Leaders, Heroes and Storms
Strategic leadership in business is about so much more than guiding the team through a storm of market conditions. Over my career, I worked with construction companies going through many types of storms. Successful leaders share a common trait that is illustrated by dusting off an example from classical literature. MacWhirr’s Dilemma In 1902, Joseph […]
A New Era in Construction Will Drive Industries to Innovate
Ames Hydroelectric Plant Powerhouse, circa 1895[1] There is a myth that the construction industry is slow to adopt new technology.[2] We were just getting used to spreadsheets when email and the internet came along. Now we have emerging applications for robotics, drones, and even artificial intelligence (AI). Underpinning all these trends (especially AI) are sweeping advancements […]
Strategic Thinking, Mindsets, and Neurons
Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick, circa 1864[1] Early on May 9th, 1864, during the Civil War, Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick was repositioning his brigades and divisions in preparation for the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in Virginia. He noticed that some of his Union infantrymen were overlapping an artillery position and needed to be redirected. Meanwhile, […]
The Second Half of the Chessboard, Strategic Thinking and Technology
The game of chess is often used as an analogy for strategic thinking in business. The analogy holds up well when a firm plans a series of moves and countermoves. However, in times of rapid change, the thinking process can break down quite severely. We have experienced variability in many drivers of business – but […]
Is Your Strategic Plan Relevant for the Next 100 Years?
Years ago, I listened to the futurist Watts Wacker Jr. describe the results of his study of 300 companies that had been in business anywhere from 150 to 600 years. The analysis by Wacker, who died in 2017 at age 64, gave rise to a 500-year business plan for some of his clients. What a […]
The Silver Lining In Strategic Planning
Colorado’s Silver Crash of 1893 is a good example of the necessity of strategic thinking – especially during times of booms and busts. My wife’s grandmother used to talk about the “bust times” by remembering Leadville’s famous Baby Doe Tabor who was seen walking the streets of Denver in the early 1900s with burlap bags […]
Peak Horses to Peak Autos — How would you change your business model after 115 years?
In the early days of the automobile, a great uncle of mine worked for Harvey Firestone to develop the pneumatic tire. He stood on the running board with a pistol and shot the tire to test the performance during a blowout. These were heady days of new technologies, emerging business models, and intense competition. These […]
Navigating a World of Probabilities — Stay Tuned
I am an economist, but I started out as a geologist when I was freshly out of college. On one of my first days in the field in Alaska, I exited the helicopter and began to walk up a slight incline when the crusty old pilot slapped a hand on my shoulder and said, “You […]