More and more companies are adapting Agile methods and principles in the way they work. However, most change management practices have evolved out of linear ways of working (like project management or waterfall development), not from Agile ways of working. So, what happens when an organization begins to operate in … Read more
When Amazon announced that it had acquired Whole Foods Market, reactions from the media and thought leaders were immediate and varied. Some applauded the breakthrough deal as a herald to a new era of online/offline synergies, while other responses amounted to variations on “What were they thinking?” and “How can … Read more
“As long as there is a global marketplace and exploding technological progress, the need for formalized and ongoing organization alignment efforts will continue.” Mastering the Cube, Chapter 8 Like the foundation of a house, the structure of your organization is the cornerstone on which every function is based. Does a solid, … Read more
Every organizational alignment leader needs at least one good change partner. This is a person who can help the alignment leader stay on track through the difficult process of planning and initiating organizational change. Here are four primary traits to look for when choosing a change partner for your organization.
Visit any business news site and you’ll find at least one article talking about “disruptors.” Uber has disrupted the urban transportation business. Airbnb has disrupted the hotel business. Amazon has disrupted the entire retail industry. Any analyst will be happy to offer you his or her take on “the it … Read more
How do the people in your organization approach major decisions? Do they rely on gut instinct? Do they ask superiors, coworkers, or customers? Or do they turn to analytics for insights that can help them make the best choice based on real-world outcomes? Many organizations spend millions of dollars collecting, … Read more
Building on our recent post about the costs of a misaligned culture and what to do about it, today I want to go deeper and talk about the vital link between strategy, culture, and actions. Even if a culture fully aligns with an organization’s strategy, individual choices can weaken that … Read more
What do Starbucks, Zappos, Southwest Airlines, Dropbox, and Twitter all have in common? Each has a distinct corporate culture that infuses everything it does, from marketing to hiring practices to strategic decision making. If you’re familiar with the system we present in our book Mastering the Cube, you’ll recall that … Read more
In a world of fast-paced market changes, increasing automation, and rising digital transformation, it feels like small start-ups have increasing power to disrupt markets and perhaps even compete with much bigger companies because of their focus, nimbleness, and lack of legacy systems and capabilities. But, is that really true? Has … Read more
Effective strategy implementation is imperative for long-term success. Think of your company as a river. Executives stand at the mouth of the river, and there the water rushes with great strength and purpose, but as the river rolls cross-country the force and power dissipates – branches and tributaries form. Even … Read more