Management

Pay Attention, Every Day!

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“Plan your work, work your plan.” is a problem when management does not track performance against plan.  The bigger the gap between performance/plan creates a greater need for change.  So the longer there is denial or inattention to that gap, the bigger the crisis will be.  Strategy needs to be created with broad input from and broad communication to all stakeholders. Consistent strategy requires constant performance assessment that everyone can see.  Management is supposed to drive that information flow that encourages constant adaptation to market reality.  If the board does not demand that information or causes management to fear delivering it, the gap between the board and management will grow.  This applies to this story’s three companies’ succession approaches.  The faster rate of change in an industry requires faster company responses to it.

CEO Secession Comparison Story

How many riders have survived the Citibike program beside me?

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…Apparently, all of us, so far!

I think that the reason for so much surprise is the struggle in the street among the drivers, the cyclists and the pedestrians.  As I am all three, I see the difference in the perspectives.  When I am walking, I fear getting taken out by a cab or bus.  Vehicles have always dominated the streets, and sometimes the sidewalks.  Buses go over curbs when going around the corners.  Cabs can be anywhere.  When driving in the city I am constantly aware of bikes around me.  I need to check for them before I turn at a corner or drive in either the right or left lanes.

Vehicle domination is being threatened by the increase in bike riders, both Citibikes and private bikes.  They are being given or are taking lanes on the roads but not consistently.  Construction and double-parked cars prevent smooth travel down the street.  This forces bikers into lanes further to the middle of the street.  The role of bikes has greatly increased in the city transportation with the Citibike rollout. This change may be permanent for a full role for bikes on city roads.

But the bikers will need to become responsible and follow the laws of the road.  One near death experience for me was in Amsterdam when I was walking across a bike path.  I was nearly run down.  How many pedestrians will survive the Citibike program?

Citibike Related Story

Hello, 2010 Calling

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Three and a half years, 900,000 apps and 300+ million tablets sold later, it has occurred to Microsoft that their business model of a PC centric world may not be appropriate.  So whatever part of the PC market tablets do not cannibalize, the Chromebooks will go after.  Today HP brought out the HP Chromebook 11 for $279.  So if there is little money in tablet operating systems and no money in Chromebook operating system competition, where does Microsoft go from here?

Microsoft Related Story