Much of the rapid organizational transformations including indiscriminate downsizing over the last several years have been senseless. Approximately 62% of companies in one survey didn’t even look at other methods for reducing costs before getting rid of people. Many followed the reengineering herd to downsize people instead of changing fundamental processes or growing the business. …
With more people having access to business information, markets are becoming more efficient and effective. To remain competitive, companies are forced to rethink every aspect of their business and their basic assumptions – their business models of pricing, demand, delivery, inventory management, marketing strategies, and branding. The competitiveness paradigm discussed in the last chapter infects …
Schumacher about 20 years ago wrote a simple and paradigm-busting book called Small is Beautiful. This was a breakthrough book when the business world was thinking big is better. In year 2000, small means entrepreneurial, start-up, paradigm busting, vibrant, customer-driven, free, and profitable. Big, slow, hindering, plodding, and corporate are dead. Entrepreneurship, ‘doing it your …
Make sure the job fits Behave like an entrepreneur Seek feedback Move beyond mentors Think teams Take risks Be a problem solver Balance your life[i] [i] Covey, Stephen, “How to Succeed in Today’s Workplace,” Parade, September 2, 1997.
Increase income Improve your ‘value proposition’ Balance work and family life Learn from special projects Obtain necessary training Satisfy diverse customer requirements Balance peaks in work activity
Professionals used to speak about the forty-hour week. Now, the norm is 50 hours or more a week just to get stuff off our desks. We’re seeing career upshifters and downshifters. Brand U upshifters strive for the golden ring while Brand U downshifters want to decrease life’s volatility, stress, and speed. More of us are …
Almost all work even from the receptionist to the CEO is now knowledge and information based. We, as Brand U’s, may create a new product, offer a unique suggestion, or provide value-added services. We have to use our best judgment, tools, methods, and knowledge in our work. Since the risks of poor attitudes, skills, and …
Code warrior Bitsifter Leadership engineer Content person Brand manager Creativity czar Charismatic leader Organizational architect Notes god Net anything Imagineer Creatologist Change leader Director of reinventing Futurist Organizational skeptic Go-to person Resultant Head geek Global anything Code juggler Competitor analyst Transition manager Empiricist
Add value. Add value to the organization, customer, and to yourself. Target and concentrate on fields with the greatest potential. Create new and better ways of working, use time management techniques, and use a day planner. Constantly improve skills, knowledge, and contacts. Be flexible. Be ready for change and opportunities. Look for the best fit. …
“Now even those of us with modest endowments, will have to learn to manage ourselves. We will have to learn to develop ourselves. We will have to place ourselves where we can make the greatest contribution. And we will have to stay mentally alert and engaged during a 50 year working life, which means …