In the CEO Afterlife

JUNE 17, 2012

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.

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Strategy Competitive Advantage Innovation Operations 229

In the CEO Afterlife

JULY 26, 2016

Many were already in leadership positions or on a fast track to a higher rung on the corporate ladder. I was surrounded by entrepreneurial thinkers – innovative leaders who refused to take a step back – people who knew where they were going and how to get there. How to Slay Goliath. In that company, I learned how to slay Goliath.

Brand 100

Brand Learning-by-Doing Brand Management Proposal 100

In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 30, 2011

Leadership. by John • November 30, 2011 • Human Resources , Leadership , Life , Marketing , Strategy • 0 Comments. For example, if it was innovation and creativity that brought revival, chances are high that innovation and creativity will remain a cornerstone of their corporate culture. Leadership.

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CEO Company Rogers Human Resources 242

In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 22, 2013

Every day we see or read about superb acts of leadership. Is the tenure problem attributable to leadership itself, impatient shareholders, uncontrollable external factors or a combination of all three? Progress may be represented by top-line sales, market share, productivity, innovation, new product launches, or expanding distribution.

CEO 260

CEO Human Resources Conference Price 260

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 4, 2011

Leadership. by John • April 4, 2011 • Leadership , Strategy • 0 Comments. Their competitive edge eroded because the people at the top, who considered themselves the corporate brain, failed to innovate. Innovation and entrepreneurship began a comeback, albeit in measured bites. Leadership. About John.

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CEO Mass Marketing Class Brand 150

In the CEO Afterlife

FEBRUARY 4, 2015

I’ll start with leadership. Qualitative cultures are about the creativity, the ingenuity, and the innovation created by the human resource, not the financial resource. This is a culture of entrepreneurial and innovative thinking. Be obsessed with creativity and innovation. There are far more than you think.

Competitive Advantage 100

Competitive Advantage How To Human Resources Strategy 100

In the CEO Afterlife

DECEMBER 18, 2014

More on complexity and the road-tested strategies that cut through the clutter can be found in the pages of my new book for leaders, managers, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Branding Human Resources Leadership Marketing Strategy Business Coca-Cola Culture Entrepreneurship Google PepsiCo Vision'

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ROE Human Resources Marketing Strategy Competitive Advantage 249

In the CEO Afterlife

DECEMBER 11, 2011

Leadership. by John • December 11, 2011 • Branding , Leadership , Marketing , Strategy • 1 Comment. In the case of struggling Nabob Foods, two significant innovations facilitated the turnaround. Nabob Coffee’s market share accelerated to 25% and national leadership as arch rival Maxwell House worked to catch up.

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CEO Advertising Franchising Brand 201

In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 13, 2011

Leadership. I’ve never thought of the homeless as innovative or entrepreneurial. My pattern is posting every Monday, on leadership, strategy, marketing and life. Leadership. In the CEO Afterlife. Main menu Home. Homeless, Not Helpless: Entrepreneurship in Unlikely Places. I suspect few do. Did you like this? About John.

Brand 245

Brand Merchandising Entrepreneur Audience 245

In the CEO Afterlife

FEBRUARY 26, 2012

You be obsessed with innovation. Achieving the right culture is possible, but it seldom happens unless the organization is blessed with a strong and tenacious CEO who passionately practices the tenets of entrepreneurial leadership. You grow by doing less, better. They are conventional and reactive. You be distinctive and farsighted.

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Creativity Brand Management Marketing Resistance 240

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 13, 2012

Like most bloggers, I write about what I know; that’s strategy, leadership and branding. And although I am no longer engaged in commercial business, I am once again “thinking business” and enjoying the rush of discovering the ideas and innovations of today’s entrepreneurs. When I retired, I thought I was through with business.

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Entrepreneur Bureaucracy Creativity Energy 227

In the CEO Afterlife

FEBRUARY 19, 2012

Somehow he was able to see the unseen, and marshal Apple’s resources to deliver the innovative products that fulfilled his view of what lied ahead. Theoretically, the principles and personal characteristics that constitute great leadership should mirror those of greats CEOs – but not always. Apple shareholders would surely say yes.

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CEO Human Resources Bureaucracy Maturity 213

In the CEO Afterlife

JUNE 4, 2013

Branding Leadership Marketing Strategy Advertising Andre Agassi Anheuser-Busch Beer Black Label Cannon Carlsberg Creativity Duval Guillaume Modem In the CEO Afterlife Innovation John Richard Bell Labatts Michelob Miller Vision' Back then, big beer marketers hated niche strategies.

