Leading Change from the Middle

 

Yesterday we completed the Spring session of our on-campus Stanford Advanced Project Management (SAPM) program with students from all over the world, Global Fortune 100 firms, and innovative non-profits. (Note--apply or register for the SAPM Summer session June 12-17 here.)  I had the privilege of working with Tim Wasserman, IPS Learning CLO, Shirzad Charmine of Coaches Training Institute, and Dr. Behnam Tabrizi, author of Rapid Transformation: A 90-Day Plan for Fast and Effective Change, in delivering Leading Change from the Middle. The book and Behnam's research served as one of the anchors for the course.

We had a fantastic, energetic, enthusiastic class with folks from around the world.  The class comraderie added to the vivid discussions we had around a variety of case studies as well as guest lecturer from HP.  One student, an Aussie working in Switzerland, even had her young baby and husband with her.

Some ideas and concepts from the course discussions include:

• Change yourself first, than help others
• Fast is better...always.
• Be willing to change...transformation requires agility and adaptability.
• Though working from the middle, top executive support is required.
• Purpose matters--principles first...then methodology.
• 90 days is not long, work fast, work smart

Culture Matters – compare Apple and Microsoft Design Guides for Phone Apps

Microsoft Immediately Stumbles in Quest for Well-Designed Phone Apps | Design & Innovation | Fast Company.

Culture and its impact on how an organization can best execute its strategy are a key element of our Stanford SAPM program. This article provides fascinating insights on how culture(How we do things here) affects design.

The newly released app-design guide reveals a lot more about Microsoft than they probably intended.

Best of HBS Working Knowledge in 2009

Best of HBS Working Knowledge 2009 — HBS Working Knowledge. This is an excellent overview of top 10 articles and working papers from the Harvard Business Review.

TOP 10 ARTICLES OF 2009

1. Understanding Users of Social Networks
   Many business leaders are mystified about how to reach potential customers on social networks such as Facebook. HBS professor Mikolaj Jan Piskorski provides a fresh look into the interpersonal dynamics of these sites and offers guidance for approaching these tantalizing markets.
2. Social Network Marketing: What Works?
   Purchase decisions are influenced differently in social networks than in the brick-and-mortar world, says Harvard Business School professor Sunil Gupta. The key: Marketers should tap into the networking aspect of sites such as Facebook.
3. Uncompromising Leadership in Tough Times
   As companies batten down the hatches, we need leaders who don't compromise on standards and values that are essential in flush times. Fortunately, such leaders do exist. Their insights can help other organizations weather the current crisis, says HBS professor emeritus Michael Beer. Q&A.
4. Sharpening Your Skills: Managing Teams
   The ability to lead teams is fast becoming a critical skill for all managers in the 21st century. Here are four HBS Working Knowledge stories from the archives that address everything from how teams learn to turning individual performers into team players. Questions asked include: How does a team leader win the confidence of the group? What's the best method for developing team goals? How can individual performers be developed into team players? How do teams learn?