Maybe. Ben Stein worries. (Yes – the Ben Stein from Ferris Beuller’s Day Off – he’s a legitimate economist). Check out this article.
Archive for the “Uncategorized” Category
Jan
22
2007
Why Small Companies are Better/Worse than Large OnesPosted by John Seiffer in CEO Skills, Management, Strategy, UncategorizedI came across this in a letter by Jim Womack, author of Lean Thinking and, to hear him tell it, one of the developers of the Toyota Way. The graphics are mine – which is why I’m not a graphic designer. All value created in any organization is the end result of a lengthy sequence of steps – a value stream. These steps must be conducted properly in the proper sequence at the proper time. The flow of value toward the customer is horizontal, across the organization. All organizations … are organized vertically by department … because this is the best way to create and store knowledge and the most practical way to channel careers. So why are small companies better than big ones? So why are small companies worse than big ones? Takeaway:
[tags]Lean Thinking, Small Business, Entrepreneur, Management, CEO Skills[/tags] I agree with Peter Drucker that this one is overrated when running a company. Skill in management is much more important. Nevertheless, leadership can be a useful skill, and it’s much simpler than you’d believe by reading or listening to the folks who make a living teaching courses in it. Leadership is the ability to get folks to follow you to a place they wouldn’t go on their own. That’s it. It happens to people with all manner of personalities – from the charismatic to those as boring as wallpaper paste. There is evidence to suggest that less charismatic leaders actually produce better results for their companies over the long term. Leadership skill involves two things: Vision and Communication. Vision means you can see where you want the company to be. Someplace different from where it is right now. If you can’t see something different, stop now. You’ve arrived and don’t need to lead anyone anywhere. If you can see something different, describe it. Communication means telling people where you see the company headed. Tell them how they play a part in taking it there. In the simplest and most concrete terms you can find. This won’t happen automatically. They won’t just “get it” and the right words that are simple and concrete won’t just “come to you.” Spend some time (perhaps with a language coach like Isabel Parlett) describing your vision properly. Then tell your vision to everyone you work with over and over and over and over again. And again. When you start to get bored hearing it tell them again. Takeaway:
[tags]Leadership, Small Business, Entrepreneur, Management, How to be CEO,CEO Skills[/tags] I’m usually a glass half empty guy for two reasons. I like my surprises to be pleasant, and I figure I’ll get in more trouble if I’m wrong by ignoring a problem than by down playing an opportunity. Kind of like Andy Grove’s book title “Only the Paranoid Survive”. But this post is written by perhaps the most hopeful man I know of. Read it today. And if you’re in the USA, don’t forget to vote. (If you don’t read it today you’ll have to click here to see it in his archives.) Opps, I almost left for St. Louis without telling you. HBO is airing Hacking Democracy tomorrow night (Nov 2). I try not to be political unless it directly relates to business but if we can’t trust that our votes aren’t stolen then it seems pretty important.
So I’m off to St. Louis. Probably won’t post again till I return next week. There is no plot, no love story, no car chases. Only one explosion (and you’ve seen that one before). Sounds boring. Why should you see it? The trailer is here Takeaways:
[tags] inconvenient truth, environment, global warming[/tags] Terry Wilson-Malam Congratulations Terry. Her email was picked at random and I’ll be sending her A Whole New Mind (the book anyway). Thanks to all who participated. See you in St. Louis – please tap me on the shoulder and let me know you entered the contest. But note: I don’t have my beard anymore (it’s an old picture).
Mar
24
2006
How to Get Your Company FundedPosted by John Seiffer in Business Models, Finance & Accounting, UncategorizedDON’T Says Seth Godin. I think he gives a pretty good alternative. Takeaways:
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