Gary Hamel and Harnessing Everyday Genius

We are big fans of Gary Hamel.  He spoke at a WPO Annual Conference in Chicago back in 2006.  What an event, filled with extraordinary insights, energy and over-the-top learning.

And now Gary is still at it with his high level intellect.  He, along with Michele Zanini, talk about Harnessing Everyday Genius for Harvard Business Review..

The crux of the article:

This workplace alchemy—turning dead-end jobs into get-ahead jobs—doesn’t require new legislation or billions of dollars in public spending. It just takes commitment to building organizations that kindle the spark of everyday genius in each human being.

Read it all, here.

News: WPO Conference Keynote Speaker Gary Hamel

Women Presidents' Organization
"Building Bridges to Opportunity" Conference
Ritz-Carlton Hotel Chicago April 27-29, 2006

We will be spending a great deal of time blogging (and bragging!) about our Chicago conference which is poised to exceed expectations by empowering and educating all who attend. However, you cannot attend this special event unless you are a woman business owner who runs a million or multi-million-dollar business! You do? That's great, then sign up here.

What's so special about WPO conferences? Plenty but first, let's focus on what a Chicago WPO member had to say about one: "Hands down, this is the most important women-centered networking and educational event I participate in every year. You'll walk away with usable information and new relationships you can count on forever.” Can't beat that.

But wait ... that's not all. This time we also have a Wal-Mart keynote address by Gary Hamel (pictured). He is the author of "Leading The Revolution," "Competing for the Future," and Founder of Strategos and the Woodside Institute, is considerd to be one of the most brilliant minds on business strategy, and will open our eyes to a whole new way of looking at our world of business. Find out more about Gary here. And catch our news release here.

More information forthcoming on the other two spectacular keynote speakers ...

Article of Interest: New Breed of Business Gurus Rises

On May 6th, we sent out the following message privately to all WPO Chicago members:

Many of you participated in the WPO annual conference in Chicago 2006 when we had Gary Hamel as our keynote speaker. According to yesterday's WSJ article he continues to be ranked No. 1 as an author, consultant and key influential business thinker.

And for those who had the opportunity to attend this year's conference in Boston with Malcolm Gladwell, he's featured as No. 4 on the list.

The question becomes and the article points this out ... where are the women?

Afterwards, I followed up with the author of the article, Erin White, and mentioned how I had the great privilege of listening to Gary Hamel, Jim Collins and Malcolm Gladwell at WPO annual conferences over the past three years and that I am glad she asked the question, where are the women? I ended my message with "please remember my name" for perhaps some day I might be a part of the list (gutsy, I know).

I think we should all strive to make the A-list of business gurus, don't you?

This morning (5/10), I received an email from the top publicist at Babson College asking me if I care to comment on a professor's post regarding the same article.

Anyone else care to weigh in?

P.S. Rosabeth M. Kanter (pictured) is the only woman who made the list in 2003.

NOTE: Added 5/19/08:
The Dearth of Female "Management Gurus"

Article of Interest: What Matters to Organizations Now

Our friend and colleague, Gary Hamel, has a new book out: What Matters Now (pictured). It is a series of interconnected essays that focus on five key themes beginning with values, which have nearly wilted away in the business world.

He worries that unless there is a moral renaissance, recent lapses will lead to an increased regulatory burden.

Read the entire article to find out what else is on Gary Hamel's great mind.

Hint: Check out this insight of his:

“Unlike Apple, most companies are long on accountants and short on artists. They are run by executives who know everything about cost and next to nothing about value,” he warns.

Article of Interest: How to Breed a Management Rebel

Good stuff from our friend and colleague Gary Hamel (pictured). 

Inventing Management 2.0

In it, he talks about busting bureaucratic practices and discovering new ways of motivating, organizing, compensating and goal setting.  For example, does this sound anything close to how you currently run your business?

