away. the New York Times was pushed out of the Fortune 500 by Netflix; others will soon fall
this is not the age of patch, repair and evolve -- especially when we are speaking of our information technology systems -- the foundations of our businesses. this is the age of separate, incubate, innovate and experiment; building new core I/T infrastructures from scratch around customers, needs, and information as a product. we are in an information driven revolution and that information can become as valuable as any other product or service that you provide
many people believe that the information driven companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon are aliens who live in another world and are of no threat to "my" industry. but the truth is that these companies are information black holes and they will go where the information is; banking, transportation, medicine, etc. the threat is there whether you see it or not
the customers are there (4.7 billion cell phone users in the world), the competition is moving powered by an information engine -- are you going to survive
what is your vision and strategy. can every one of your professional employees see, live and feel that vision and strategy every day. is experimentation the norm and do you provide a world where no experiment is a failure as long as we learn from it
today customers want convenience, price, transparency, personal tailoring, and a mission to believe in; are you there or at least moving rapidly to "there" -- if not, good night sweet Charlotte.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Thoughts on Great Company
Management
the word
"sell" is a bad word -- have you ever met a salesman that you trusted
work to become a
trusted partner/counselor of your customer’s management, then all good things,
including sales, will follow.
target and serve the top 2
to 3 companies in an industry
make your work
transformative and high impact
compensate staff based upon
performance, not for hours or sales
set a true north
around customer impact -- obsess over delivering measurable impact
ask "so what value
did we add this month?"
always forward think
about what value you can add to a customer's business
with a history of
value, you are unlikely to be displaced
cross pollinate team
thinking
have something
thoughtful to say in every customer meeting -- never go to a meeting without an
agenda or unprepared
if you don't make the
customer uncomfortable sometimes, you are not pushing the thinking enough
technology is not the
vision or the answer, business/technology seamless integration is
make an investment in
understanding the challenges your customer is facing and is likely to face in the
future
tell your customer something that makes them think differently about her/his business
understand your
company's values and share them with the customer
be honest with the
customer even to the point of dissent; it’s your duty as a partner
seek out opportunities
to help your customers outside of your defined duties -- what about her important
upcoming meeting, how can you help her excel
Monday, June 9, 2014
Change Is The Norm
we live in a world not of calmness and stability, but one of chaos and change. change is not the exception today, it is the norm.
change is precipitated every day by people and events in the news and in our circles of friends. take the news around Edward Snowden for example. who would have thought that a CIA analyst could impact the structure of the internet and the business opportunities available to the technology companies of the world -- but he has.
as a result of his releases, the internet is actually being modified or segmented into country controlled units. Britain and Germany among others are building their own internal to country loops that will feed the larger internet when necessary and keep all other locally sourced and destined traffic within the country. that way then can control the encryption and the snooping by the U.S., China, Russia and others. in the future you will have to picture the internet in your mind as a series of interconnected rings, much like the symbol of the olympics.
even individual companies are taking these steps by strengthening their intra-company networks, providing electronic and physical isolation from the internet and removing their intellectual capital and r&d machines from networks all together. these types of changes will precipitate down to companies of all sizes and disciplines over the next decade.
the opportunity for technology companies is to excel in secure network building and encryption techniques, as well as leading edge information security. change your company to capture the opportunities not where the market is today, but where it is going to be tomorrow.
we live in a world not of calmness and stability, but one of chaos and change. change is not the exception today, it is the norm.
change is precipitated every day by people and events in the news and in our circles of friends. take the news around Edward Snowden for example. who would have thought that a CIA analyst could impact the structure of the internet and the business opportunities available to the technology companies of the world -- but he has.
as a result of his releases, the internet is actually being modified or segmented into country controlled units. Britain and Germany among others are building their own internal to country loops that will feed the larger internet when necessary and keep all other locally sourced and destined traffic within the country. that way then can control the encryption and the snooping by the U.S., China, Russia and others. in the future you will have to picture the internet in your mind as a series of interconnected rings, much like the symbol of the olympics.
even individual companies are taking these steps by strengthening their intra-company networks, providing electronic and physical isolation from the internet and removing their intellectual capital and r&d machines from networks all together. these types of changes will precipitate down to companies of all sizes and disciplines over the next decade.
the opportunity for technology companies is to excel in secure network building and encryption techniques, as well as leading edge information security. change your company to capture the opportunities not where the market is today, but where it is going to be tomorrow.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Inflection Points
the trip through life is rough, bruising and offering its fair share of pain as well as joy. the truth is that we all get scarred by the trials and tribulations of life. but those of us who are inwardly focused and totally sure that our own opinions are the only correct ones and for sure the only ones that matter receive the most scars, mostly self inflicted.
