Nokia’s implosion after the breakout success of its mobile phone business offers a cautionary tale of the many problems that often lead to—and result from—corporate reorganization. In fact, restructuring usually puts the business in an even worse position, which leads to additional, equally unsuccessful reorganizations. This article examines the underlying …
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Studies consistently report that about three-quarters of change effort fail. They either fail to deliver the expected benefits, or they are abandoned entirely. In a highly matrixed, complex organization, these transformations are challenging. Execution is critical, but it’s more than that. It’s often about which changes to pursue—specifically, taking the …
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Doing more with fewer resources has become the corporate mantra, especially in the decade since the Great Recession. In response to this do-more-with-less mandate, many training programs have popped up to help increase individual productivity. But what if I told you that increasing the productivity of your organization actually has …
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In recent years, gamification has emerged as a promising method of engaging employees—particularly millennials—while benefiting employers through higher employee retention and increased productivity. Many early attempts to use game mechanics in non-game environments to inspire motivation and behavioral changes fell flat, but the global gamification market is projected to reach …
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As more organizations strive to increase their agility and to promote cross-functional collaboration, the budgeting process, unfortunately is often overlooked. This process in and of itself is a management system, one that can either support or stymie delivering organizational goals in an integrated and agile way.
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Nearly two decades after “The Agile Manifesto” disrupted the traditional, dysfunctional “waterfall” method of software development, organizations across a wide range of industries are adopting agile methodologies. The underlying driver remains the same: Unpredictable, rapid market changes require greater flexibility than outdated management systems can support. Excessive bureaucracy stymies employee …
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When tasked with leading development of a new digital capability for electronics giant Best Buy, Marketing Strategy Director Carolyn Solares quickly recognized the need to arm the project team with new skills. The project scope encompassed not only marketing, but also e-commerce, operations, and information technology. The horizontal nature of …
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Organizations depend upon accountability systems to make things happen. Basing performance reviews upon employees’ ability to meet specific goals offers a clear-cut way of rewarding them for a job well done. More often, however, accountability focuses on assigning blame when things don’t go well.
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In 2004, the Joint Special Operations Task Force—a collection of the best special operations units in the world—found itself consistently outmaneuvered by Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). Despite a 40-year track record of amazing achievements, superior training and funding, the Task Force could not compete against a scattered, local insurgency. …
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Smashing functional silos has become a rallying cry in management circles, especially during the past decade. The pain points behind this leadership imperative go back nearly 30 years, when Phil Ensor coined the phrase “functional silo syndrome” to describe common challenges in manufacturing organizations. Since then, the crippling effects of workplace …
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