In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 5, 2013

The strategy worked like a charm. If the hordes of telecommuters were adding massive value to the organization, Ms. Reversing several years of declining revenue is never easy, and turnaround strategies based on doing more of the same, but trying to do it much better, seldom work. Mayer’s first big play is cultural.

Competitive Advantage 241

Competitive Advantage Reputation Strategy CEO 241

In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 6, 2012

Ninety percent of these organizations have yet to experience a mid-life crisis; they are still under the age of 40. These organizations have reinvented themselves, and are proof that it can be done. In the most prosperous new economy companies, innovation is at the core of entrepreneurial success. What should be done?

Chief Operating Officer 202

Chief Operating Officer Chief Technology Officer CEO Innovation 202

In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

The times have changed, but the tools that determine success or failure have not. Companies, large and small, cannot survive without great leadership, sound strategy and flawless execution. Indeed, there are plenty of sub-segments of these key success factors such as creativity, teamwork, and recruitment.

Hammer 258

Hammer Teamwork Middle Management Creativity 258

In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 15, 2012

Proactivity is the secret to long-term success. More recently, Google saw an idyllic future in organizing the world’s information and making it readily assessable to the masses. That’s because success for Page and Jobs hinged on the strategic choices they made – primarily which products and applications to bet on.

CEO 242

CEO Chief Executive Officer Critical Success Factor Discount 242

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 13, 2012

Like most bloggers, I write about what I know; that’s strategy, leadership and branding. More recently, I delved into the business of “cult” energy drink brands, Red Bull and Monster, and I strongly advise anyone in consumer products or services to examine Red Bull’s strategies and culture. Strategy has never been more important.

Entrepreneur 227

Entrepreneur Bureaucracy Creativity Energy 227

In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 1, 2016

That night, I presented the marketing strategy that catapulted a regional brand to national leadership in Canada. What I did not share was the corporate strategy that resurrected this near bankrupt multi-product, multi-brand company. Tough Sacrifice is the Secret to Success. five hundred employees became two hundred.

Brand 100

Brand Competitive Advantage Marketing Strategy CEO 100

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 5, 2016

Why are so many organizations and so many workers struggling to find workplace nirvana? Work that Matters is a key success factor for every business. But, as a concept it is no different than a long list of other key success factors that organizations strive to achieve. Matters that Work. Matters of Excellence.

Teamwork 100

Teamwork Real Estate Mission Statement Merchandising 100

In the CEO Afterlife

SEPTEMBER 12, 2011

by John • September 12, 2011 • Human Resources , Leadership , Strategy • 4 Comments. How is it possible for three months of crisis management ineptitude to occur in an organization the size of BP with a product as environmentally toxic as oil? In the CEO Afterlife. Main menu Home. Leadership. They are prepared.

Crisis Management 268

Crisis Management Crisis CEO Management 268

In the CEO Afterlife

OCTOBER 7, 2013

Today, there’s a venerable list of female executives who have shattered that glass and gone on to illustrious careers as successful CEOs. Flourishing 21 st century corporations embrace the notion that Culture Is the Strategy. Success in the new economy requires creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Diversity 200

Diversity Mentor Human Resources Human Capital 200

In the CEO Afterlife

FEBRUARY 4, 2015

The same argument can be made for strategies. The very best strategies aren’t generated by outside strategic planning consultants who bill thousands of dollars a day. These strategies come from the inquisitive mindsets of founders, entrepreneurs, and employees who are keen to make a difference. There are far more than you think.

Competitive Advantage 100

Competitive Advantage How To Human Resources Strategy 100

In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 18, 2013

Twenty years have passed since I sat in the corner office of a multinational consumer goods organization. Oh yes, the times have changed, but the inner drive that helped me motivate others, and propel organizations to excel, quickly bubbled to the surface. But, sadly, in 21 st century business, strategy is taking a back seat.

Human Resources 148

Human Resources CEO Mentor Resistance 148

In the CEO Afterlife

SEPTEMBER 6, 2011

Yes, we were a marketing-driven company and yes, my mind was consumed with marketing and strategy; but, it wasn’t marketing wizardry alone that made the organization sing. Key to success is the HR executive’s ability to instill trust at all levels. Take a look at the perennial success companies. CEOs must watch for that.

CEO 162

CEO CFO Human Resources Real Estate 162

In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 16, 2011

by John • May 16, 2011 • Leadership , Strategy • 3 Comments. Articles on strategy and culture were my favorites, many of which I scribed in pencil on a piece of paper that my secretary typed for posterity – oh my, that sounds archaic. They unsettle the Organization. They’re hardheaded about Strategy.