we all build our individual belief structure as we go through life and that is a good thing because it teaches us not to touch the hot stove tops and to avoid many easily self-inflicted wounds. however our belief system can also be damaging when it becomes too rigid and is reinforced on a daily basis by our own network of like believers whom we chose to surround ourselves with. we end up in an ever-tighter spiral of our own beliefs, open to little else, especially critical thinking, which might violate our beliefs.
speaking of beliefs, i believe in inflection points. in life we find a trajectory that pleases us such as the process of climbing a corporate ladder or the process of starting and building our own company. normally once found we stay on that trajectory for a significant period of time, focused on the goals that appear on the horizon. this can be good as long as we aren't too tunnel visioned. no trajectory is perfect and as we all know, anything in our world that is too rigid is eventually broken.
inflection points are events that occur in our lives which cause us to change trajectory, slightly or significantly, based upon the interactions of that event. inflection points usually involve people, a person that you meet during each significant event (inflection point) of your life. for example below is an inflection point map of my life to date.
each of these events (shown by the circles) changed the trajectory of my life (for better or worse). why, because inside each of those events was a person who introduced me to new and different ways of thinking about work, life, relationships, and humanity in general. the trick was not having these events occur or meeting the people, but being open to new and different thinking and using that thinking to reevaluate my trajectory and belief system.
you can learn from everyone around you, no matter what their rank or circumstances in life. remember a stranger is just a person whose story you do not yet know. you just have to be mentally open and willing to listen.
want to succeed in business as well as life, just be open to continually obtain new input for your critical thinking, input that comes from these inflection points.
we all build our individual belief structure as we go through life and that is a good thing because it teaches us not to touch the hot stove tops and to avoid many easily self-inflicted wounds. however our belief system can also be damaging when it becomes too rigid and is reinforced on a daily basis by our own network of like believers whom we chose to surround ourselves with. we end up in an ever-tighter spiral of our own beliefs, open to little else, especially critical thinking, which might violate our beliefs.
speaking of beliefs, i believe in inflection points. in life we find a trajectory that pleases us such as the process of climbing a corporate ladder or the process of starting and building our own company. normally once found we stay on that trajectory for a significant period of time, focused on the goals that appear on the horizon. this can be good as long as we aren't too tunnel visioned. no trajectory is perfect and as we all know, anything in our world that is too rigid is eventually broken.
inflection points are events that occur in our lives which cause us to change trajectory, slightly or significantly, based upon the interactions of that event. inflection points usually involve people, a person that you meet during each significant event (inflection point) of your life. for example below is an inflection point map of my life to date.
each of these events (shown by the circles) changed the trajectory of my life (for better or worse). why, because inside each of those events was a person who introduced me to new and different ways of thinking about work, life, relationships, and humanity in general. the trick was not having these events occur or meeting the people, but being open to new and different thinking and using that thinking to reevaluate my trajectory and belief system.
you can learn from everyone around you, no matter what their rank or circumstances in life. remember a stranger is just a person whose story you do not yet know. you just have to be mentally open and willing to listen.
want to succeed in business as well as life, just be open to continually obtain new input for your critical thinking, input that comes from these inflection points.
Friday, May 23, 2014
who are you
the most difficult question that a candidate for a potential job with me and my work is;
"who are you?"
invariably the candidate will answer with an excerpt from her resume. i am a national merit scholar; i am a Harvard MBA; i am a chief financial officer, i am a business consultant for productivity.
these are or may be statements of fact and they may be what you presently do for a living, but they are far from the answer to the question which was asked.
the question is meant to get at who you are are as a person; what do you value, what are your beliefs, what makes you happy and fulfilled, what makes you run away, what are your current interests.
few of us take the time and apply the intellect necessary to truly know who we are. yet figuring that out is critical to your long-term success.
during my career i saw myself as smart, committed and sociable, team player. however, what i didn't know is that my partners saw me as smart, committed professional (possibly only to myself) and a loner.
when they asked me to attend a workshop at the Aspen Institute on self-identity, i believed that it was unnecessary but agreed to attend.
during the first week of the event, we were subjected to 5 tests to measure our sociability and team spirit. a top score for the tests would have been 5,5,5,5,5, while possible scores ranged from 0 to 5 in each test -- the way that i saw it was all 5s would mean that i new and understood myself and that my partners were incorrect, for i was a real team player. my score was 0,0,0 1,0.
this meant that not only was i truly a loner and far from a team player, but also that i had long failed to understand myself. the me that i saw in the mirror each morning was far from the me that everyone else was experiencing. my dream of self understanding was in actuality located on a distant, far off mountain top -- way out of my current reach.
that very knowledge gap, internal view of me to external view of me, can be a real killer of a career. self understanding is not only an important driver of a fulfilling life, but also an important driver of career success.
take the time to step outside of yourself and see as others see. you can do this through tests, training and a class or through persistent meditation and self reflection. take your choice, but do it.
