Judy Estrin is amazing. She co-founded seven companies, including Bridge Communications in 1981. Back then I was living in San Francisco, had several friends who worked at Bridge and was fortunate enough to meet her and hear her speak. Like I said, amazing.
But you may not know who Judy is, in spite of her being named one of the 50 most powerful women in American business by Fortune magazine three times.
So here’s your chance. In addition to the Google author’s interview below, there are other several other videos, and an interview by McKinsey here (may require free registration).
Enjoy getting to know Judy, she’s great fun and really smart.
Chapter four from IBM’s The Enterprise of the Future (a steady Saturday feature since July 12; be sure and download your free copy) is about extreme innovation, AKA, serious disruption.
Innovative products and services aren’t enough any more.
“As one U.S. CEO explained, “We’re starting to think about things we couldn’t do before.” With the Internet, businesses can now find niche markets for rare, surplus or highly specialized goods — a virtual “garage sale,” as it’s often called. Business processes, as well as some products and services, are becoming more virtual. New delivery channels and electronic methods of distribution are overturning traditional industry conventions. And these advances are not just changing the way individual companies work — they’re creating entirely new industries.”
So what exactly is happening? Is there a direction that the majority believe will work?
“Among those making extensive changes to their business models, enterprise model innovation is the dominant choice. Forty-four percent of CEO s are focused solely on enterprise model innovation or are implementing it in combination with other forms of business model innovation. This trend toward enterprise model innovation is even more pronounced in emerging economies (53 percent).”
What does ‘enterprise model innovation’ mean? It refers to the challenge of offering your customers something truly different all by yourself—a business model that is fast dying in a world of speedy global connections, sophisticated, interconnected consumers and breathtaking speed of change.
“While 38 percent of CEO s plan to keep work within their organizations, 71 percent — nearly twice as many — plan to focus on collaboration and partnerships.“
And the most important point, as pointed out by one Australian CEO, “It’s about deciding when to collaborate, whom to involve, how to lessen the destructive force of competition.”
More on this next Saturday.
Is your company involved in enterprise model innovation?
With innovative MAP it’s the ‘M’ that asks ‘why not’ instead of ‘why’. It’s the ‘A’ that looks for ramifications such as the fun factor (see yesterday’s post) and it’s the ‘P’ that looks at who benefits and how.
Together they work to find the most creative ways to address markets and processes.
But the environmental and societal problems today means MAP needs also to ask “who is hurt and how?”
When potential harm is detected MAP needs to ask “is it worth it” and “how can we avoid or mitigate it?”
And that’s when—hopefully—the ethical parts of your MAP have their say.
This is the fourth in a series discussing whether Warren Bennis’ 13 differences between leaders and managers still holds in light of today’s modern workforce.
The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.
If a manager truly focused only on the next few days, weeks, or even months he would have little chance of challenging/developing his people, driving innovation and productivity in the department/group/team, or any of the myriad of things that most managers are responsible for in today’s world. Further, without a decent understanding relative to his position of the company’s long-range plans how can he manage efficiently.
The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
That may be true of a manger who follows blindly, but considering how often rank and file employees at all levels, especially knowledge workers, demand to know why they are doing something as well as why they’re doing it a certain way a manager who doesn’t ask those questions is probably in big trouble.
Not all innovation yields the next big thing, nor is that necessary to be a success, but entrepreneurs who can see around corners should be careful to whom they listen. If their experts/advisors can only see ahead, no matter how far, the revolution won’t happen.
“A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make.” –Response to Debbi Fields’ idea of starting Mrs. Fields’ Cookies.
“The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a ‘C,’ the idea must be feasible.” –Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith’s paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.)
Of course, the entrepreneur’s vision may be totally inaccurate, too.
“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” –Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943
This is the second in a series discussing whether Warren Bennis’ 13 differences between leaders and managers still holds in light of today’s modern workforce.
The manager maintains; the leader develops.
In today’s global economy the company that only maintains fails. And I think that applies to every part of a company—department, group, team. If the person in charge merely maintains, but doesn’t improve the parts and processes of the organization it will be passed by. Moreover, today’s workforce demands professional growth and challenge; the manger who doesn’t know how or spend the effort developing people and providing them with opportunities and help to grow will see only lowering productivity and rising turnover.
The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people.
This one really gets me. Today’s workers won’t consider working for a manger who doesn’t focus on people and in the event they do find themselves in that position they start looking as quickly as they can hit ‘send’ on their resume. Moreover, the basis for some of the best innovation and productivity increases stems from a focus on, understanding of and willingness to change systems and structure.
Entrepreneurs face difficulties that are hard for most people to imagine, let alone understand. You can find anonymous help and connections that do understand at 7 cups of tea.
Crises never end.
$10 really does make a difference and you’ll never miss it,
Judy Estrin is amazing. She co-founded seven companies, including Bridge Communications in 1981. Back then I was living in San Francisco, had several friends who worked at Bridge and was fortunate enough to meet her and hear her speak. Like I said, amazing.
Chapter four from IBM’s 
Innovation, like leadership, is grounded in 
This is the fourth in a series discussing whether Warren Bennis’ 13 differences between leaders and managers still holds in light of today’s modern workforce.
