In the CEO Afterlife

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Tough-Minded Ways to Innovate | In the CEO Afterlife

In the CEO Afterlife

Tough-Minded Ways to Innovate. But after Pearson’s corporate life atop PepsiCo, he became an insightful HBR contributor, particularly with regard to innovation. Innovative companies are led by innovative leaders. The best backdrop for spurring innovation is knowledge – knowing the business cold. Leadership.

CEO 133
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Tips On Honing A Culture Of Winning Through Focus by Martin Zwilling

In the CEO Afterlife

Innovation-driven mindset and actions. Rather you must outsmart the giant with innovative thinking, pivoting on a dime, and impeccable execution. Innovation initiatives of any appreciable scale require a formal, intentional resource commitment, and work best bottoms-up.

Maturity 159
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Where (and When) the Magic Happens

In the CEO Afterlife

Magic can’t happen in cultures that don’t worship innovation. Innovation starts with leadership. Most big company cultures are not innovative. Oh yes, they talk about innovation in their annual reports and their mission statements. But this isn’t the Apple, Google or Amazon type of innovation. Failure is lauded.

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The ‘Old Economy’ Needs a Rocket Man

In the CEO Afterlife

So much has been written about business innovation this past year. Those walking the talk are on Fast Company’s list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies. Are we to deduce that innovation is the domain of new economy and early-stage life cycle businesses? These innovators love playing rocket man.

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The Strategy of Hustle

In the CEO Afterlife

I was devoted to master strategies and “big play” innovations that ideally positioned a company to dominate their chosen market(s) and enjoy sustainable competitive advantage. In today’s world, Apple , Google and Facebook are the poster boys of transformational innovation. The innovations are incremental, and often easily copied.

Strategy 229
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The Decay of Brand Differentiation

In the CEO Afterlife

Along the way, the leaders of these organizations turned their backs on the tenets of great branding, defined as carving out unique brand positions and adding to that strategic advantage with innovations that thrill customers. Kellogg’s Special K used to be known as a healthy, nutritious breakfast for diet-conscious women.

Brand 100
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In Marketing, the “C” Word Cannot Exist

In the CEO Afterlife

The focus of innovation within high-tech and new-age companies is the product itself; once these companies carve out product differentiation, they call on marketing for the sizzle that sells the steak. Customer insight is the precursor to product innovation within the high tech and information age sectors. Then they act upon it.

Marketing 257