"who are you?"
invariably the candidate will answer with an excerpt from her resume. i am a national merit scholar; i am a Harvard MBA; i am a chief financial officer, i am a business consultant for productivity.
these are or may be statements of fact and they may be what you presently do for a living, but they are far from the answer to the question which was asked.
the question is meant to get at who you are are as a person; what do you value, what are your beliefs, what makes you happy and fulfilled, what makes you run away, what are your current interests.
few of us take the time and apply the intellect necessary to truly know who we are. yet figuring that out is critical to your long-term success.
during my career i saw myself as smart, committed and sociable, team player. however, what i didn't know is that my partners saw me as smart, committed professional (possibly only to myself) and a loner.
when they asked me to attend a workshop at the Aspen Institute on self-identity, i believed that it was unnecessary but agreed to attend.
during the first week of the event, we were subjected to 5 tests to measure our sociability and team spirit. a top score for the tests would have been 5,5,5,5,5, while possible scores ranged from 0 to 5 in each test -- the way that i saw it was all 5s would mean that i new and understood myself and that my partners were incorrect, for i was a real team player. my score was 0,0,0 1,0.
this meant that not only was i truly a loner and far from a team player, but also that i had long failed to understand myself. the me that i saw in the mirror each morning was far from the me that everyone else was experiencing. my dream of self understanding was in actuality located on a distant, far off mountain top -- way out of my current reach.
that very knowledge gap, internal view of me to external view of me, can be a real killer of a career. self understanding is not only an important driver of a fulfilling life, but also an important driver of career success.
take the time to step outside of yourself and see as others see. you can do this through tests, training and a class or through persistent meditation and self reflection. take your choice, but do it.
Brand Proceeds Marketing
as a young consultant at booz allen hamilton inc. i was the luckiest guy in the world. why? because i was hired by a guy named joe mallory who immediately became my mentor for all the years that i was with the firm.
joe was brilliant and understood consulting like no one that i had ever met. he had a renaissance mind, studying many things from knot theory to the mathematics of music (at the Juilliard). whenever i had a difficult assignment where the recommended answer could go left or right with just as much justification from the research and data, he would ask me one question which always made the way forward very clear.
that question was "what is best for the client"? not what is best for booz allen revenue, or me, or joe, but what is best for the client.
the other thing that i often worried about was marketing; how do i build my business? joe's answer was clear there also. you don't overtly market, your work is your brand and your brand is your marketing. just do your very best on every assignment to "over-deliver" intellect, creativity, honesty and thoroughness and you won't have to look for clients. they will look for you.
joe was and is an inflection point in my life -- someone you meet who through their intellect and caring changes the trajectory of your life.
be open to the inflection points in your life.
joe was brilliant and understood consulting like no one that i had ever met. he had a renaissance mind, studying many things from knot theory to the mathematics of music (at the Juilliard). whenever i had a difficult assignment where the recommended answer could go left or right with just as much justification from the research and data, he would ask me one question which always made the way forward very clear.
that question was "what is best for the client"? not what is best for booz allen revenue, or me, or joe, but what is best for the client.
the other thing that i often worried about was marketing; how do i build my business? joe's answer was clear there also. you don't overtly market, your work is your brand and your brand is your marketing. just do your very best on every assignment to "over-deliver" intellect, creativity, honesty and thoroughness and you won't have to look for clients. they will look for you.
joe was and is an inflection point in my life -- someone you meet who through their intellect and caring changes the trajectory of your life.
be open to the inflection points in your life.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Shareholder Return
no matter what business or market space you are in, you need to build an understanding of the drivers of shareholder return. in other words, out of all the things that you do in your business what exactly is it that really drives your return (the dollars in your and your investors pockets). believe me, it is not everything that you do in a normal day.
take the health care service market space for an example. total shareholder return within the healthcare market space over the last 10 years has been exceptional. During the mid-2000s, average annual total shareholder return (TSR) exceeded 40%. from 2010 to 2013 health care service companies posted an average annual TSR of 18% (Source: Boston Consulting Group)
now why? what are the drivers of that return?
if you take a hard look at the market space a number of drivers become obvious;
take the health care service market space for an example. total shareholder return within the healthcare market space over the last 10 years has been exceptional. During the mid-2000s, average annual total shareholder return (TSR) exceeded 40%. from 2010 to 2013 health care service companies posted an average annual TSR of 18% (Source: Boston Consulting Group)
now why? what are the drivers of that return?
