Crucial Crossroads for Top Leaders and Companies

Declining confidence in Apple

It wasn't too long ago that Apple was #1 in market cap in the world. Several months after Steve Jobs' death, his company was flying higher than ever. But its stock has been declining steadily, and its competitive grip is loosening.

Reference:  Google's Five-Front Assault on Apple.

Apple's first logo features Sir Isaac Newton sitting under the apple tree, where he supposedly discovered gravity, when an apple fell on his head

Reinventing IBM for the future

This video is just a 8-minute trailer to entire IBM Think Forum in Japan (2012), and it's chock full of key insights. For example, Chairman Sam Palmisano says, "The first job of a leader is enable the organization succeed without him or her." This is one hallmark of a great leader, as Jim Collins found in his research, that is, one who engenders long-term, sustainable success for a company, long after he or she has left. This is just one gem in this trailer. Please feel free to watch the whole playlist, as if you were attending the Forum itself.

Marketing RIM to a turnaround

This is a question mark.  Frank Boulben, new CMO at RIM, is plugged-in (i.e., knows his stuff), steely in his demeanor, and clearly confident about turning around a failing brand. All well and good, but marketing wasn't the core issue with BlackBerry. It was delivery (delays) and operations (blackouts), plus leadership and innovation issues. I used a BB before, and I'm using an iPhone now. Honestly I loved the feel and functionality of my BB, but the foregoing problems steered me away.

Ascending at Warner Bros.

Kevin Tsujihara is tapped to be the next CEO of Warner Bros. He is viewed as having a humble, unifying leadership style, which will be of critical need, as he and two colleagues vied fiercely for the top post.

Reference:  Kevin Tsujihara is named CEO of Warner Bros.

Kevin Tsujihara

Pushing Sony

This is a very understandable business effort, from an American standpoint, but I imagine billionaire investor Dan Loeb understands what he's up against in Sony and its Japanese culture and political environment. Does he know something the rest of us don't? Is he maneuvering something other than, or in addition to, reforms at Sony?

Reference:  Despite Obstacles, Dan Loeb Keeps Pushing Sony.

Dan Loeb

Partnering with Goldman Sachs

Commercial effectiveness. Entrepreneurial skills. Culture and values. You must shine in these areas, more so than others and most in particular in commercial effectiveness. The upcoming announcement of new partners will give us, on-lookers, a glimpse of how Goldman Sachs views its future. Which, I imagine, will be glimpse into our future as well.

Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think!  Also, if you'd like a PDF of this article, please e-mail me at Ron.Villejo@ronvillejoconsulting.com.

Ron Villejo, PhD