Monthly Archives: February 2010

In an earlier blog, we talked about the expectation of a ‘dialtone’ and how that represents an unstated expectation of customers and stakeholders. At the heart of it, strategy execution is all about creating a ‘dialtone’. I.e., creating value in … Continue reading →

The feeling of dread. The fear of the unknown. What is slipping between the cracks? What is going to happen next? This can range from the mild tension that enhances performance, to debilitating anxiety and paranoia. If this is happening … Continue reading →

Everyone knows planning in advance is a good thing. (Well, is there any other time and place to plan!) However, inertia is common and getting started requires an act of calamity. When the need to plan is recognized (at which … Continue reading →

Derived from Greek (logos ‘word’ and makhia ‘fighting’), this represents an ‘argument about words’. Diversity brings benefits, but one challenge is reconciling different perspectives. The perspectives are often expressed in language and the choice of words often creates barriers instead … Continue reading →

Almost all problems, big and small, go thru this pattern. In the initial stage: Its more important to be effective. Select a strategy (that means saying ‘no’ more than saying ‘yes’). Prioritize and focus on what is important. Resist the … Continue reading →

‘Sniff tests’ are similar to ‘gut checks’, with one subtle distinction. Gut checks implies intuition and a self-awareness. It has to ‘feel right’. This has a very important place in decision making for several reasons: Often, there is no data … Continue reading →

This graph shows the business scenario of customer dissatisfaction. If a customer complains you can handle it one of two ways: Give a refund or an exchange, no questions asked. Make the customer justify the dissatisfaction and only the very … Continue reading →

Lower the comfort, the higher the structure desired. The tendency is to stay with the familiar and take risk cautiously, if at all. As comfort increases, the desire to experiment grows, structure just gets in the way. At the highest … Continue reading →

Lack of planning is often ridiculed in conversations, articles, books and blogs. There may be times where it is may seem okay NOT to plan: When you have no idea what to do and sitting idle is not an option. … Continue reading →

Strategy execution requires two kinds of work: the ‘creative’ and the ‘accounting’. ‘Creative’ work requires ‘problem solving’: Discovering and inventing strategy. Developing new product and service offerings. ‘Dive and catch’ efforts to resolve operational challenges. Connecting the dots and bringing … Continue reading →