if you take a hard look at the market space a number of drivers become obvious;
- Growth -- Aging populations and new entrants into the market space due to health care reform
- Value -- the beginning of a focus on patient outcomes and underlying costs which can provide margin expansion. this is value based health care
- Big data -- the use of big data to identify the best protocol to address specific patient needs
- Genomics -- new and emerging genomic data bases that allow appropriate past history of diseases and protocols to be quickly reviewed
- Patient Empowerment -- use of the internet by patients both within and outside of collective patient groups to find the best provider/protocol for any specific diagnosis -- even at a premium in immediate costs
- Free working capital/current ratio -- the generation of free working capital to fund new products and services as the market space changes around any company
- Statistics -- better statistical analysis of market spaces in total, including the competition
understanding the drivers of TSR in any market space or business segment is critical.
what are your drivers?
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Digital Literacy
i am fortunate to spend time in many different companies, governmental organizations, and educational entities. every time that i visit one of these organizations i listen and learn from every person that i meet. every meeting is a free education for me.
however lately i have become quite concerned with the depth and breadth of knowledge with many of the professionals that i meet. many seem to fall into one of two camps; deep and extensive knowledge in a single area (e.g. networking, information security) with little breadth of knowledge in any other areas or superficial knowledge across their specific professional responsibilities, but little depth (especially technical depth) anywhere else.
i find that our colleges can be even worse. students are taught many business and other subjects, but are left to face a thoroughly digital world with few to no digital skills -- computer science classes alone cannot fulfill this need at the intersection of business and applied technology -- the need represents the merging of business capabilities/competencies and functional technology.
every professional in your company must understand that digital and business depth of knowledge is not an option, but a mandatory criteria for promotion and success. in today's world there is no security except what is in your mind. any company can go away, any job or role can go away, anyone can be fired. it is Me Inc.
and your only tool kit to move on is what is in your mind.
i bring this up because of a talk that i am preparing on global trends and the core technologies that will shape our world for the visible future. those technologies as i see them are the following:
as i see it these are the drivers of our economy over the next five to seven years. knowledge and expertise in these areas is our survival kit for an uncertain future.
for example take the medical care industry. wearable small digital devices will monitor our key vital signs while nanotechnology will enable small devices to look and explore within the body. synthetic biology will enable bacterial (E-Coli and others) and other newly created synthetic lifeforms to assist in delivering cancer treatment and other medications to specific organs or cells within our bodies. bioinformatics will allow us to better predict up front what protocols might work best for our specific genomes and networks and security will allow us to share the resulting information with our doctors no matter where we and they are in the world. the results and all other pertinent information will be digitized and stored in our personal information data base.
almost any other industry that you can select will also be impacted in a similar way by the use of these and other emerging technologies.
if you are a professional, set aside time each week to explore technology areas that are out of your normal business domain. read everything that you can get your hands on and continuously listen and learn from others. if you are a CEO, insist on ever growing digital literacy within your company and its professionals. digital literacy and the cross pollination of it among professionals is the future of your company.
if you are in an educational institution, develop classes specifically focused upon broad digital/business literacy. graduate digital citizens of the world, citizens who not only understand technology but have experienced the application of it in multiple countries of the world.
however lately i have become quite concerned with the depth and breadth of knowledge with many of the professionals that i meet. many seem to fall into one of two camps; deep and extensive knowledge in a single area (e.g. networking, information security) with little breadth of knowledge in any other areas or superficial knowledge across their specific professional responsibilities, but little depth (especially technical depth) anywhere else.
i find that our colleges can be even worse. students are taught many business and other subjects, but are left to face a thoroughly digital world with few to no digital skills -- computer science classes alone cannot fulfill this need at the intersection of business and applied technology -- the need represents the merging of business capabilities/competencies and functional technology.
every professional in your company must understand that digital and business depth of knowledge is not an option, but a mandatory criteria for promotion and success. in today's world there is no security except what is in your mind. any company can go away, any job or role can go away, anyone can be fired. it is Me Inc.
and your only tool kit to move on is what is in your mind.
i bring this up because of a talk that i am preparing on global trends and the core technologies that will shape our world for the visible future. those technologies as i see them are the following:
as i see it these are the drivers of our economy over the next five to seven years. knowledge and expertise in these areas is our survival kit for an uncertain future.
for example take the medical care industry. wearable small digital devices will monitor our key vital signs while nanotechnology will enable small devices to look and explore within the body. synthetic biology will enable bacterial (E-Coli and others) and other newly created synthetic lifeforms to assist in delivering cancer treatment and other medications to specific organs or cells within our bodies. bioinformatics will allow us to better predict up front what protocols might work best for our specific genomes and networks and security will allow us to share the resulting information with our doctors no matter where we and they are in the world. the results and all other pertinent information will be digitized and stored in our personal information data base.
