Tag Archives: Business

give innovation the right environment to survive

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I recently listened to a Harvard Business Review podcast interview with Muhtar Kent the CEO of Coca-Cola.

Now, I have mixed feelings about the value to our society of the products that they produce. However this is not the forum for that discussion.

What did fascinate me was the insight that an organisation the size of Coca-Cola recognises that inside the company is not always the best place for embryonic ideas to flourish. To counter this the company has “incubation projects” outside the company.

This says some good things about Coca-Cola. Firstly, that it acknowledges the need for innovation, and secondly that innovation needs the right environment to thrive. In other words keep it away from the accountants, lawyers, and managers that live quarter-by-quarter.

Harvard Business Review Podcast – Featured Guest: Muhtar Kent, CEO of Coca-Cola


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Vision of the future

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If you want to see a truly inspiring look of what the future may be more like, you’ve gotta take a minute to watch Microsoft’s vision of the future. If it doesn’t make you want to live in the future, nothing will.

from The Future of Interface Design


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Is the Boss always the problem?

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I’ve commented recently on the need to retain an innovative mindset to make the best of the current economic situation. In fact I’m certain that those who are creative at this time are building innovative businesses for the future.

But whagordon-ramseyt about everyone else? I’m not really a TV watcher but One Reality TV genre has me facinated and is providing some insights. It’s the “business makeover” show. You know the type – Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares, Ruth Watson as The Hotel Inspector, and Tabatha Coffey’s Salon Makeovers. I’m sure there’s others.

I know that these are highly produced and edited for dramatic effect – BUT – they all have a common thread.

The Boss is always the problem.


So this made me think. If these programs highlight bad operators, what are the characteristics of a good operator? Here’s a list that I’ve put together (in no particular order). What would you add or take off this list? Leave me a comment and let me know.

  1. Understand why customers choose you and make that experience better.
  2. Value every customer and put a value on every customer.
  3. Provides value to the customers (note: this does not mean cheap!)
  4. Builds good people and trusts them to deliver.
  5. Invests in quality infrastructure, systems and processes.
  6. Looks for ways to maximize revenue.
  7. Watches the pennies.
  8. Builds trusted relationships with experts and advisors.
  9. Doesn’t do things just because everyone else does.
  10. Doesn’t over complicate things (keeps it simple).

All these characteristics create an environment where the objectives of the business are clear, risks are managed, and opportunities for creative thought are encouraged, welcomed, and actioned. So, if you’re the Boss get your head around this list. And you can’t don’t blame the troops, they’re doing the best they can in environment you’ve created for them. Go set the example and they will follow.

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