Corporate strategy has evolved:      ·  1960’s:  strategy = corporate planning      ·  1970’s:  diversification and portfolio planning      ·  1980’s:  economics of industry attractiveness and value chains      ·  1990’s:  core competencies      ·  2000’s:  rapid market and technological change, growing external risk, and big data      ·…

“This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.”     – Western Union, internal memo, 1878 “Heavier-than-air machines are impossible.”     – Lord Kelvin, President, Royal Society, 1895 “Everything that can be invented has been invented.”     – Charles Duell, Commissioner,…

Communication is 7% words, 38% vocal and 55% visual. So, if on the phone, you do not receive the 55% visual. If via email, you lose out on the visual and vocal, and only receive the 7% words. This leads to more room for misunderstanding, and humor becomes very challenging. Emails are transactional, not relational….

Xerox CEO Ursula Burns said, “If you don’t’ transform your company, you’re stuck.” Yet, 75% of transformations ultimately fail. How does a company transform for longevity? Obviously, Studebaker, Atari, Wang Laboratories, Kodak and SocialNet did not. Reid Hoffman started SocialNet in the 1990’s, which is a perfect name for today’s popular term “Social Networking.” It…

Half the revenues of American companies are coming from abroad.  As well, their products are increasingly coming from abroad. For example, the San Francisco/Oakland Bay bridge outsourced much of the work, including a mile-long cable that was manufactured in China. The overall savings were $400 million (Source: NPR.org). Another example is food manufacturers, who are…

In a recent conversation with an airline executive, he said that the process of creating a strategy is more important than the resulting document. This is because the executive conversations result in decisions on what they are doing, as well as what they are not doing. Popular strategy frameworks simplify and structure the strategic thinking…

Consider this letter of caution written on January 31, 1829 by future President Martin Van Buren to President Andrew Jackson: The canal system of this country is being threatened by the spread of a new form of transportation known as “railroads.” The federal government must preserve the canals for the following reasons: 1.     If canal…

Consider this letter of caution written on January 31, 1829 by future President Martin Van Buren to President Andrew Jackson: The canal system of this country is being threatened by the spread of a new form of transportation known as “railroads.” The federal government must preserve the canals for the following reasons: 1.     If canal…

The 3 C’s:  1.  Connection (about them),       –Build rapport – personalize/customize       — Build the highway before the car (communication message)       — Understanding/common ground       — Know audience perspective/frame of reference       — Create intrigue immediately       — Doctor with right bed side manner…ask questions     …

For more than 75% of companies, innovation is in the top 3 for priorities (Source:  BCG 2013).Innovation is based on an organizational mindset, which includes: 1.  Inspiration     o   Failure of imagination…Borders (Amazon), Blockbuster (Netflix)     o   Clarity of direction vs. empowerment 2.  Periscope – see threats/opportunities that are around corners     o   Risk taking…