Reflections: the stoic way!

EXECUTION: THE DISCIPLINE OF GETTING THINGS DONE   The book that shows how to get the job done and deliver results . . . whether you’re running an entire company or in your first management job. Execution is a discipline and integral to strategy. Execution is the major job of the business leader. Execution must be a core element of an organisation’s culture. Much has been written about Jack Welch’s style of management—specially his toughness and bluntness, which some people call ruthlessness. He forced realism into all of GE’s management processes, making it a model of execution culture.   After a long, stellar career with General Electric, Larry Bossidy transformed AlliedSignal into one of the world’s most admired companies and was named CEO of the year in 1998 by Chief Executive magazine. In July 2001 Larry Bossidy was asked by the board of directors of Honeywell International (it had merged with AlliedSignal) to return and get the company back on track....

It was Teachers' day with a message from hell, for students! Jul 17, 2013.... This is Bangalore--- Prof Charmaine Jerome, behind wheels of her Santro car, crushes 4 students in broad day light at Mount Carmel College (MCC) gate yesterday! Multiple fractures, serious injuries! Hell broke loose at 8.20 am.. Come down to  small town Chapra, yes, it is in Bihar where Nitish rules after Laloo..27 kids killed by feeding them poisonous mid-day meal. Headmistress Meena Devi is at large! Food is cooked by school and grocery is collected every day from Meena's residence. Grocery is bought from Meena's husband's grocery shop. It is suspected the Mustard Oil was poisonous! Education minister is calling it a political conspiracy against Nitish's susaasan (good governance) ! Hell broke on poor kids and parents and draconian government is shamelessly calling it a conspiracy! Earlier Mid-day meal was supplied by NGOs and later a self-governing local body was formed and here e...

Tom Peters and Robert H Waterman Jr - In Search Of Excellence summary The seminal management book In Search of Excellence, by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman, was published in 1982, and remains one of the one of the biggest selling and widely read business books ever. Peters said finally in his 2001 interview that were he to write In Search of Excellence today, he would not tamper with any of the eight themes, but he would add to them: capabilities concerning ideas, liberation, and speed. Here is a summary of the 'In Search of Excellence' eight themes, which also form the eight chapters of the book. In Search of Excellence - the eight themes- 1.       A bias for action, active decision making - 'getting on with it'. 2.       Close to the customer - learning from the people served by the business. 3.       Autonomy and entrepreneurship - fostering innovation and nurturing 'champions'. 4.       Prod...

Learning and evaluating : ‘Success Case Method’ of Brinkerhoff Learning never stops! The new fad is outcome based learning! In times of recession and bad economy, training is luxury and anti-national in sentiments and anti-economy when jobs are vanishing and we have a threat to the whole of new generation not being able to experience the work-place? Ever thought over, the US and European nations have suffered job losses to existing work force to the levels of 40% and some countries no job creation for un-skilled or un-experienced job seekers. In times of uncertain economy focus shifts from building long-term strategic advantages to short term process efficiencies, lean and mean organisations! Are we getting back to the 70’s when most companies were managed by bean counters?   Well, till the time, you have not decided to close down and still believe, market trends are cyclical and after every fall, there is a rise. The rise of the rise and the fall of the fall wil...

I was reading the BBC news reports and it seems US economy is recovering fast...Below are some indicators! January 2013 US unemployment rate holds steady in December at 7.8% March 2013 The US economy added a further 155,000 jobs in December 201 2, while the unemployment rate held steady at 7.8%, official figures show. The jobs came mainly in the healthcare, manufacturing, construction and food services sectors, the Labor Department said. April 2013 US economy adds just 88,000 jobs in March The BBC's Michelle Fleury in New York says there are "plenty of reasons to be concerned"Continue reading the main story US Economy US inflation rises to 1.8% in June US budget surplus highest in 5 years Fed minutes hint QE will continue US retail sales growth slows in June The US economy added just 88,000 jobs in March, the lowest increase for nine months, official data has shown. The number was much weaker than the rise of approximately 200,000 predicted by ec...

Critical Thinking and Structured Writing Course Edward De’Bono says, ‘Analysis, judgement and argument are not enough. Critical destruction has never produced a better one. It is creativity that produces the better hypotheses. Exlectics seek to lead out or pull-out of the situation, what is of value –no matter on which side it is to be found. With exlectics emphasis would be on ‘designing forward’ rather than on judgement at each stage. It is a revealing fact that even today, no McKinsey’ report goes out without being structured through the ‘Pyramid Principle’ of Barbara Minto.   MECE way! - The Barbara Minto’s Pyramid Principal book talks about MECE and other models. Minto worked with McKinsey as a Consultant and was the first woman employee sponsored by McKinsey for Harvard Education! All McKinsey reports invariable follow the Pyramid Principle and MECE concepts! A central tenet of analytical problem solving is your considering all the possible solutions t...