almost any other industry that you can select will also be impacted in a similar way by the use of these and other emerging technologies.
if you are a professional, set aside time each week to explore technology areas that are out of your normal business domain. read everything that you can get your hands on and continuously listen and learn from others. if you are a CEO, insist on ever growing digital literacy within your company and its professionals. digital literacy and the cross pollination of it among professionals is the future of your company.
if you are in an educational institution, develop classes specifically focused upon broad digital/business literacy. graduate digital citizens of the world, citizens who not only understand technology but have experienced the application of it in multiple countries of the world.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
The World Is Lumpy
yes we now have communications that allows us to connect with and reach people around the world. so there is some flat terrain.
but the truth is that no matter where you are in the world you are encapsulated within your own unique culture, belief systems and lenses through which you see the world -- on a global basis these make the world lumpy, rough and challenging.
therefore even if i can technically reach you, i likely cannot reach you intellectually and emotionally without understanding your encapsulated environment.
so the world is far from flat -- it is downright everest-like in russia, north korea and china and merely mountainous in other parts of the world.
corporations and companies are no different. in 20+ years of business strategy i have never been able to use exactly the same business strategy development process in any two companies. each company has its own personality and opinions on how to do things and what is appropriate to accept. each is unique with the lenses it has developed to see the world in its own way.
people are no different. we all have developed lenses through we see the world. lenses which shade and color our view and beliefs.
more difficult yet, the blind are not limited to those who cannot see. there are those who see the world only in a polar perspective; good/bad, beautiful/ugly, democrat/republican, safe/deadly, hopeful/hopeless
our challenge is not to accept the flat paradigm, but to see the lumps and bumps and begin to understand each in a different way.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Corporate DNA and Business Expansion
i am a strong believer in corporate DNA. so what is corporate DNA; it is the essence of your business; the organizational culture and strategy.
Corporate DNA includes;
Corporate DNA includes;
- mission
- vision
- personal and professional values
- key company goals
- strategy
- structure
- core competencies
- core capabilities
- core processes
- roles and responsibilities
- unwritten rules
- decision rights
- professional hiring criteria
- career models
- motivating factors
- knowledge management/information access
yes that's a huge list and not something that most small to mid-size companies want to address. yet in the longer term ignoring your corporate DNA is the most common cause of small to mid-business failure that i see in my consulting practice.
you might say that the above list just gets in the way of doing real work, but the truth is that sooner or later the real work will fail for a significant client without addressing these components of the soul of your company, the corporate DNA.
i have spoken to a number of companies lately that are surviving or even thriving in Charleston. with success seemingly in their pocket they set their eyes on broader, more lucrative geographic areas, such as other cities or states. if the corporate DNA is well defined, this expansion may well be warranted and successful. without clear and well defined corporate DNA, the risk is extremely high and crisis may very well be starring you in the eyes.
so i ask, what is the condition of your corporate DNA?
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Simple Thoughts for Hiring and Creating a Powerful Team
- Begin with character, intelligence and industry as a starting place
- Pick the cream of professionals for your leaders and partners
- Seek those who know what they don't know
- Test for unstructured problem solving
- Test understanding by asking them to explain in three sentences or less the essence of a complex project that they worked or a personal interest of theirs
- Covet global citizens, not exclusively U.S. thinkers
- Hire diversity, from the arts, engineering, history, science, and other fields and also across schools, not all Ivy League
- Avoid ego, some wear it like clothing
- Seek those who are smarter than you -- hire your boss
- Reward professionals for specific success, not for just being present
- Be always willing to listen and help young professionals
- To multiply; lead, lend and merge ideas with others
Is Your Company Adaptive
in a world where the lifecycle of cunsumer technology is under 12 months and often for business infrastructure technology under 24 months, your company must continually adapt or die. it is just that simple.
to be effective, adaptive corporations must understand the difference between change for the sake of change and intelligent change ...
... all corporate parts are moveable -- corporations are challenged daily to intelligently personalize the meaning of "adaptive".
darwin was correct -- adaptation is the key to survival.
in a world where the lifecycle of cunsumer technology is under 12 months and often for business infrastructure technology under 24 months, your company must continually adapt or die. it is just that simple.
to be effective, adaptive corporations must understand the difference between change for the sake of change and intelligent change ...
darwin was correct -- adaptation is the key to survival.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Invention Verses Innovation
Leadership requires innovation to address the grayscale of today's business dilemmas -- innovation that demands follow through, but not necessarily originality.
