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Winning in a New Business Environment, by Jim Pinto
“Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.”
That’s the well-known quote that exemplifies unfettered competitiveness - attributed to American football coach Vince Lombardi. Business too is a game against competitors on a global scale. Winning or losing can make a significant difference. Losing companies quickly disappear.
In his 1978 book, “The Gamesman,” Michael Maccoby describes four types of business personalities: Craftsman (or Artisan), Organizer, Jungle Fighter (or Warrior) and Gamesman. No individual is purely one type, but rather, includes a mixture depending on the circumstances and personalities. The Artisan values detailed analysis, skill and experience - typically engineers. The Organizer is most effective at developing policies and retaining the status quo - typically financial people. This type of person is needed in times of stability, but is often a big impediment to organizations that require courage to take risks in times of change. The Warrior is useful during times of turmoil, when tactical changes must be enforced and reductions in force become necessary. The Gamesman values strategic overviews and thrives on rapidly moving tactical changes. In today’s rapidly changing business environment, Gamesman strengths are most recruited for top-level positions.
Today’s business is a game on a global playing field. The players are not hourly-paid pawns, but sophisticated knowledge-workers who must be actively involved to win against fierce worldwide competition. Their motivations go beyond doing pre-defined tasks and receiving paychecks. They want to know the game-plan, to see how they can participate and contribute. They want to be challenged - to have fun...
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» Feed Forward: Innovation’s Reality, by Gary Mintchell
When I wrote my July editorial on wireless sensor networking, “Hype or Reality,” I was somewhat frustrated trying to discover what was happening after the release of products into users’ hands following a year of talk.
It turns out that my thoughts were debated at a high level within Emerson Process Management. Emerson managers weren’t sure about how much they should promote what they were doing. That sentiment made sense in the context of the Sept. 10 keynote speech of Emerson Electric Co. Chief Executive Officer David Farr at the Emerson Global User Exchange. One of the messages to his division business leaders is to do the business of innovation, not to just issue press releases...
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