ghSMART conducted 15,000 executive interviews. Their findings: Setting priorities means saying “no” to things 80% of leaders say they struggle with getting the right people in the right roles (A team vs. B team) Align team to priorities, then remove those not aligned (C Team) Aggressively recruit (i.e., I heard Wal-Mart’s CIO put out recruiting…
Thomas Edison created the electric bulb. Yet, to be useful, this bulb needed a system of electric power generation, as well as transmission. So, an entire new industry and marketplace was created around the bulb. Some of Edison’s keys to innovation: Envision how people will want to use what is created, taking into consideration their…
When looking at the global gap between what jobs employers need to fill and the skilled workers available to fill them, there are some significant differences between countries. While the US workers will grow 10% by 2050, the population will shrink 26% in South Korea, 28% in Japan, and 28% in Italy and Germany, and…
In the famous HBR article, The Folly of Rewarding A While Hoping for B, the ethical implications for rewards is clearly given. In Broward County, Florida, three court-appointed experts get paid to complete a competency hearing for an elderly or disabled person. If the person is ruled incompetent/incapacitated, they get paid $325 If judged competent,…
There are a large number of interacting elements in today’s business world, which can be described as: Volatile – rapid change on large scale Uncertain – cannot predict with any precision Complex – complicated by many factors Ambiguous – little clarity on what events mean and what effect they may have For leaders, they seek…
Most companies have a mission that is something like this: Maximize shareholder wealth by exceeding customer expectations for (insert product/service) and providing opportunities for our employees to lead fulfilling lives while respecting the environment and the communities in which we operate. While an important foundation, this mission statement is often shared on corporate websites and…
Most companies have codes of conduct, written policies, and seemingly tight controls. This focus on compliance includes: mandatory compliance training; rules and regulations for customer-facing employees; pre-approval process for discounts, gifts, travel, entertainment expenditures, and charitable contributions; and code of conduct communicated to customers. Yet, companies have still grappled with corruption dilemmas for years. This…
Technology is automating work at an unprecedented rate. This work augmentation is drastically improving productivity: Insurance companies have software that can take a picture of a car and compute the amount of claim AI algorithms can read X-rays twice as well as seasoned radiologists Voice recognition can type 300% faster An uptick in interest for…
Why is it that most executives cannot articulate the objective, scope and advantage of their business in a simple statement? If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there. Your strategy should include a simple, clear, and succinct strategy statement that everyone can internalize, and then use as a guiding…
One of the most famous innovators, he was a German-born American physicist and Nobel Prize winner. He had a tendency to reject conformity and instead, questioned conventional ways of thinking. His curiosity led him to appreciate music, philosophy, mathematics, and science. These interdisciplinary interests informed his worldview and approach. He said, “Imagination is more important…
