Excellence... Lessons from Sting
Like Sting? Watch the full Sting: Kennedy Center Honors 2014 video clip. Just want to learn what it takes to really achieve excellence in your chosen field? Watch the first few minutes of the video clip.
Strategy, execution and accountability
Last week I posted a note on the strategy vs. execution debate. A friend and colleague emailed me to say he thought it was a good post… but he disagreed! We’re having an interesting exchange offline, but he raised the issue of accountability.
The Strategy vs. Execution debate
A recent article and posting on Harvard Business Review has again promoted debate around the distinction between strategy and execution, with two highly credentialed business professors arguing the toss.
The Diversity Challenge Meets Selma
A recent article on the diversity program at eBay noted that men and women experience the company in different ways. For example, “a majority of women felt that their male colleagues didn’t understand them very well, though a majority of men felt well understood by the women”.
Australia's leadership deficit
Earlier posts have discussed theories of high performance. Readers may wonder why it is so difficult in practise. Perhaps one of the underlying issues is our inability to consistently execute these practises.
Strategy execution - the winning edge
Are you prepared to invest to lift the 'realised value' of your strategy by more than 20%? The simple truth is that this 'extra' value is usually accessible through better execution!
World Business Forum Excels
The inaugural World Business Forum in Sydney 2 weeks ago was beyond any conference I have attended over more than 25 years as a consultant and advisor working with executive teams across the domains of strategy, leadership and change.
Strategy execution and the PMO
The data on the failure rate of strategy execution has been widely reported and is no surprise in most organisations. The specific numbers reported vary, but the effectiveness in implementation of strategic initiatives is typically around 60%.
The road to high performance - why is it so hard?
In 2006, HBR published a review of 10 major studies that have since tried to develop a theory of high performance: the search for the Holy Grail continues.
Making room for passion in business
A decade ago I was describing the celebration of safety achievements at an African mine to a Board member. His response surprised me. He was an MD with one of Australia’s leading companies and was a Director I respected greatly, but his view was that ‘there’s no room for passion in business.’
The original 'High Performance' manifesto - Excellence
In Search of Excellence (1982) identified 43 companies that consistently beat their competitors over a 20 year period … does your organisation have a model to match that?