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Brand Advertising Creativity Marketing Strategy 225

In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Companies, large and small, cannot survive without great leadership, sound strategy and flawless execution. Those that thrive, go a step further; they worship innovation and breathe culture. The times have changed, but the tools that determine success or failure have not.

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In the CEO Afterlife

SEPTEMBER 25, 2015

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

Brand Competitive Advantage Fashion Price 100

In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 1, 2016

This company earned that honor by re-staging a tired coffee brand with innovative packing technology and breakthrough advertising. That night, I presented the marketing strategy that catapulted a regional brand to national leadership in Canada. Nor do they understand how to leverage focus and specialization for competitive advantage.

Brand 100

Brand Competitive Advantage Marketing Strategy CEO 100

In the CEO Afterlife

AUGUST 1, 2011

Leadership. To its credit, GSK still owns Macleans and although it is no longer the #3 brand, chomping at the tails of Colgate and Crest, Macleans has benefitted from contemporary marketing and dental care innovation in a few geographies. Leadership. In the CEO Afterlife. Main menu Home. Old Brands. Last Stands. Search My Site.

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Brand CEO Stage-Gate Marketing 170

In the CEO Afterlife

DECEMBER 26, 2011

We’re constantly focusing on innovating. We believe in deep collaboration and cross pollination in order to innovate in a way others cannot. Apple’s Manifesto is loaded with core values – admitting error, simplifying, collaborating, innovating, demanding excellence. Read it and you’ll understand why. Capture Core Values.

Power 209

Power Mission Statement Sports Innovation 209

In the CEO Afterlife

DECEMBER 7, 2014

The essence of sacrifice in her mind was giving up something of value for another consideration; when people are together they are more collaborative and innovative. Branding Human Resources Leadership Life Marketing Strategy Bob Olodort CEO Complexity Culture Focus Jacobs Suchard Nabob Sacrifice Samsung Vision'

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In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 23, 2012

Live a culture of innovation. Increase your lead, and while they are catching up, you are embracing the next innovation. Like a sports scorecard, competitive spirit demands measurement and accountability of performance. Nobody wants to compete in a financial spitting contest. You cannot outspend the giant competitor. Know the enemy.

Power 208

Power Sports Competitive Advantage Advertising 208

In the CEO Afterlife

JULY 24, 2011

Leadership. Here’s a clue to the French liquor-maker’s culture, from their annual report: “We will continue to raise our game so that creativity and innovation are the heart of our model. Great observation – that it's creativity and innovation in the business plan that matters, less so the advertising. Leadership.

CEO 100

CEO Advertising Brand Creativity 100

In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 20, 2012

Imagine Apple without innovators or Zappos neglecting service or Whole Foods selling a slew of processed foods loaded with saturated fat. Other than ensuring an ethical environment in the organizations they govern, I suspect today’s Boards still don’t give culture the attention it deserves. Generally, founders instill the culture.

Competitive Advantage 250

Competitive Advantage Long-term CEO Ethics 250

In the CEO Afterlife

OCTOBER 30, 2011

Leadership. by John • October 30, 2011 • Human Resources , Leadership , Marketing , Strategy • 4 Comments. In a strategy seminar I asked the leadership team to tell me what business they were in. Leadership , Marketing , Strategy. Leadership. In the CEO Afterlife. Main menu Home. Did you like this?

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In the CEO Afterlife

JUNE 20, 2013

Innovative. Leadership Strategy Amazon.com Apple Business CEO Coca-Cola Howard Schultz In the CEO Afterlife John Richard Bell Pepsi Cola Starbucks Steve Jobs Tim Cook Wal-mart' That’s tactical decision-making. People worry that strategy slows a company down and limits growth opportunities. The opposite is true.

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In the CEO Afterlife

AUGUST 1, 2011

Leadership. To its credit, GSK still owns Macleans and although it is no longer the #3 brand, chomping at the tails of Colgate and Crest, Macleans has benefitted from contemporary marketing and dental care innovation in a few geographies. Leadership. In the CEO Afterlife. Main menu Home. Old Brands. Last Stands. Search My Site.

