I challenge you to play a game of buzzword bingo with me. Take out a pen and paper and write down the first ten positively attributed potential organizational values you can think of. I will do the same. Next, check out websites of organizations or brands you regularly interact with. Read their value statements. The […]
All you Need is Love – Values that Work Read Post »
Think about strategy conversations as a seed. And think about your team environment as soil. If the seed falls on toxic or infertile soil, and nothing will grow from it, but weeds. Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith conceptualized the team performance curve, a J-shaped graph, illustrating five levels of teamwork. Unless you become at least
Great Teams Create Great Strategy. But Most Teams aren’t Teams. Read Post »
This is an excerpt from an interview with Alex Brueckmann that was first published by Authority Magazine – read the full interview here. In order to make sure that we are all on the same page, let’s begin with a simple definition. What does Operational Scalability mean to you? At its core, operational scalability is
Wayne Gretzky, often hailed as the greatest hockey player of all time, holds a legacy that transcends the rink. Beyond his exceptional skills on the ice, Gretzky’s mindset and approach to the game offer valuable insights that resonate far beyond the realm of sports. His strategies, adaptability, and leadership qualities can be applied to various
What Wayne Gretzky Teaches Executives About Strategy Read Post »
Strategic decision-making is a crucial aspect that determines the success or failure of organizations. In executive meetings and boardrooms, diverse perspectives often collide. Sometimes they lead to innovation and growth. Sometimes, the outcome is less positive. And that’s where I often hear the phrase “let’s agree to disagree” – a sentence that hinders progress and
A business strategy typically addresses a mid-term time horizon of three to five years. Businesses should also explore what lies before and beyond this timeframe. To complement their strategy (mid-term), organizations need foresight (long-term) and signalling (short-term). Signalling addresses the immediate future, and foresight explores what’s beyond the planning horizon of the current business strategy. Identifying
Designing a Business Strategy – Between Foresight and Signalling Read Post »
Scaling a high-growth startup from $1million to a lofty 100 million is a monumental achievement. The path to such exponential growth is riddled with numerous barriers that founders and leadership teams must navigate, from market fit and scalability to leadership skills, strategic focus, and beyond. Here’s how to overcome the top 5 barriers that stand
From $1mn to $100mn: The Top 5 Barriers That High-Growth Companies Need to Overcome Read Post »
Business myths are often perpetuated and become widely accepted as truth, despite being far from accurate. Let’s debunk four common myths: that work-life balance as the key to happiness, that sustainable businesses cannot exist at scale, the assumption that the customer is always right, and the misconception that failure is always bad. Myth #1: Work-Life
Busting Business Myths: Four Misconceptions That You Should Let Go Read Post »
OpenAI CEO Altman calls work-from-home an “experiment” that was a “mistake”. Well, the conversation about WFH has become increasingly contentious. More and more corporate leaders default to what they’ve known pre-pandemic and order people back to the office. Examples include Bob Iger at Disney and Apple’s Tim Cook. In knee-jerk reactions, WFH proponents act up
Let’s Take the Heat out of WFH Read Post »
Business strategy is a widely misunderstood concept – which is terrifying given that it is also one of the most important aspects of any successful company. No wonder so many business large and small fail each year. As a decision-making framework, strategy clarifies the key priorities and sets a direction for the organization. Unfortunately, many
What So Many Get Wrong About Business Strategy – And How To Fix It Read Post »
A few reasons stand out when we analyze why organizations fail to design and implement business strategy, from unaligned leadership to management systems that don’t support change. There is one reason for success – or failure – that I have witnessed both as a strategy manager for a large business, and as a management consultant
Performance-based pay is a common practice in many organizations, large and small, aimed at incentivizing employees to perform at their best. However, it can have negative consequences, including a hyper-competitive work environment, resentment among non-eligible employees, subjectivity in reward allocation, unaligned performance and reward structures, and a sole focus on easy-to-measure results. To counter these
