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You searched for the string: "McKinsey articles" found 12 results
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Leadership: putting social media to work internally
published: 2011-10-24
Cemex, the global Mexican cement company, has over 500 communities worldwide using its collaborative platform called “Shift”. They solve local problems by engaging global talent. The platform mixes wikis, blogs, discussion boards and Web-conferencing. In one project, 400 employees across its ready-mix businesses slimmed the product range – creating an ongoing global catalogue. Cemex is huge. But what are the lessons you and I can take and use? ... read more
Leadership: sparking up your personal creativity
published: 2011-07-11
“Only by forcing our brains to … move beyond our habitual thinking patterns can (leaders) begin to imagine truly novel alternatives.” So say the authors of a recent McKinsey Quarterly article – and it’s hard to argue. They focus mostly on improving team creativity but there are two segments of their article I’ve re-refocused towards personal innovation. Rapid technical, cultural and social changes mean that leaders, who fail to generate new approaches will become victims of change, not its drivers. How would people say you perform on the items in the two checklists below? ... read more
Leadership: McKinsey's approach is too self-centred
published: 2010-11-08
I worked at McKinsey and Company many years ago and still hold the firm in high esteem. But, an article in their Quarterly (October 2010) worries me on two grounds. First, its starting point for successful leadership is what motivates the leader rather than those being led. Second, it relies on self-assessed evaluations (by leaders), in which much evidence seems tautological. Like asking a golfer which iron she uses most proficiently. Say, a sand wedge. Then seeing proof of something in a later answer that she’s good at getting out of bunkers or sand traps – when that’s what a wedge is for. So, I’m concerned that McKinsey’s “centred leadership” is possibly self-centred – and even self-deceptive. Would people say that of your leadership? ... read more
LEADERSHIP: HOW WELL DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE NEW RULES?
published: 2010-09-20
Business and leadership articles are of three types. 60% are like water: fit to drink but better left to the fish. 35% are like beer: with a quick zing but nothing to remember. Finally, there’s the 5% of first-growth wines that change our worldview. The winemakers here are the Druckers, the Prahalads and their ilk. Many already dead! But, not Shoshana Zuboff. She’s still with us, thank goodness. Her McKinsey Quarterly article “Creating value in the age of distributed capitalism” is premium wine. Don’t be put off by her title; this is no abstract economic treatise. It’s a must-buy for all leaders. It gives you a taste of the world, in which you’re going to be leading – starting now. It’s as dramatic a shift as that from individual workshops to mass production that was initiated by Henry Ford a hundred years ago. So, how well are you prepared for the new demands? Here are five questions that allow you to check. ... read more
LEADERSHIP: WHAT’S IT LIKE TO WORK FOR YOU?
published: 2010-09-13
Professor Sutton says bosses matter. Why? Because “95% of all workers have bosses, are bosses, or both … and … for more than 75%, dealing with their boss is the most stressful part of their job.” So, what would your people say of you? And, what can you do to improve? Here are seven pointers from Professor Sutton. They’re a bit cynical but have the tang of real-world experience. ... read more
LEADERSHIP: WHEN YOU’RE NEWLY APPOINTED
published: 2010-08-09
If you’ve just been promoted, you might want to read “Letter to a newly appointed CEO” by Ian Davis, a former Managing Director of McKinsey & Co. It’s a practical checklist whatever your seniority – and even if you’ve been in your role for some time. When did you last re-think your priorities: what to do more of and what less? How to allocate your time? I bet if I asked your colleagues they’d have some suggestions. Why not get in first? Here’s a summary of Davis’s ten points plus some comments. ... read more
LEADERSHIP: TESTING YOUR GUT INSTINCTS
published: 2010-07-05
What do these four statements have in common: I always exclude my own interests from business decisions; I exercise a strong sense of objectivity; I’ve learnt to proceed slowly and not rush decisions; unsurprisingly, the record shows I make good ones? The first link is lack of self-awareness – assuming I believe them. More importantly, as the authors of a recent article argue, there’s need for psychological checks to keep us honest – and out of trouble. Here’s how. ... read more
LEADERSHIP: FUTURE-FIGHTING, NOT FIRE-FIGHTING
published: 2010-03-29
"Harmony has tremendous appeal. Yet a good leader still asks how the business can do better. And, a great leader fights for what he or she believes in." This edited quote from a recent HBR article* urges us all to strive for what's game-defining, not what's marginal. Where do you and your team spend time: on operational fights with few serious implications; or, strategic challenges that can transform the business? The authors offer three checks of fight-worthiness - outlined below. ... read more
LEADERSHIP: YOUR KEY TO ORGANISATIONAL AGILITY
published: 2010-02-22
What would you give to achieve higher revenues, more satisfied customers and employees, improved operational efficiency and a faster time to market? That's what Donald Sull of McKinsey & Company offers if you achieve organisational agility. He defines it as identifying and capturing opportunities more quickly than your rivals. He quotes the heightened volatility of recent decades - and the acceleration during the GFC. But, what does this mean for you as a leader? Here are some thoughts. ... read more
LEADERSHIP: BEING GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO
published: 2008-02-11
Richard Rumelt’s CV includes conquering both mountains and new territory in business thinking. In the latter, from an analytical base, he’s disproved many old assumptions. One of his most notable findings is as follows: being in the right industry does matter, but being good at what you do matters a lot more – regardless of your industry. ... read more
LEADERSHIP: MOBILISES TALENT AND KNOWLEDGE
published: 2008-02-04
“The formal structures of companies, as manifested in their organisational charts, don’t explain how most of their real day-to-day work gets done.” That’s what the authors of a recent article claim; and, many would agree. But, being consultants, they have a solution. Establish “formal networks” – and more about these below. But, let’s keep it simple. Why not appoint more appropriate leaders to run the company as it’s already structured? ... read more
LEADERSHIP: INVESTING AND RESOURCING WISELY
published: 2008-01-21
“Most of business is about placing bets – allocating resources – and making them pay off.” So begins the McKinsey report of its 2007 global survey on resource allocation. But, the good news is balanced by bad. Taking account of sound financial criteria, proven business performance and potential for value creation are reported as leading to good investment outcomes. However, excessive optimism, risk aversion and behind-the-scenes lobbying can darken the picture. Real life is truly real – and at times grubby. ... read more
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