Brahms did not want to build upon others, so he did not complete his first symphony until he was 40 -- what a waste.
Leadership requires innovation to address the grayscale of today's business dilemmas -- innovation that demands follow through, but not necessarily originality.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Technology as a Competitive Edge
there is no doubt in today's business world that technology, when used creatively, can be and often is a competitive edge. the proof of that idea is all around you, from the early successes of Microsoft and IBM, to today's positioning of Google, Face Book, or Twitter. technology (along with strategy and culture) is one of our keys to business success.
the issue (risk) is that many of us invest significant capital and intellect in technology too early in its development cycle. technology has a life cycle, just like we as humans do. that life cycle runs from euphoria to maturation, and takes many years to complete.
i have told my clients for many years that technology takes about 10 years from laboratory proof of concept to useful functionality in the field and even longer for technology maturity. you do want to scan the horizon for new technologies and you do want to think about how those emerging technologies can and will change your business, but you do not want to invest until the technology reaches a reasonable level of maturity and stability. i know of two states that invested in the hype of hydrogen fuel cells over 15 years ago under the belief that they would be powering cars on our roads very within 5 years of their investment and have yet to see any return on their capital. in fact in both cases the investment is a complete loss. hydrogen fuel cells will come and impact our economy, but not for a number of years even now. the same is true for solar photo voltaic. many states and business jumped on board to an industry that was competing on price alone in an overcrowded manufacturing space. that industry is now in the late stages of a painful restructuring which wiped out almost all prior investment. a painful and costly lesson for early investors. broadband is another example. its later than anticipated arrival at some early level of maturity in the U.S. wiped out billions in capital investment. the list goes on.
watch technology, invest in it and use it to differentiate your company, but only with the right timing in mind. patience is a virtue.
there is no doubt in today's business world that technology, when used creatively, can be and often is a competitive edge. the proof of that idea is all around you, from the early successes of Microsoft and IBM, to today's positioning of Google, Face Book, or Twitter. technology (along with strategy and culture) is one of our keys to business success.
the issue (risk) is that many of us invest significant capital and intellect in technology too early in its development cycle. technology has a life cycle, just like we as humans do. that life cycle runs from euphoria to maturation, and takes many years to complete.
i have told my clients for many years that technology takes about 10 years from laboratory proof of concept to useful functionality in the field and even longer for technology maturity. you do want to scan the horizon for new technologies and you do want to think about how those emerging technologies can and will change your business, but you do not want to invest until the technology reaches a reasonable level of maturity and stability. i know of two states that invested in the hype of hydrogen fuel cells over 15 years ago under the belief that they would be powering cars on our roads very within 5 years of their investment and have yet to see any return on their capital. in fact in both cases the investment is a complete loss. hydrogen fuel cells will come and impact our economy, but not for a number of years even now. the same is true for solar photo voltaic. many states and business jumped on board to an industry that was competing on price alone in an overcrowded manufacturing space. that industry is now in the late stages of a painful restructuring which wiped out almost all prior investment. a painful and costly lesson for early investors. broadband is another example. its later than anticipated arrival at some early level of maturity in the U.S. wiped out billions in capital investment. the list goes on.
watch technology, invest in it and use it to differentiate your company, but only with the right timing in mind. patience is a virtue.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Business Strategy
the development of a great business strategy is a tedious and demanding task. i am not speaking here about many of the so called business strategies that i see in the market which are simply short lists of high-level trends or longer lists (oftentimes 100 or more) of detailed desires with no priorities or implementation estimates. i am speaking here about professional, well-focused strategies resulting in no more than 2 to 3 (hopefully fewer) major directional thrusts, each with a priority, "go, no-go" test points, and a well thought out implementation plan.
everyone business needs a strategy, but few are willing to invest the time and energy (mental and physical) to develop a great one.
if you are thinking about developing a business strategy, here are a few thoughts which may assist you in your thinking;
the development of a great business strategy is a tedious and demanding task. i am not speaking here about many of the so called business strategies that i see in the market which are simply short lists of high-level trends or longer lists (oftentimes 100 or more) of detailed desires with no priorities or implementation estimates. i am speaking here about professional, well-focused strategies resulting in no more than 2 to 3 (hopefully fewer) major directional thrusts, each with a priority, "go, no-go" test points, and a well thought out implementation plan.
everyone business needs a strategy, but few are willing to invest the time and energy (mental and physical) to develop a great one.
