MindShifts Matters - November 2007

The topics covered include:

The New Rules
The volatility of the markets is so unpredictable, the pressure from hedge funds so relentless, the competition from China and India so intense, that the edicts of the past are starting to feel out of date. A dramatic re-thinking is underway about some fundamental assumptions:
Is an emphasis on market share really the prime directive?
Is a company’s near-term stock price – and the quarterly earnings per share that drive it – really the best measure of a CEO’s success?
In what ways is managing a company to please financial analysts bad for competitiveness in the long run?

The risk we face today is applying old solutions to new problems. This article provides food for thought by listing seven old rules whose shortcomings have become apparent and seven possible replacements that point toward a new model for success.

Growth Opportunities and CI
It is widely recognized that competitive intelligence (CI) can help companies spot and defend against competitive threats. But CI is also a valuable tool in recognizing growth opportunities. Doing so requires knowing how and when to apply CI in the development of growth strategies. The article outlines some valuable techniques for CI practitioners.

Win/Loss Analysis
Win/loss analysis offers the best ROI of any sales intelligence tool. You gain intelligence by interviewing your customers shortly after the sales event to find out why they chose to do business with you or decided on a competitor. The data gathered combines knowledge from Sales, Customers, Competitors, and your marketplace. Find out what to consider when developing an effective business to business win/loss process.

Stupidology - the study of stupidity
Organizations (governmental and commercial) get locked into doing the same thing - instead of standing back and asking whether a particular policy is being effective. The tendency is to repeat it with more gusto. Perhaps too many careers are vested in the original policy to question it. Instead of lateral thinking, people and organisations just dig themselves deeper into the same hole.

This article provides 3 recommendations to break the cycle and suggests although much attention is given to 'best practice" perhaps we need to pay more attention to "stupidity"!

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