Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

"Today’s business leaders are faced with many challenges: intense competition, increased regulation, and the need for constant innovation. Therefore, it’s imperative that as a business leader you have the essential meta-skill to navigate your business with a thorough understanding of your current situation, vision to see the future destination, and the ability to create the path to reach it,” explains  Rich Horwath , author of the book,  Strategic .  He says that being strategic is to possess insight that leads to advantage. Strategic is the  opposite of unstrategic  that includes:  Wondering aimlessly , lacking direction, getting lost in the weeds.  Doing everything , lacking the discipline to say no, and trying to be all things to all customers, both internally and externally.  Conducting meetings that take conversations down rabbit holes  that cause widespread frustration amongst the members of your group.  Fortunately, the book provi...

Forbes  named,  A New Way To Think , as one of the 10 must-read books for 2022.  In the book, authored by  Roger L. Martin , he urges business leaders to toss out the old ways of thinking, and instead try new models in every domain of management – from competition and customers to strategy, data, culture, talent, mergers and acquisitions, and everything in-between.  More specifically, within 14 chapters, Martin explores his recommended new ways of thinking about: Competition Stakeholders Customers Strategy Data Knowledge Work Corporate Functions Planning Execution Talent Innovation Capital Investment Mergers and Acquisitions Roger L. Martin  Recently, Martin answered these questions: Question: What is the secret about strategy that no one tells you?   Martin : Strategy and planning are entirely different.  The vast majority of activities referred to as strategy are actually planning. Planning involved creating lists of sensible initiatives. Strate...

"Today’s business leaders are faced with many challenges: intense competition, increased regulation, and the need for constant innovation. Therefore, it’s imperative that as a business leader you have the essential meta-skill to navigate your business with a thorough understanding of your current situation, vision to see the future destination, and the ability to create the path to reach it,” explains  Rich Horwath , author of the book,  Strategic .  He says that being strategic is to possess insight that leads to advantage. Strategic is the  opposite of unstrategic  that includes:  Wondering aimlessly , lacking direction, getting lost in the weeds.  Doing everything , lacking the discipline to say no, and trying to be all things to all customers, both internally and externally.  Conducting meetings that take conversations down rabbit holes  that cause widespread frustration amongst the members of your group.  Fortunately, the book provi...

Awhile back, I shared highlights from the useful book,  First-Time Leader , by George Bradt and Gillian Davis . Here's one more gem from the book -- the authors' recommendations for a  six-step strategic planning process : Set an aspirational destination (derived from the mission and vision). Assess the facts of the current reality and develop potential future scenarios. Identify options to bridge gaps between the current reality and the desired aspiration. Evaluate options under different scenarios. Make choices. Develop detailed plans that will deliver on selected strategies. Act, measure, adjust, and repeat.

  As you create your strategic framework for your organization or business, keep in mind these eight elements and corresponding definitions, courtesy of the AMA Business Book Camp book:   Element & Definition   Vision – What we will be   Mission – Why we exist   Goals – What will get us there   Objectives – Major steps we will take   Strategies – How we will go about achieving our objectives   Tactics – Who will do what, by when   Roles – Ownership of tasks   Relationships – People working toward a common goal

Years ago in an  issue of  Inc.  magazine,  was a fascinating list of  35 questions  from business owners, entrepreneurs and management thinkers. Each offered  the one question  they would ask  to move a company forward . From the list,  my favorite most important questions to ask are : Are we relevant?  Will we be relevant five years from now? Ten? What prevents me from making the changes I know will make me a more effective leader? Are we changing as fast as the world around us? Who, on the executive team or the board, has spoken to a customer recently? And, my most favorite is : How can we become the company that would put us out of business? What question do you ask to help move your company forward?

Awhile back, I shared highlights from the useful book, First-Time Leader , by George Bradt and Gillian Davis. Here's one more gem from the book -- the authors' recommendations for a six-step strategic planning process : Set an aspirational destination (derived from the mission and vision). Assess the facts of the current reality and develop potential future scenarios. Identify options to bridge gaps between the current reality and the desired aspiration. Evaluate options under different scenarios. Make choices. Develop detailed plans that will deliver on selected strategies. Act, measure, adjust, and repeat.