if you are thinking about developing a business strategy, here are a few thoughts which may assist you in your thinking;
- a strategy cannot fix or repair poor leadership. if leadership is micro-focused in areas of personal interest rather than providing visionary leadership for the whole company, developing a strategy is just wasting money
- strategy development is a company process. the process team itself should include one to three of your best, most promising professionals. that way they live the process and understand the "why" of the resulting direction
- when you undertake business strategy development and implementation within the company, you also simultaneously undertake cultural change. cultural change if done well can be many times more demanding than the strategy process itself
- the strategy process is brief; any process that does not produce a major milestone or a final product (depending upon the complexity of the industry/company) within three to four months, will likely dissolve into meaninglessness through its own entropy
- if you require outside (your company) assistance, hire a professional with strategy competency even if that professional is a novice to your industry; look for strategy experience over industry experience. there is an old saying; "when faced with a dilemma, the expert sees few options while the novice sees many". in today's rapidly changing world, you need the "many"
- strategy development requires a baseline; an understanding of how your customers and competitors perceive your company today, as well as how they perceive your products and services. take the time to do this work
- there is no perfect or standard business strategy development process. the process varies by company personality, market opportunity and current market position
- the resulting strategy can build upon the thinking of the world today, not just upon the great minds within your company.
Alessi is a company who's strategy called for the use of open network innovation to compete in the difficult home products marketplace. their strategy didn't call for hiring all the bright minds that they needed, but to use open network innovation to propel their company ahead of the competition. read about them, there are many lessons to be learned
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Your Professionals Are No Longer In College
many of our colleges today still teach in the same way that they did a century ago; by lecture, in a fixed classroom, at a fixed time, and in vertical silos by subject matter. yet anyone who spends much time around the young, wired, self-empowered professionals of today knows that they learn at their convenience, by topic area across many different subjects and disciplines.
we can't change colleges today or possibly even tomorrow, we must wait for the economics of their inviable situation to hit them in the teeth before they are likely to change.
but, we can operate our companies in the way that stimulates the learning and experimenting methods of these "o so valuable" young professionals. we can allow them every day to explore their company and work environments across divisions, departments, offices and customers (outdated components?). we can give them the freedom to learn and contribute to the company in ways that we never thought of before. we can allow them the freedom to learn something new every day and explore their own potential while materially accelerating the company and its markets.
don't act like our colleges. hold onto your professionals by allowing them to experiment and grow at their own pace.
many of our colleges today still teach in the same way that they did a century ago; by lecture, in a fixed classroom, at a fixed time, and in vertical silos by subject matter. yet anyone who spends much time around the young, wired, self-empowered professionals of today knows that they learn at their convenience, by topic area across many different subjects and disciplines.
but, we can operate our companies in the way that stimulates the learning and experimenting methods of these "o so valuable" young professionals. we can allow them every day to explore their company and work environments across divisions, departments, offices and customers (outdated components?). we can give them the freedom to learn and contribute to the company in ways that we never thought of before. we can allow them the freedom to learn something new every day and explore their own potential while materially accelerating the company and its markets.
don't act like our colleges. hold onto your professionals by allowing them to experiment and grow at their own pace.
Me Inc.
in the past we often hired career professionals into our company and, if we were lucky, they would stay for years. personally i was with Booz Allen Hamilton for 20 years and now have been an independent consultant (Me, Inc.) for 15 years (yes i am an old fart).
not so today. many professionals today will have 7 to 9 different associations (positions across companies) in their career, especially in areas of high demand such as information technology, biotechnology, marketing/branding, etc. to be successful professionals today you must build knowledge and create your personal competencies around the image of Me, Inc. as Me, Inc. you can chose to move across companies on your own terms or even if you want to stay with your company, but are forced to move due to closure or lay offs, you are one of the select few who can find another association quickly. as a professional i have long believed that the only security a person has today in this volatile business world is what is in her mind; the daily learning, innate curiosity, the lessons learned, etc. your mind is your business identity and value added.
for a company, this means that your core competencies must be routinized, yet always evolving. it means that professional must be cross trained across internal disciplines and competencies and the best and brightest incented with new learning and challenges on a day to day basis.
the new world is here; a world of Me, Inc. in a loose partnership with Company, Inc.
in the past we often hired career professionals into our company and, if we were lucky, they would stay for years. personally i was with Booz Allen Hamilton for 20 years and now have been an independent consultant (Me, Inc.) for 15 years (yes i am an old fart).
not so today. many professionals today will have 7 to 9 different associations (positions across companies) in their career, especially in areas of high demand such as information technology, biotechnology, marketing/branding, etc. to be successful professionals today you must build knowledge and create your personal competencies around the image of Me, Inc. as Me, Inc. you can chose to move across companies on your own terms or even if you want to stay with your company, but are forced to move due to closure or lay offs, you are one of the select few who can find another association quickly. as a professional i have long believed that the only security a person has today in this volatile business world is what is in her mind; the daily learning, innate curiosity, the lessons learned, etc. your mind is your business identity and value added.
for a company, this means that your core competencies must be routinized, yet always evolving. it means that professional must be cross trained across internal disciplines and competencies and the best and brightest incented with new learning and challenges on a day to day basis.
the new world is here; a world of Me, Inc. in a loose partnership with Company, Inc.
