Below are some highlights from a Wharton interview with IBM’s previous CEO, Sam Palmisano (K@W, 1/18/2012.) Companies have a hard time seeing Act Two because they are so wedded to the product, and the financial rewards of their business model….they just don’t see, or they have a conservative view upon acting. Do I really want to…
Google spent $12B last year for Motorola’s mobile-patents. Facebook paid Microsoft $550 million for some of the patents that Microsoft bought from AOL.The question is… for business or lawsuits?Yahoo filed a lawsuit against Facebook over alleged patent infringement. Facebook countersued. Apple sued Samsung, which they won in America but now there are trials in other…
The co-CEO’s of Research in Motion (makers of Blackberry) resigned this time last year, due to sliding market share (3/4 of value in 2 years). Investors were frustrated that the new CEO was not from the outside, but instead joined RIM in 2007. Yahoo’s once-new CEO, Scott Thompson, was their 5th leader in 5 years……
As we look forward to a New Year, it is necessary to assess your corporate strategy. During this analysis, you must consider 2012’s internal performance and strategy execution, as well as external market landscape factors. Then, you either stay aligned to your stated strategy or you adjust and change your strategy. Three questions to ask:…
Some companies throw holiday parties and give presents. One present that all companies should give is affirmation to employees: celebrating their individual contribution to the company’s success the previous year (i.e. how they are a “cog in the wheel”). What about the technical writers at toy companies? Many parents have the same feelings of appreciation…
The list of once-prominent companies that are failing now is growing from the ice-boxes and typewriters: Borders, Blockbuster, Tribune….. Eastman Kodak, founded in 1888, which filed for bankruptcy in January 2012, was slow to move toward digital photography. Fujifilm has thrived due to its imagination for reinvention. 2011 advertising revenue for all US newspapers was…
In 1979, workers received 2.5 weeks of annual training. In 2011, only 21% of the workforce received any training at all. Fewer companies invest in developing new skills, which makes this the “Era for Personal Learning,” as individuals need to take control of their own learning experience and drive a personalized “curriculum.” This will assist…
Diversity of perspective and opinion provide legitimate discussions. A strong leader does not rebuff disagreement, but encourages it to find the better solution. One must challenge their self-assumptions, yet not be a part of consensus group think. The goal is a group’s aligned action, and the by-product result of this is a leader gaining influence….
I asked a tech executive who had been working with a high priced coach what he had learned after a year, and he said, “to be a better listener.” At a financial firm’s CEO off-site meeting–where 2 years ago no one spoke (and was thus considered a waste of time)–a highly planned and structured culture…
Recently, there have been some CEO transitions at large companies: Tim Cook (joined Apple in ’98) from Steve Jobs, Virginia Rometty (joined IBM in ’81) from Sam Palmisano. These two new leaders should beware of their peers: HP’s had 3 CEO’s in 13 months, and Yahoo’s had 5 in 5 years. While 23% of organizations…
