Tag Archives: Turnaround

Why do we look for the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval? When Berkshire Hathaway takes a position in a company, why do we believe that this is a fundamentally good company, even if it is underperforming? It’s simple – Reputation, with a capital R.

Throughout the centuries, great thinkers and leaders have talked about it. Yet reputation remains an elusive, amorphous concept that called to mind that famous Supreme Court reference to pornography – it’s difficult to define but you know it when you see it.
 

CEO is the Jedi-Master of Culture
August 2, 2010

I read this piece in HBR last week about the role of the CEO in creating and advancing culture. And I agree wholeheartedly with much of what Robbins says about the CEO’s involvement being the single biggest driver of culture, particularly for entrepreneurial organizations.

But I don’t agree at ALL with his premise that once formed, cultures can’t be changed.

I do a lot of work with companies in turnaround mode….where loss of culture or change of culture is often a key factor in the decline of a business….and where changing culture positively enables the success and in some cases, the very future of the organization.

If you read about the textbook turnarounds – Continental Airlines, Nissan, ODSI – all credit culture change as critical drivers of their success.

I often say that the CEO is like the Jedi Master of Reputation. The same is true for culture.

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