The internet abounds with techniques and tips, giving the illusion that in a short amount of time it’s possible to master the answers to our problems. That may be true for, say, getting the most from a laptop. However, if we rely on ‘management techniques’ and ‘management by tips’ for running a business or launching a startup, […]
What Would Mr. Selfridge Think of Sears? Back to the Future of Retail
The Wall Street Journal hailed the ‘Mr. Selfridge’ TV series as “addicting”. It elaborately tells the tale of Harry Selfridge, the American retail king of London who brought the department store to unprecedented success at the beginning of the 20th century. The Selfridges store remains today a hallmark of upscale London retail. But what would […]
Purpose and Brand: What’s the Difference?
We’re just back from 5 weeks in Europe and plenty of new input from clients and conversations with universities. We’ll be reporting back on all that. One of the themes that comes up regularly in our work is that of purpose. This is because we generally start a relationship with a new client by […]
Why and How to Build a Purpose-Driven Organization
An increasing number of organizations are talking about purpose. Purpose is the reason for which something exists. But when people talk about purpose they don’t just mean a goal. They mean purposefulness, a deeper meaning, a higher purpose. This is what some call the purpose economy, one that is geared towards good and the social and […]
Time Constraints? Try This…
If you’re looking for a way to increase your productivity, and most of us are, you can take some powerful inputs from the Theory of Constraints. Every day, we all have to perform a number of tasks in different areas of our lives. Clearly, we can’t give equal attention to everything, so how can we […]
Constraints? Not a Bad Thing
On a client’s website, they rightfully explain that their technology frees their customers of certain constraints. What exactly do we mean by constraints and are they a totally bad thing? We all want more freedom. A constraint would seem, by definition, to be something that robs us of freedom. But what we need to do […]
Digital Transformation and Systemic Change Management
Dr. W. Edwards Deming used to say: “The only thing that does not require maintenance is obsolescence”. This is a fundamental truth: if we do not evolve, we regress. What makes everything more complicated is the pace at which we must evolve to survive. Technology speeds everything up, including the world of technology. We’ve been looking at […]
Digitalization Needs Cooperation: Start Transforming the Enterprise for the Digital Future
Digitalization will inevitably lead organizations to shift their way of working in radical ways. For example, according to Gartner senior VP Dale Kutnick in a recent article, digitalization will require: business development; the IT department and the product management or engineering team – to work together at an unprecedented level of cooperation”. How can that […]
How CIOs Can Break Free of the Silo Prison with Systemic Management
What if there were a way to break free of the silo prison? What if we could build an organization where the best qualified could fully contribute and unleash their potential, where there was engagement, transparency, efficient communication and sharing of information? Well, there is. And CIOs are perfectly poised to change the music and spearhead the transformation. […]
How to Grow the Whole Organization: Processes, Projects and the CIO are Key
“With digital strategies increasingly taking center stage in many businesses, more CIOs are reporting to the CEO.” So begins an article in this week’s CIO.com newsletter. Let’s say it again: the role of IT and the role of the CIO are central to creating a shift in how organizations operate, compete and thrive in this […]
