Our b5media Theme Day focuses on Graduation – New Beginnings in a Challenging Economy led by Darlene at www.interviewchatter.com. Since my three daughters are in their “new beginnings” periods, I’m a sought after advisor. They are: 27 years old- just married and building fitness business, 25- radio show host of S&H Culture Club and fashion blogger, and 21- college senior who is a singing star. They are all fast moving, innovative and creative people. MORE IMPORTANTLY—they all realize that changes are coming…and preparing for them.
Fortunately I’ve suggested that they focus on research, organizing, coordination/compilation, and decision making skills in college …read more

I have some great, reliable, commentors. One of them is Alan Wilensky. Commenting on my June 7th post ““Fewer, More Successful Projects”: The New HP” he gave one of his great personal examples of an IT organization run amuck. Here is his comment (edited by me) and my response:
Alan W: A while ago, I was a bidder on fair sized contract with a specialized mfr. They had a BIG IT plan, SAP, SCN, you name it. They were hostage to their IT man, he had them seduced and bought in to the tune of 30 projects (none fully implemented) and …read more

I’m realizing that I’m a focal point for all things “project” having to do with executing strategies and innovation. In other words, I usually read what I’m interested in on this topic and then pick and choose the best for YOU and put my slant on it. This is my small way of changing things- how about you?
If you like what you see, and many of you have told me so, then that probably means we have the same interests. Hopefully that doesn’t mean that we think alike because that would only lead to boring conclusions.
Blogs are for dialogue and …read more

The Hindu has an excellent article about innovation that overviews a new book by Ram Charan called “The Game Changer”. In it is a discussion of what makes a great innovative team. What stuck out for me was the role of the executor who makes sure milestones are met. The authors emphasize a great point about strategy and the customer:
“If you don’t execute, the consumer doesn’t care what the strategy was. Execution is the only strategy that consumers see.”
When you combine that statement with the miserable record that most companies have in executing strategies you begin to see why companies …read more

Harvard Business on-line’s post by Tom Davenport seems to deal with culture when describing two extremes to strategy development and execution:
1. Strategic Engineering- strategy is an engineering exercise with employees being the cogs in the machine.
2. Strategic Anarchy- executives get out of the way of employee’s entrepreneurial and innovative energies.
He suggests that a reconciliation of the two must take place.
While I see it as a culture issue I also see it like one of the commentors as not so much a reconciliation problem but one of creating a flexible environment controlled by standardized business processes. Letting elements of anarchy prevail …read more