Innovation is the lifeblood of every business. Yet, one of the most common laments when people try to explain why the company isn’t coming up with any significant innovations is, “We’re just too risk-averse.” To which a common response from leaders is defensiveness. I’ve even heard CEOs say, “Tell me which big idea I didn’t […]
How do workers respond when they hear the announcement of a restructuring initiative (or any other major transformational effort for that matter) designed to “grow revenues through better innovation” or “cut costs by trimming the workforce” or “shuttering manufacturing plants to generate cash for reinvestment” or refocus on “creating value” by outsourcing “non-core” parts of […]
Mature businesses tend to suffer from the same issue when it comes to innovation: inertia. Said another way, they have a hard time breaking away from the status quo. Consequently they continue to orbit around their core product portfolio developing little more than the equivalent of the next flavor of Jell-O. Which means results continue […]
Restructuring has become a common practice in business across the globe. In 2014 alone, dozens and dozens of companies in the Fortune 500 announced restructurings and major layoffs. Most will fall victim to hidden flawed restructuring assumptions that will cost them the very things they need to stimulate growth and get back on track. But […]
It plays out in companies across the globe. Once successful brands and products are no longer as competitive or relevant and it’s become a struggle to maintain the business. Try as they might, they haven’t been able to introduce new products that will get the company growing and satisfy investors again. So, CEOs turn to […]
Where does real change leadership most likely come from in an organization? Is it the top of the organization? Maybe. Senior leaders certainly have an important role but their impact is often overestimated. Consider these points. Change experts almost always complain of lack of senior leader alignment to the change initiative. Are they really leading […]
Happy Thanksgiving! In early autumn of 1621, the 53 surviving Pilgrims gave thanks and celebrated their successful harvest, as was the English custom. During this time, “many of the Indians coming… amongst the rest their great king Massasoit, with some ninety men.” That 1621 celebration is remembered as the “First Thanksgiving in Plymouth.” Best wishes […]
I’ve talked about regulatory compliance costs before but… wow. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) just released the results of their study on the macroeconomic impact of federal regulations. It’s very sobering. The average cost per employee per year is nearly $10,000. But the average cost for small business is a whopping $34,671 PER EMPLOYEE […]
Any reasonable assessment of the current state of U.S. business leadership would at least conclude that it’s struggling. A look at the data tells an even bleaker tale. American business leadership is in a dark place of its own making and many in the leadership development industry are in the dark with them. Gallup’s State […]
Ok, I’m on vacation so this blog is a bit of a rush, but have you noticed how Hormel is thinking about growth? In January, 2013, they bought Skippy peanut butter and now they’ve just announced their intent to purchase CytoSport, makers of protein drink Muscle Milk and others. Common theme? Protein Make sense when […]