CEO 133

CEO Innovation Education Brand 133

In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 10, 2018

Intuitively, many entrepreneurs and businesses believe that the key to faster growth and success is more products, features, and markets. Good examples of startup focus before success include Google with their search engine, Facebook with friends networking, and Apple with personal computers. Well-articulated goals and metrics.

Maturity 159

Maturity Tips Entrepreneur Bottom-up 159

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 23, 2012

There is no doubt in my mind that my ferocious competitive spirit is responsible for my success in corporate life. The companies that employed me were generally the underdogs in battles against bigger, better-financed organizations. With 100% share of market, our strategy was market growth and we managed to double sales in four years.

Power 208

Power Sports Competitive Advantage Advertising 208

In the CEO Afterlife

FEBRUARY 19, 2012

Can a good “start-up” CEO guide a mature organization? if Apple would have been as successful had Steve Jobs not been ruthless, impatient, emotional, stubborn, intense, and controlling. In the final analysis, would these improvements in human resource strategy have made any difference to the company’s performance?

CEO 213

CEO Human Resources Bureaucracy Maturity 213

In the CEO Afterlife

DECEMBER 11, 2011

by John • December 11, 2011 • Branding , Leadership , Marketing , Strategy • 1 Comment. The principles of success become ingrained in your business DNA. That strategy continued for years. While they have NFP status, they are a large organization so the finance picture is significant. In the CEO Afterlife.

CEO 201

CEO Advertising Franchising Brand 201

In the CEO Afterlife

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

Like many activities within any organization, “the squeaky wheels get the grease.” This is difficult for us to do because of the cultural disconnect to what these organizations stand for. Acting on behalf of shareholders, boards of directors are paying attention to an escalating list of risks and rewards from a firm’s undertakings.

Long-term 100

Long-term Download CEO Objective 100

In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 1, 2012

Take a look at your organization. Successful innovations are corporate folklore. The leaders have track records of innovation success. The organization reeks of pride. Product displays, success stories are everywhere – on the walls, in the newsletters, online in social media. How many of these traits are evident?

Mission Statement 222

Mission Statement Innovation Committee CEO 222

In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 27, 2011

‘Doing Right Things’ or ‘Doing Things Right’ by John • March 28, 2011 • Human Resources , Leadership , Strategy • 0 Comments. I prefer specialist strategies—in other words, doing less, better. Clout is the strategy. Tags: Human Resources , Leadership , Strategy. Main menu Home.

CEO 100

CEO Human Resources Bureaucracy Brand 100

In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 1, 2011

Which companies, organizations or industries are known to accept, even reward this type of behavoir? The organizational sociopath often does well in organizations because they are usually expert at flattering their bosses and terrible at developing the people who work for them. Somehow you made it in the big wide world. About John.

CEO 152

CEO Human Resources Brand Middle Management 152

In the CEO Afterlife

DECEMBER 4, 2018

Friends for over 20 years, they considered themselves, and were considered by others to be successful. Those who can hardly afford a bus pass or the next meal for their families likely won’t be concerned with hybrid vehicles or buying organic food because it isn’t within their purchasing power to do so.

Ryan 168

Ryan Film Stress Retail 168

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 8, 2012

I’ve always held the opinion that big organizations move at a snail’s pace. But anyone who has worked with large NGOs (non-government, not for profit organizations), or giant corporations has tasted it. Even Procter & Gamble, a perennial success and a company I greatly admire, struggles to find nimbleness. Snails are slow.

Company 212

Company Bureaucracy Airlines Banking 212

In the CEO Afterlife

FEBRUARY 3, 2016

In it I draw on my CMO, CEO and consulting business experience to illustrate why ‘doing less, better’ is the surprising secret to success. Complexity suppresses and stagnates; left unchecked, it can bring an organization to its knees. Do Less Better is the name of my business book. This idea starts with a small verb.

Agility 100

Agility Download Efficiency CEO 100

In the CEO Afterlife

JANUARY 14, 2012

From 1837 to the present, P&G people have been the company’s sustainable success factor. The organization is structured in a way that almost every proposal requires concurrence from a peer. I could talk about their brands, their global clout, their sales growth or their stock market value. P&G is a challenging work environment.