Brand 131

Brand CEO Stage-Gate Marketing 131

In the CEO Afterlife

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

Leadership. by John • February 5, 2011 • Branding , Leadership , Marketing , Strategy • 1 Comment. The role has been relegated to middle managers who are brand custodians, not leaders in innovation. Companies need the direct and passionate involvement of senior management in product and brand innovation.

Magazine 100

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In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 13, 2012

Imagine Apple without innovators or Zappos neglecting service or Whole Foods selling a slew of processed foods loaded with saturated fat. Maybe it was the times – a quarter century ago, culture was beginning to come of age. Generally, the founder instills the culture. And when they are gone, the culture is left to the CEO to nurture.

Competitive Advantage 268

Competitive Advantage Long-term CEO Strategy 268

In the CEO Afterlife

OCTOBER 23, 2011

Leadership. by John • October 23, 2011 • Human Resources , Leadership , Marketing , Strategy • 4 Comments. Innovative. Leadership. In the CEO Afterlife. Main menu Home. The Essence of Strategy (Part 1). I’ve always loved strategy. Luckily, good strategists are also stubborn. The opposite is true.

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Strategy CEO Human Resources Brand 250

In the CEO Afterlife

SEPTEMBER 3, 2012

In a crisis, whether short or long-term, the most senior people in the organization need to step up and offer innovative solutions to the issues hammering the bottom-line. But, these blips have a way of separating leaders from followers. Those who can’t do this are not leaders. At best, they are managers. At worst, they are expendable.

Short-term 232

Short-term Long-term Advertising Hammer 232

In the CEO Afterlife

JUNE 4, 2012

Why don’t giant innovators like Apple, Google or Facebook have Strategic Planning Departments? In the final analysis, companies with a C-Suite that drives strategy are action-oriented, less bureaucratic, and better-performing. I’ll leave you with one question.

Strategic Planning 221

Strategic Planning Document Competitive Advantage Consultative 221

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 28, 2012

A client in need of innovation? Perennial Wisdom. I scribed notes of my favorite articles and had my secretary type them. Years later I referred to these notes in my capacity as a consultant. Yep, I can help with that,” I’d say. And sure enough, bright folks such as Gary Hamel, C. A Mentor Doesn’t Have to be a Person.

Mentor 228

Mentor Advertorial Kotter Hamel 228

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 5, 2016

Companies say they want to be customer-centric, to be innovative, to produce outstanding products and services, to be environmentally responsible, to be socially responsible, and so on. We read about these factors in the quintessential mission statements that occupy real estate in annual reports and gather dust in reception lobbies.

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In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 15, 2012

To be unaware of, or to discount changing environments would be a leadership mistake. Peering into the future by a decade, I expect to see little change in the definition of leadership. How CEOs prioritize and exercise the principles of great leadership forever hinges on the needs and the conditions of the enterprise they lead.

CEO 242

CEO Chief Executive Officer Critical Success Factor Discount 242

In the CEO Afterlife

JULY 2, 2012

But they cannot be permitted to lead; make them play catch-up by continuing to strategically innovate. But in my final years as CEO of a growing, profitable consumer packaged goods enterprise, it was senseless to engage in bitter wars that challenged margins. A competitor doesn’t have to fail; they too, can make a profit.

Sports 228

Sports Tactics Competitive Advantage Short-term 228

In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 23, 2011

Leadership. Jack Welch’s replacement wanted ‘Innovation at Work’ — not bad for culture and corporate morale, but in my view, short on consumer relativity. Leadership. In the CEO Afterlife. Main menu Home. The Perfect Brand Slogan. by John • May 23, 2011 • Branding , Marketing • 3 Comments. Search My Site.

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Brand CEO Marketing Proposal 196

In the CEO Afterlife

JANUARY 20, 2016

Today, the Nespresso innovation generates $5+ billion in new revenue. Because Nestlé defined their core competency as convenience coffee rather than instant coffee, they were able to pioneer an entirely new category rather than flog a dead horse. Great strategies guide short-term execution.

Strategy 165

Strategy Core Competence Constraint Short-term 165

In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 28, 2012

Imagine Apple without innovators or Zappos neglecting service or Whole Foods selling a slew of processed foods loaded with saturated fat. Other than ensuring an ethical environment in the organizations they govern, I suspect today’s Boards still don’t give culture the attention it deserves. Generally, founders instill the culture.

Competitive Advantage 131

Competitive Advantage Long-term CEO Ethics 131