Articles
CEO Tip: “That sounds pretty complex, boss”– So What?
by Guido Quelle
How often do we hear that something is “pretty complex” or “too complex?” That certain things aren’t “simple,” but are instead “complex” and difficult to solve?
Here’s the news flash: today, most business processes are complex. But, even if the distinction sounds academic, things that are complex don’t have to be complicated. I’ve looked at this difference a bit more closely, because …
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CEO Tip: What Do You Really Want to be the Best At? – Focus on Your Strong Suits
by Guido Quelle
We really can’t say it often enough: To make it to the top–regardless of the field–you need a more intelligent approach than just doing away with your current weaknesses. All life long, we’re told to note our own weaknesses and work to improve them; this starts in childhood and never really stops. Yet the fact that this mantra of “combating your weaknesses” is repeated ad nauseam does nothing to improve its value …
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CEO Tip: Social Media – Don’t Leave Too Much Up to Chance
by Guido Quelle
What does the CEO have to do with social media? Quite a lot, because when a company has decided it wants to be active in social media, it’s a decision that can ultimately only be made by the CEO, as it concerns the company’s processes, its organization, and in some cases even its strategy.
But more than that – and that’s the focus of this CEO Tip: …
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CEO Tip: “We’ve got a problem!”
by Guido Quelle
“Boss, we’ve got a problem!” – How many times have you heard those words? Most likely – no matter what the number – too often.
How do you respond? Do you start looking for solutions right away? Careful! The first question is: Do “we” actually have a problem, or is it just an employee who has a problem and would like to involve us in it? So your first response should be along the lines of …
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CEO Tip: Dealing With the Impossible
by Guido Quelle
“We can’t do that, boss!” As a CEO it’s not uncommon for you to hear that, is it? You have a new idea, mention it to your team and ask them to implement it. But caught up in – or rather, tied up by – their daily routine, they see the present situation rather than the strategic future and their first reaction is to resist.
You probably don’t have the same problems as those …
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CEO-Tip: “Your (Own) Vision”
by Guido Quelle
We can start by writing off the often-cited quote attributed to former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt that “Anyone who has visions should consult a doctor” as the outmoded views of a respected politician.
It goes without saying that carefully adapting and revising the vision of the company he or she is responsible for are among the most essential duties of the CEO. I include the word “carefully,” because …
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2010
Businessweek, The Debate Room
Matrix organizations slow down enterprises.
Dr. Guido Quelle debates with Dr. Jay Galbraith in BusinessWeek Online.
Numerous companies regard matrix organizations as an effective means to achieve success. Dr. Guido Quelle, managing shareholder of Mandat Managementberatung GmbH, is of a totally different opinion. “The matrix organization can turn out to be a dead end. The greatest danger is that it makes enterprises slow down and delay decisions,” says Quelle, who has a reputation as an expert for profitable growth and now defends his thesis against one of the most renowned American experts on organization design, Dr. Jay Galbraith.
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