Two Critical Challenges to Effective Business AI Artificial Intelligence can have a powerful impact on business, but two major challenges make implementation critical and difficult: Getting the target right Getting the process right The problem is that these challenges are rooted in pervasive, thorny management issues, and many AI initiatives focus largely on its technical [...]

The Unlikely Profit Heroes In Your Company A few years ago, I was invited to attend the year-end operating review of a major company. The vice presidents were seated around a large mahogany table, with the president at the table’s head. One-by-one, the VPs said, “I made budget.” Finally, the president looked at the group [...]

How to Calculate Risk Based on Where Your Profits Come From If most midsize companies have a formal risk management process, why did so many fail even in pre-pandemic years? The problem is that risk heat maps—many companies’ primary tool for assessing risk—have fatal deficiencies. The risk heat map process looks at big, blunt risks [...]

A New Manager ’ s Game Plan For The First 100 Days A manager’s first 100 days in a new position is one of the most critical periods in his or her career, and this is especially important for top managers (e.g., C-Suite managers and strategic business unit—or SBU—heads). In this short, intense period, effective [...]