... the management model found in your organization most likely over-weights the views of senior executives, undervalues unconventional thinking, discourages full transparency, deters initiative, frustrates experimentation and encourages an entirely unwarranted reverence for precedence. In so doing, Management 1.0 squanders the leadership talents of just about everyone apart from the CEO.

Find out how you might become a management (Presidential) rebel here.  Go ahead:  shake it up! 

Note:  Gary Hamel was the keynote speaker for our WPO Conference 2006 in Chicago.

Posted by:  Women Presidents' Organization Chicago

Book of Interest: The Future of Management

In "The Future of Management," a book due to be published this autumn by Gary Hamel, our keynote speaker at our WPO Chicago 2006 Conference, he argues that Google's innovations go beyond the fine points of search-engine algorithms -- extending into big, enduring aspects of general management. He believes that Google is committed to building a company that can evolve as fast as the Web.

What do you think?

In the meantime, check out a couple of highlights from the book description on Amazon:

Hamel explains how to turn your company into a serial management innovator, revealing:

• The make-or-break challenges that will determine competitive success in an age of relentless, head-snapping change.
• The toxic effects of traditional management beliefs.
• The unconventional management practices generating breakthrough results in “modern management pioneers.”
• The radical principles that will need to become part of every company’s “management DNA.”
• The steps your company can take now to build your “management advantage.”

Looks like we have to wait until September 10 to find out what else Gary has to say on the hot topic of serial management innovator.

And just in ... (8/24/07) ... a hat tip to Danielle Scott (see her comment below), Associate Editor, Graziadio Business Report, Graziadio School of Business and Management for letting us know that leadership guru Bob Fulmer posted a review of the Future of Management in the Graziadio Business Report's fall issue. You can find it here.

Sound Advice: Is Innovation Everything?

In case you missed it, Harvard Business Review announced the 2006 McKinsey Award winners and our keynote speaker at last year's WPO conference in Chicago -- Gary Hamel -- is a winner! Read more here and then visit John Hagel's blog for a commentary on Gary's contribution.

Gary's article in HBR, "The Why, What, and How of Management Innovation," is a available for purchase online.

Book of Interest: Confidence

Throughout the year, I've tried to read at least one good business book a month and this month it is "Confidence:  How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End" (2004) by Rosabeth M. Kanter, who holds the Ernest L. Arbuckle Professorship at Harvard Business School.

Professor Kanter is in the upper crust of great minds such as Jim Collins, Gary Hamel, Peter Senge and Clayton Christensen.  Reading nearly every book she has ever authored, I will never understand why she is not on the best seller list more often. 

But to "Confidence."  If you want to know why some people and organizations always seem to land on their feet, while others, equally gifted, stumble again and again, then this book is for you.  I highly recommend it.  It's well-written, well-researched and will help you win in any global game you're playing.

From Amazon book review:

Rosabeth Moss Kanter will convince you that the goal of winning is not losing two times in a row. In her view, success and failure are not events, they are self-fulfilling tendencies. "Confidence is the sweet spot between arrogance and despair--consisting of positive expectations for favorable outcomes."

Meanwhile, learn what another entrepreneur thinks of the book and how it rang true to him as he rides out his own firm's recent acquisition of a troubled firm and what he did to turn things around.

Sound Advice: Management Innovation

Gary Hamel, our keynote speaker for the WPO Chicago Conference 2006, is back bigger and bolder than ever.

Here he talks about twelve noteworthy management innovations from 1900 - 2000. You'll also find a PowerPoint slide toolkit that you can download. If that's not enough, order his recent HBR article that was considered one of the must reads in 2006. And while you are at it, ask yourself this: Are you applying any of the innovation techniques he mentions to your business?

Commentary of interest to those who attended the WPO Chicago conference

Many of you probably missed this because we were well on our way to enjoying the Chicago conference but here's an interesting commentary by our keynote speaker Gary Hamel that was published by the WSJ on April 26, 2006. Click on "Google's novel management system."