In this week’s Thursday Thought, we explore the importance of building capabilities proactively to help businesses navigate disruption and remain competitive. Through insights from Clayton Christensen and Stan Deetz, along with the lessons of the Spartan Warrior Mantra, we emphasize the value of ‘sweating in times of peace’ to avoid future crises. Featuring examples like Toyota’s long-term vision and strategies for strengthening core competencies, this episode offers actionable insights for leaders to prepare their organizations for the future.
In this extensive session with Rita McGrath emphasises the importance of continuous innovation, exploiting new opportunities, and building new competencies to stay competitive.
It is a pleasure to welcome to the Innovation show a friend of the show to share insights from his latest book, “Learning to Build: The 5 Bedrock Skills of Innovators and Entrepreneurs”, Bob Moesta.
Derek van Bever and team investigated the incidence and consequences of growth stalls in major corporations, then probe the root causes. Examining hundreds of stall points, the authors conclude that the greatest threat to a company’s growth is posed by obsolete strategic assumptions that undermine market position, and by breakdowns in innovation and talent management. This is Stall Points.
Microstress: tiny moments of stress triggered by people in our personal and professional lives; stresses so routine that we barely register them but whose cumulative toll is debilitating. We welcome the author of “The Microstress Effect” Karen Dillon
In his book, Undisruptable: A Mindset of Permanent Reinvention for Individuals, Organizations, and Life, Aidan McCullen writes about how, centuries ago, sailors would set out to sea with maps labelled with the Latin words hic sun dracones – here be dragons – which meant that they didn’t know much – if anything – about the uncharted waters and unexplored lands that awaited them.
Businesses throw Hail Marys when encountering a crisis, such as declining sales or disruptive innovation, or technology suddenly upends their business plan. Equally, leaders throw Hail Marys to meet analyst expectations when they have been coasting in the game for a long time. In sports, there is a thin line between arrogance and confidence, and business organisations often fall into the success trap.
Leaders must rightsize the organisation for their current reality when confronting change, a difficult task, as Kodak discovered.
Kim Bryce Clark is with us to celebrate the life and theories of his friend Clayton Christensen and, indeed, share some of his theories.
It’s a pleasure to welcome the co-author of The Prosperity Paradox: How Innovation Can Lift Nations Out of Poverty, Efosa Ojomo