3 Review(s)

Once in a generation, a book comes along that transforms the business landscape. For today's business leaders, The New How redefines the way companies create strategies and win new markets. Management gurus have always said "people matter." But those same gurus still relegate strategy to an elite set of executives who focus on frameworks, long presentations, and hierarchical approaches. Business strategy typically has been planned by corporate chiefs in annual meetings, and then dictated to managers to carry out. The New How turns that notion on its head. After many years of working with Apple, Adobe, HP, and many other companies, Nilofer Merchant discovered the secret sauce: the best way to create a winning strategy is to include employees at all levels, helping to create strategy they not only believe in, but are also equipped to implement. In The New How, Nilofer shows today's corporate directors, executives, and managers how they can transform their traditional, top-down approach to strategy planning and execution into collaborative "stratecution" that has proven to be significantly more effective. Enhance performance and outcomes by deflating the "air sandwich" between executives in the boardroom and employees Recognize that strategy and execution are thoroughly intertwined Understand how successful strategy is founded in effective idea selection-a pile of good ideas doesn't necessarily build good strategy Create company strategy and link it to targeted execution, using the practical models and techniques provided About The Author Nilofer Merchant, CEO, strategist, and author, is a leading authority on creating business strategy to achieve success. She has honed her unique, collaborative approach to solving tough problems while working with and for companies like Adobe, Apple, Nokia, HP and others. As Rubicon's founder and CEO, Nilofer leads a distinguished team of hands-on operational veterans. Her firm works with global corporations such as Hewlett-Packard, Pinnacle, Logitech, Openwave, Symantec, among others, to create solutions to win markets. Nilofer's keynote presentations attract SRO crowds at business leadership events, technology expos, women's conferences, and universities, ranging from AjaxWorld, CTIA, and PBWC, to Stanford. She's won multiple awards for her insights on applying strategic thinking and innovation, and has been quoted or published in major business publications such as BusinessWeek, Entrepreneur, Fortune, and The Wall Street Journal. She has earned an MBA from Santa Clara University, a BS in Economics from University of San Francisco, and is a certified by Interaction Associates as an Instructor of Facilitative Leadership. Table of Contents Chapter 1 System Overload Blaming People Only Works for So Long The Three Systemic Patterns The Telltale Signs Strategy in the Organizational System Naming the Systemic Issues Lets Us Fix Them "Being" Collaborators Chapter 2 Each of Us When Individuals Step Up Their Game, the Overall Game Gets Better Perspective Change Beyond the Title Each of Us: Co-Creator Five Practices for Busting Out Sitting Forward, Going Forward Chapter 3 As We Lead Enabling Organizational Velocity The End of the Era of the Chief of Answers The Goal Is Repeated Wins Transitioning to the Un-Hero The Seven Responsibilities Be a Collaborative Leader The QuEST Process for Collaborative Strategy Chapter 4 Phase I: Question Know What We Need to Ask and Answer How It All Works Sequences of the Question Phase The Goal: Getting Shared Understanding Chapter 5 Phase II: Envision Create Options That Matter and Know Why They Matter How to Do It Envision Roles and Responsibilities The Goal: Achieving Viable Options That People Believe In Chapter 6 Phase III: Select Killing Off Bad Ideas So Good Ideas Can Thrive Selecting "The One" MurderBoarding: What Is It? Steps to MurderBoarding Select Roles and Responsibilities Sequences of Select The Goal: Selecting a Winning Strategy Moving On Chapter 7 Phase IV: Take Eliminate Gaps by Owning Outcome The Goal: Taking Ownership Wrapping Up Foundations to Successful Collaborative Organizations Chapter 8 Collaborating to Win What Makes It Work Inside the Corporation Context Epilogue: It's What We Make of It Acknowledgments Appendix Tools Tips for Interviewing Building a Findings Framework Speaking Truth with Clarity and Power Tips for Criteria Development Generating Options Burning the Boat Appendix Resources Strategy Collaboration Trends and Tools Leadership Tough Conversations Creativity Facilitation Decision Making Change Management Listening Notes Colophon