This is a book for managers who know that their organisations are stuck in a mindset that thrives on fashionable business theories that are no more than folk wisdom, and whose so-called strategies that are little more than banal wish lists.It puts forward the notion that the application of uncommon sense - thinking or acting differently from other organisations in a way that makes unusual sense - is the secret to competitive success. For those who want to succeed and stand out from...

Functional stupidity can be catastrophic. It can cause organisational collapse, financial meltdown and technical disaster. And there are countless, more everyday examples of organisations accepting the dubious, the absurd and the downright idiotic, from unsustainable management fads to the cult of leadership or an over-reliance on brand and image. And yet a dose of stupidity can be useful and produce good, short-term results: it can nurture harmony, encourage people to get on with the job ...

Strategic Thinking: A Step-by-Step Approach to Strategy and Leadership, now in its third edition, takes you step by step through sound strategic thinking by setting out the questions to ask. In the process of answering these questions and thinking through the important issues that they raise, you will learn how to formulate strategies and write clear and concise strategic plans.With new online material to support each step and help strengthen your ability ...

Modern culture’s worship of “how-to” pragmatism has turned us into instruments of efficiency and commerce—but we’re doing more and more about things that mean less and less. We constantly ask “how? and still struggle to find purpose and act on what matters. Instead of acting on what we know to be of importance, we wait for bosses to change, we seek the latest fad, we invest in one more degree. Asking how keeps us safe—instead of being led by our hearts into uncharted territory, we keep our...

Studies have shown that coming up with strategies and executing them with success requires specific strategic competencies. It is no longer just about the big idea. Moving beyond a broad, fuzzy picture, however, requires strategic thinking and understanding the management matrix. This guidebook can help you identify critical functions of strategy, such as the alignment of operations, the continual improvement and innovation of systems design, and the allocation of effective recourses; lear...

Creating Intelligent Teams is a different way to initiate, manage and lead effective and positive change in teams and organisations. For any organisation looking to nurture and develop talent from amongst its own employees, the book offers an accessible, yet highly informative, information resource on:•how to recognise the influences on, and dynamics of, individuals and teams•how to enhance team performance•how effective leaders can boost productivity and build intelligent tea...

In this classic text, Peter Drucker studies how modern-day managers, whether in business or public service, can perform effectively. He takes an international view, exploring management problems in Great Britain, Western Europe, Japan, and Latin America, and suggests how these problems can be tackled. The interactions between manager, the institution and the social and cultural environment are penetratingly examined, and the book is enhanced by telling examples from a wide spectrum of expe...

Ntsikie is a management consultant whose area of focus is strategy development, facilitation and implementation using various management practices, techniques and tools. She has experience working with public, private and NGO sectors, including facilitation with Boards of Directors. She is an avid practitioner of business excellence models and has proven track record applying her skills.

Why do we need motivated employees? The answer is survival. All managers want to know the secret of how to motivate employees. They know this ensures not only survival in a changing world but also serious productivity and progress. Motivating employees is perhaps the single most important function of management. And it is not that simple. Many myths and traps exist about motivation. Increasing money can decrease motivation. Older workers have different motivational factors than younger wor...

As coaches and clients increasingly realise, the demands of business mean that it is now vital to integrate, understand and leverage cultural differences across countries and corporations. This work bridges the gap between coaching and interculturalism.

Research shows that roughly half of all start-up businesses fail within the first three years, and the majority of failures happen because business owners aren't prepared enough to deal with the challenges that can affect them. In other words, they haven't done enough planning.Creating a business plan should be one of the first things you do when you think of starting up a company, and it's an important document to turn to time and again as your business develops - especially in th...