Friday, January 3, 2014
The Many Faces of Leadership
being an student of the arts, there are many types of art that i enjoy seeing and learning from. though i am not particularly fascinated with the impressionist period, i am drawn to Picasso's portrait of Dora Maar. the reason has nothing to do with art, but more to do with another passion of mine, business leadership.
when Picasso painted this portrait he exquisitely expressed the personality of Dora Maar through a single image. we don't have time here to go into all the details, but i encourage you to explore Picasso's expression by reviewing a web search on the painting.
my point here is that the painting expresses well the personality of a business leader, such as the CEO of any emerging to major company. if you will notice the painting presents a full frontal view, with Dora looking directly at you. this in my thinking is the public face of the CEO, as they represent the company brand to the broad market of customers and business partners, as well as to the board.
the painting also presents Dora in profile, looking immediately to her left. this in my thought is the CEO presenting and living the brand, mission, vision and strategy to and with the professionals of the company.
lastly you may notice that her left eye is facing inward, in a concept of self-exploration or even contemplation. this to me represents the role of the CEO in self-examination, ego control, and checking of whether she (the CEO, not Dora) is being true to her own nature and to the personality and competencies of the company.
CEOs are not born leaders, they are just people who understand themselves sufficiently to lead, each in their own way. that is a leader:
being an student of the arts, there are many types of art that i enjoy seeing and learning from. though i am not particularly fascinated with the impressionist period, i am drawn to Picasso's portrait of Dora Maar. the reason has nothing to do with art, but more to do with another passion of mine, business leadership.
when Picasso painted this portrait he exquisitely expressed the personality of Dora Maar through a single image. we don't have time here to go into all the details, but i encourage you to explore Picasso's expression by reviewing a web search on the painting.
my point here is that the painting expresses well the personality of a business leader, such as the CEO of any emerging to major company. if you will notice the painting presents a full frontal view, with Dora looking directly at you. this in my thinking is the public face of the CEO, as they represent the company brand to the broad market of customers and business partners, as well as to the board.
the painting also presents Dora in profile, looking immediately to her left. this in my thought is the CEO presenting and living the brand, mission, vision and strategy to and with the professionals of the company.
lastly you may notice that her left eye is facing inward, in a concept of self-exploration or even contemplation. this to me represents the role of the CEO in self-examination, ego control, and checking of whether she (the CEO, not Dora) is being true to her own nature and to the personality and competencies of the company.
CEOs are not born leaders, they are just people who understand themselves sufficiently to lead, each in their own way. that is a leader:
- you do not have to be born with specific characteristics
- you do not have to wait for a tap on the shoulder
- you do not have to be at the top of your organization
- you do not have to be defined by your issues or your genetics
the challenge is to understand yourself well enough to discover where you can use your leadership gifts to help others -- and we all have some of those gifts.
two people can have identical experiences, yet one blossoms into leadership while the other is depleted. it isn't your experiences that shape you, but what you make of them, particularly of inflection point people and events (inflection points, a later conversation). it is what and how you learn every day that will make you a better leader.
inuit symbol for a leader
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
The Board as Asset
seats on any board, especially start up and small companies, are as precious as diamonds in a necklace. fully functional boards that contribute both during and between formal meetings are rare, but can be built.
in my thought process there are several reasons to select a person for your board:
seats on any board, especially start up and small companies, are as precious as diamonds in a necklace. fully functional boards that contribute both during and between formal meetings are rare, but can be built.
in my thought process there are several reasons to select a person for your board:
- they are a significant investor, but one with intelligence, experience and common sense -- money does not always bring any of these
- they offer significant management expertise which is unavailable within the start up team
- they possess extensive market space, functional, or technical depth beyond any of the founders or management team
- they bring raw intellect, structured thinking, and energy to the table and are willing to commit their time and energy
- they have strong connections within the professional community, market space, or potential business partners
- they have charitable money (non-profits or for profit charitable B corporations only)
- they provide diversity in backgrounds and education -- not exclusively a list of Harvard or any other MBAs
build your board around these criteria and you will likely create a board who can fly cover for and provide insight to your management team, as well as completing some real work.
also, consider rotating your board on a three to four year schedule. new people bring diverse, often out of the mainstream thinking. Diversity is a very powerful enabler of creative solutions to dilemmas and cross-market space pollination.
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