All these articles illustrate why alignment is important. How making sure that all parts of your organisation are heading in the same direction in a coordinated way. Whist this is a very simple idea most businesses don’t put enough effort into making sure that all of their activities are aligned enough.
It might be a new experience for Wall Street but a periodic cull of the “oldies” has always happened to more senior workers. Take a look around your office and count the over fifties. In the UK, in more manual sectors, or jobs, you’ll still find them gainfully employed, but in white-collar and professional jobs […]
In today’s world, focus is essential for success, particularly in retail. Supervalu Inc’s Chairman and CEO is Wayne C. Sales; he added the CEO’s role, to his role as Chairman, in July, when the former CEO was ousted, and now he’s got the business up for sale. All in all, dumping the CEO, and putting […]
Just what will Kate Swann do next? I am somewhat surprised to find out just what a success story there is hiding behind the cluttered shelves, understaffed check outs, and long queues, in my local WH Smiths store. To be honest, it has come as quite a shock to find out just what a well […]
Just how much shareholder’ cash should a business hang onto? I’m not afraid to say I am a fan of Google: I love it to bits and want to publically thank it for how it helps me through every single working day. As we all know, Google dominates both desktop and mobile search: it seems […]
It’s about time Michael O’Leary relocated to Mumbai. I have this slightly crazy picture in my head, probably formed during boozy breakfast meetings in Wetherspoons, drinking pints of lager with my fried eggs and bacon, that if I booked a flight on Kingfisher Airlines, India’s troubled and sometime second largest domestic carrier, I would get […]
It’s not just what you do but when you do it. If your business doesn’t change, as the world changes around you, it is very unlikely that you will be as successful in the future as you are today. You might think that is a very obvious statement, but many businesses don’t change, they leave […]
It looks like Roger White, the CEO of AG Barr, is onto something. There will be many of you reading this who have never tasted Irn-Bru. Well, the advert opposite may help you better understand its market positioning and many of my friends say that the lady’s reaction demonstrates very clearly what some feel about […]
You need complete control to make the most of any business. I once worked for someone who one day shouted at me across his rather palatial office “I will, never, never, never, never, do a joint venture!” in response to my suggestion that it might be worth considering doing one. I’d never done one, so […]
Raindrops on roses are ok, but the Games Workshop is definitely one of My Favourite Things. I have several motivations for writing these business commentaries: in part they define me and encapsulate a working life mixed up, often quite literally, in the belly of the business beast; also, seeing things done well has become something […]
Marissa to the Rescue! If you have read many of my daily business commentaries – I don’t call them “blogs” any more, as I was told it undervalued them – you will know my prejudice for young CEO’s, particularly for businesses that have to succeed online. It has to be said though that in Yahoo’s […]
