Don’t Read This Book; What Strategy Isn’t; Scorecard Sample; Crowdfunding for Dummies

"…out-learning the competition" 

HEADLINES:  

Sample Topgrading Scorecard — superior to a job description, constructing a scorecard
for a position is the first step in the Topgrading hiring process. Toby Jenkins,
CEO of Australia-based

Bluewire Media, has written an excellent
blog on how to construct a Scorecard along with a sample. And he explains
why his team enjoyed doing the process for each of their jobs. REMEMBER:
Certification as a Topgrading
Practioner is available (every company should have one) – the online classes
start this week with private coaching (go at your own pace) – and 50% discount
for additional executives/managers from the same firm wanting to take the
classes together.

What NOT to Read

— the biz world has been a buzz about the former CEO of P&G's new book
Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works (love the title). So I grabbed a copy and dug in this past
weekend. Wow, I couldn't have been more disappointed. It's definitely not a book
for mid-market companies – too vague, too complicated – and it doesn't seem like
P&G really had to make the kinds of tough choices the rest of us mere mortals
have to make. Plus P&G isn't doing so great right now, so whatever they learned
hasn't stuck. The measure of a great CEO is if their predecessor is able to
succeed.

Five Questions

— in turn, I love these five key questions upon which the book is based (my
interpretation in brackets), but I didn't get any real help figuring these out –
there are much better resources, like Bob Bloom's book
Inside Advantage
(best strategy book I've ever read):

1. 
   What is your
   winning aspiration? (BHAG)
2. 
   Where will
   you play? (Sandbox and Core Customer)
3. 
   How will you
   win? (Michael Porter's differentiated "activities")
4. 
   What
   capabilities must be in place? (Key Thrusts/Capabilities)
5. 
   What
   management systems are required? (this is new)

What Strategy Isn't
— and I thought Lafley did a great job of outlining what strategy is NOT –
taken from Fortune's
summary of the book:

• 
  Strategy
  isn't a vision. A vision tells you nothing about how to achieve your goals.
• 
  Strategy
  isn't a plan. That's just a set of tactics. A recent blog post by Martin
  called "Don't
  Let Strategy Become Planning" has gone viral in managerial circles.
• 
  Strategy
  isn't optimizing the status quo. Getting more efficient is always good, but
  it's a far cry from a strategy.
• 
  Strategy
  isn't following best practices. Some managers think getting really good at
  what the best players are already doing is a strategy. No, say Lafley and
  Martin: "It is a recipe for mediocrity."

OK, those were the two good parts. Now go re-read Bob Bloom's book

Inside Advantage.

Crowdfund Investing For Dummies — and a shout out to Sherwood "Woodie" Neiss and his
partners who single handedly pushed through crowdfunding legislation in the US
and just released a book,
Crowdfund Investing for Dummies,
helping entrepreneurs prepare for this funding opportunity to publicly raise up
to $1 million without filing expensive IPO documents. WARNING: the SEC missed
the Dec 31, 2012 deadline for setting the new rules. UGH!

Here's a quick update on the situation.

You Already Know How to be Great — Alan Fine, a top tennis, golf, and executive coach, has
written an excellent book on how to get out of your own way. He's found the
biggest obstacle to improved performance isn't NOT knowing what to do; it's not
doing what you already know. Considered one of the fathers of modern
executive-coaching, Alan has created a one-hour
online course that outlines his GROW model for peak performance (something
he's taught several PGA and Ryder Cup champs as well as top execs at IBM) plus
how to have real faith in your own abilities!! Those that have watched the
course are already raving about it. However, like all our online courses,
there's a full money back guarantee. Watch at your next monthly management
meeting or play in the background as you do email.

India and Australia Growth Summits — I'll be in India next week and Australia the following
week for our Growth Summits. Dates and locations below.