Proposal 260

Proposal Advertising Brand Marketing 260

In the CEO Afterlife

OCTOBER 18, 2015

And when you fail to demonstrate traits critical to successful leadership, the expectations of your colleagues and subordinates are dashed. Far too often, organizations discount the leadership value of skilled employees who either don’t want to advance in the management pecking order, or wouldn’t thrive in that particular environment.

Report 100

Report Career Discount Mentor 100

In the CEO Afterlife

JUNE 10, 2012

The former head of Apple’s retail operations believes the ability to change is the key to success. The tendency in any organization is to look for the 5 steps to do anything and make a system. Van Dyck says this is a habit from her college days when she studied in Cairo and read three newspapers to get multiple perspectives. #4

Creativity 238

Creativity Advertising Belief Systems Storytelling 238

In the CEO Afterlife

AUGUST 5, 2015

Complexity stifles organizations and confuses consumers. . Successful companies don’t stumble upon insight. At a time when they should ‘do less, better,’ they are frantically adding more products, line extending brands, and adding endless features to products and services. The result is complexity. Then they act upon it.

Brand 100

Brand Airlines Bottom-up Marketing 100

In the CEO Afterlife

SEPTEMBER 8, 2015

While some handle their “success” well, others fail to realize the happiness that money and celebrity status is expected to bring. Not everyone or every organization can, or should operate this way. The reason? Too much of something that is deemed “good” often turns out “bad.”

Power 100

Power Competitive Advantage Airlines Information 100

In the CEO Afterlife

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

by John • September 19, 2011 • Branding , Marketing , Strategy • 2 Comments. I retired from the CEO’s office in 1994 and from strategy and marketing consulting in 2008. Just for fun, I Googled social media & strategy. In this situation, the marketer has relegated strategy to the consumer. About John.

Media 199

Media Brand Positioning Marketing Strategy 199

In the CEO Afterlife

OCTOBER 17, 2011

by John • October 17, 2011 • Branding , Human Resources , Leadership , Marketing , Strategy • 3 Comments. I remain impressed with the perennial success of P&G, L’Oreal, Nike, Whole Foods, Pernod Ricard, Apple, and Starbucks. Formerlife: CEO of Jacobs Suchard (Nabob, Kraft), Strategy/Branding Consultant.

Brand 168

Brand CEO Stage-Gate SWOT 168

In the CEO Afterlife

MARCH 18, 2015

The truth of the matter is that business leaders are the ones adding complexity to their organizations. Companies that appreciate the power of sacrifice also appreciate that ‘do less better’ is a winning strategy at both the corporate and functional level. Coca-Cola’s focus begins at 30,000 feet, where corporate strategy is crafted.

Apparel 100

Apparel Brand Franchising Competitive Advantage 100

In the CEO Afterlife

SEPTEMBER 24, 2012

CEOs who invest their time advancing their company’s business model or seeking a new one are adding value to their organizations. Differentiation holds the key to competitive success. Insight can come from anywhere – the organization, the customer, even your kids.

CEO 207

CEO Chief Executive Officer Business Model Competitive Advantage 207

In the CEO Afterlife

APRIL 22, 2015

Hsieh is still hell-bent on achieving a world of self-management and self-organization, but not through more cultural changes, through quicker evolution of that initial change. When leaders have made the daring calls and worked hard to make them successful, they no longer fear the unknown. Target thought change would be good thing.

Brand 100

Brand Core Competence Retail Advertising 100

In the CEO Afterlife

MAY 30, 2012

Companies that insist on simplicity are generally the most successful businesses. This is a corollary to leadership but it is also a core value that must permeate the entire organization. Businesses who live by these 5 bargains are the ones who enjoy success – both in the journey and the bottom-line destination. Simplicity.

Bureaucracy 245

Bureaucracy Constraint Creativity Discount 245

In the CEO Afterlife

JUNE 10, 2015

In the last 40 years of the 20 th century, strategy was the champion of business supremacy. As a critical success factor, strategy turned into a lucrative industry for a host of consulting firms such as McKinsey & Company , and the Boston Consulting Group. In the new economy, culture is the poster child of corporate success.

Strategy 100

Strategy Critical Success Factor McKinsey Retail 100

In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 2, 2014

Essential to leadership presence at the top are several elements of substance that make for success over the long haul. They tell individuals and teams what they expect, and why the hard work that must be done is important to the entire organization. Branding Human Resources Leadership Marketing Strategy' So I ask you.

Leadership Styles 238

Leadership Styles Leadership Human Resources Charisma 238