Levers of Control: How Managers Use Innovative Control Systems to Drive Strategic Renewal Review

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Levers of Control: How Managers Use Innovative Control Systems to Drive Strategic Renewal ReviewThe book is far more interesting than the title suggests. "Levers of control" makes one think of man/woman being reduced to robots directed by the pulling of levers. The book is exactly about the opposite, how one can have his cake and eat it. It provides a practical framework on how to combine opposing forces in managing a company. Opposites like creativity and meeting profit objectives, precise objectives and alertness to the necessasity of changing course, reward and punishment, control and freedom. Some of the insights require reader effort to understand. For example. "Strategic planning is useless to develop strategies. Strategic planning starts once the strategy has been determined." What is meant is this. Long range planning carried out by staff departments trying to involve managers is a waste of time. Real strategies evolve interactively between several layers of managers in the organisation. Once a strategy is determined a plan must be made for implementing it. However the reader has to figure out that strategic planning no longer means strategy development but the development of a plan for strategy implementation, the execution of which has to be monitored. The book covers how to deal with the positive and negative motivations of employees, how it is possible to manage the tension between a budget system (referred to as a diagnostic system) and an action oriented intelligence-gathering system (referred to as an interactive control system). These two "control systems" are combined with two higher level "control systems", the vision and core values on the one hand and clarification of authority, accountability and no-go areas (referred to as boundary systems)on the other. None of these "control systems" are original. The originality of Prof Simons is that he shows how to operate these systems so that they reinforce and complement each other. This book is very useful for persons that have experienced how hard it is to implement strategies and to reconcile freedom with the requirement of delivering predictable financial results.Levers of Control: How Managers Use Innovative Control Systems to Drive Strategic Renewal Overview

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Strategy Pure and Simple Review

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Strategy Pure and Simple ReviewWhen it comes to understanding and explaining why some companies develop and launch new products better than their competitors, Mike Robert has no equal. In preparing to help overhaul the strategic planning process at a major publishing firm, we read countless books on strategic planning before choosing Mike's "Strategy, Pure and Simple" as our guide. We couldn't have made a better choice. Mike's tell-it-like-it-is style and clearly defined process served as a guide through numerous planning sessions. Four years later, I find myself consulting for a major insurance and annuity provider who's seeking to establish a disciplined new product development process. The books we're using as our guide? Mike Robert's "Strategy, Pure and Simple" and "Product Innovation Strategy, Pure and Simple". I wouldn't have it any other way. If you're considering improving your company's strategic planning and new product development processes, I highly recommend both of Mike Robert's recent works (unless, of course, you're competing with the company I'm currently working with.Strategy Pure and Simple Overview

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The New Strategic Thinking Review

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The New Strategic Thinking ReviewThe New Strategic Thinking, Pure & Simple
by Michel Robert
I have followed the published works of Michel Robert on strategic thinking for almost two decades, starting with his 'The Strategist CEO' & 'The Essence of Leadership' in the late eighties/early nineties, to subsequent 'The Power of Strategic Thinking' & 'Strategy Pure & Simple I & II', & finally 'Strategic Supremacy' & 'Strategic Thinking, Pure & Simple', in recent years.
I have just finished reading his latest book, 'New Strategic Thinking'. Frankly, I just can't help feeling that he is gradually running out of steam.
Michel Robert is undoubtedly the consultant who coined the term 'strategic thinking', & through his Decision Processes International, which he founded in 1980, he had developed many innovative & unique strategic thinking methodologies. Sad to say, the methodologies remain the same in the new book, with a primary case study on Caterpillar, plus some new business cases, including one in Singapore.
As usual, the author takes the reader on a proactive ride through his proven strategic thinking methodologies. Judging from the client testimonials, his track record is certainly very impressive.
In the new book, on page 38, under the sectional heading of 'Decoding the Future Today', he outlines his thesis which says that "the future is not one place, but a collection of five places where you can get a glimpose of the fture that lies ahead. He adds that "your future lies hidden in these five 'futures':
- the future ahead;
- the future beyond;
- the future behind;
- the future around;
- the future beside;
Again, I can't help feeling that this thesis of his seems to be a direct spin-off from Henry Mintzberg's article entitled 'Strategic Thinking as Seeing' which appeared in Bob Garratt's 'Developing Strategic Thought: A Collection of the Best Thinking on Business Strategy from Today's Greatest Business Minds' as Chapter 5 (published in 1995).
The same article re-appeared in Henry Mintzberg's 'Strategic Safari: The Complete Guide through the Wilds of Strategic Management' (published in 1998).
For the benefit of readers, Henry Mintzberg projects 'strategy formation as a visionary process' & outlines the role of 'seeing' in strategic thinking as follows:
- Seeing ahead;
- Seeing behind;
- Seeing down;
- Seeing below;
- Seeing beside;
- seeing beyond;
- Seeing it through;
Could I be wrong in my perception? I really don't know.
As it stands on its own & particularly for first timers into strategic thinking, Michel Robert's new book is really great stuff.
When compared with the works by other eminent consultants/authors, it can readily stand out among the crowd.
I would attribute this partly to the author's - & his company's - impeccable track record of 40 partners in 15 countries & impressive list of some 400 major clients across the globe.
However, the moment you compare it with the author's own previous works in the same genre, the intellectual richness begins to lose some of its shine.The New Strategic Thinking Overview

