1: The date was April 1, 1993. Lou Gerstner had just been named CEO of IBM. For decades, IBM had been one of the world’s most admired corporations.

Now, it was on the verge of bankruptcy.

Lou had started his career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, one of the world’s largest and most respected consultancies. Soon after taking his new role, he asked his friends at … continue reading

1: It’s been an excellent strategic planning meeting.  

Our leadership team has put forward a HOT or huge, outrageous target, the one, longer-term goal “that matters most . . . Failure to achieve it will make every other accomplishment pale by comparison.”

Next, we have set clear goals for the year that move us toward our huge, outrageous target.  

We’re done, right?  

Not so fast, say Mark Moses and his … continue reading