Newsletter of January 10, 2011

How (not) to fix capitalism

Hi,
 

 I have been having some fun with the headline article
in this month's HBR entitled "How to fix capitalism"
by strategy guru extraordinaire, Michael Porter, and
Mark Kramer. Find out why the article gets a “C-“ and
not an “F” here.

I also began to wonder whether the article didn't
recall a previous management fad: business process
re-engineering, as I discuss here.

One reader objected that "capitalism is working just
fine. We should stop trying to fix it." In one sense, I
agree: whether managers realize or not, firms are
currently going through massive process of destruction
and re-creation. So capitalism is indeed fixing itself. Yet
in another sense, the process is taking so long and
the social and political costs of that delay are so high
that it does seem appropriate to accelerate the process of
re-creation and point out those who are, for various
reasons, trying to slow the process down.  I discuss
all that here.

THE SMITHSONIAN WITHOUT THE SMITHSONIAN?

Have you ever attended one of the Smithsonian
or Golden Fleece storytelling events in Washington
DC? The Smithsonian has refocused its programs on
its museum collections and so there will be no
event at the Smithsonian this year.  So we are
exploring the level of interest in attending
a live storytelling event in Washington DC
in the Spring without them. TAKE THE SURVEY
by Wednesday and WIN A RAFFLE PRIZE!
i.e. a free copy of my new book, THE LEADER'S
GUIDE TO RADICAL MANAGEMENT. Take the
survey here.

And read a  background note about
the history of the annual spring event in DC here.

A REVIEW OF MY BOOK

You can also read a review of The Leader's Guide
to Radical Management by Tom Gilb, the
co-inventor of evolutionary project management.
Tom says, "I love this book!" Find out why here.

PUTTING THE MEANING BACK INTO WORK

David Ironside from Canberra, Australia, wrote to me
and posted some insightful comments about putting
meaning back into the workplace. The idea is dead-simple
and exciting. Read about it here.

Hope our paths cross soon,

Warmly

Steve
 

PS Don't forget to register for my webcast on
reinventing management this week on Tuesday
January 11 at 11am EST. Get the details here.