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Competitors: Outwitting, Outmaneuvering, and Outperforming Review

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Competitors: Outwitting, Outmaneuvering, and Outperforming ReviewThe author presents a system for identifying critical competitor data with a series of analytical frameworks to help develop strategic insights. This work is massive in scope and depth. It shows how to assess competitors and use this information to develop strategy. Fahey details how to gather information about every aspect of competitors. Each chapter ends with a brief, helpful summary. An excellent addition to every strategist's bookshelf.Competitors: Outwitting, Outmaneuvering, and Outperforming Overview

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Sculpting Air: The Executive's Guide to Shaping Strategy Review

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Sculpting Air: The Executive's Guide to Shaping Strategy ReviewSculpting Air: The Executive's Guide to Shaping Strategy
by Rich Horwarth
A few months ago, I have reviewed 'Storm Rider: Becoming A Strategic Thinker', by the same author. The author is Rich Horwath, Chief Strategy Officer of his own consulting firm, Sculptura Consulting. (According to his corporate website, he has apparently renamed this firm as 'The Strategic Thinking Institute'.) To recap, the earlier book outlines five essential skill sets for managers to become strategic thinkers:
- discovering purpose;
- creating differentiation;
- decision making;
- problem solving;
- sculpting strategy;
This time, he outlines the essential skill sets for senior managers in the new book as follows:
- Discovery;
- Strategic Thinking;
- Strategic Planning;
- Strategy Rollout;
- Strategy Tune-up;
From the intellectual standpoint, there is absolutely no basic difference between the earlier book & this book. It seems the author has now put in a little more emphasis on the 'sculpting strategy' part & uses the metaphor of a sculptor in shaping a model. He writes: "Strategy is to business as air is to life - essential, yet unseen. Properly channled, air becomes wind & strategy becomes intelligent action - both unleashing unparalleled power visible to all." I don't deny that.
Just like the earlier book, the author again takes the opportunity to promote his series of proprietary 'strategy shaping' tools, like StrategySphere, StrategyPrint systems. Nevertheless, the author has quite an impressive Fortune 100 client list.
I must add: something really stands out from the author & his consulting firm. Unlike others, his firm offers a very well-structured & systematically-configured 'Strategist Training System', from beginner to advanced level. They consist of nine different programs delivered in an interactive workshop format. The author's two books apparently form a strategic part of the curriculum.
One of the author's many observations catches my eye: "Research shows that the most important competency for a leader to possess is the ability to develop strategy. Unfortunately, only 4% of leaders at all levels of organisations are effective strategists." This is certainly very interesting. The author issues this ultimate challenge at the end of his book: "Will you or your competitor be holding the chisel?"
I guess all senior managers out there better shape up or else you will get beaten.
On the whole, & to end this review, I still reckon that the two books mentioned in this review are worth to be read & to be included in your 'Strategic Thinking' bookshelf.Sculpting Air: The Executive's Guide to Shaping Strategy Overview

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