Archive for January, 2008

 

By Michael Kanazawa

Just yesterday I received an email from our publisher that our first book review on BIG Ideas to BIG Results had come in. As I clicked the email link to read the review I felt like Charlie as he unwrapped that last chocolate bar, hoping so much to see the golden ticket enclosed. But for me the golden ticket would be positive words, encouragements, and appreciation for the book. We got it!

Now I know it is just the first one and there may be others that aren’t so golden. But it’s great to start with a check in the win column for sure and coming from the main source that people in the publishing world read, that means a lot to me. Here is the review…

Publisher’s Weekly: January 28, 2008

Big Ideas to Big Results: Remake and Recharge Your Company, Fast
Michael T Kanazawa and Robert H. Miles. Pearson/FTPress, $27.95 (256p) ISBN 978-0-13-234478-4.

“It takes more than a vision to launch a successful corporate strategy. It takes engagement on the part of employees at all levels. Establishing such engagement is at the heart of this punchy, dynamic book by Kanazawa and Miles—the CEO and chairman, respectively, of DisseroPartners, a strategic advisory firm. Fewer than half of employees, according to a quoted poll, understand their company’s strategic goals and only 43% think there is ever any follow-through on planned strategy shifts. This is why, the authors assert, so many corporate initiatives fail. After seeing the process break down countless times, Kanazawa and Miles developed a step-by-step guide to harnessing the energy that companies usually waste when introducing initiatives. By creating more of a “buy-in” throughout the organization and ensuring execution through accountability, employees become committed to company goals, they claim. Their clear and hands-on approach is useful for anyone whose livelihood is tied to the successful execution of business initiatives. (Mar.)”

As a second set of wins for us, I think we also may have the only book that has received advance praise from CEO’s of F500 companies, CFOs, executives of operations, HR, marketing, IT, and strategy, Harvard Business School professors, and private equity investors, including a partner at Kleiner Perkins Kaufiled and Byers. It demonstrates that we have a book that will help you make money, grow your business, is academically sound, operationally practical, and good for start ups and large companies alike.

Bob and I are very excited about the launch of the new book and hope you can share in that with us by following along and contributing to this blog and of course…here comes the shameless plug… buy the book. It is available now for pre-purchase on Amazon and B&N and will be shipping in February. Also, if you would like a signed book with an additional video, still at a discounted price, we have an exclusive special with 800CEORead (ask for Jon Mueller at 800-CEO-READ), and orders must be for multiple books and completed before Feb 19, 2008.

Michael Kanazawa: chief executive of Dissero Partners, co-author of BIG Ideas to BIG Results
If you would like me to speak at your company or association, please contact the BrightSight Group

Note: Image from CNN.com

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By Michael Kanazawa

Some people think the blog world is all give and take, as in I don’t ‘give‘ a _______ about this and ‘take‘ this and ________.

Well, it is about sharing opinions, but it’s not about ranting. What makes blogging interesting is knowing the people behind the comments they make. You don’t see the disclaimer ”these views are not representative of this blog, the management of the blog or any affiliates therof.” Owning your comments as an individual is what makes blogs different and unique.

So, I just got tagged by Phil Gerbyshak, from Slacker Manager with a game going around the blogging community where you are asked to share six things that people don’t know about you. It’s a push to share something new about yoursef and then you get to “tag” three more bloggers.

Six things on me…

1) One of my early management  jobs put me in cubicle 4S450N (doesn’t that just feel inspiring), just down the hall from cubicle 4S750R, the home of Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert. It was a real learning opportunity for sure! 

2) Sailing in the SF Bay is rough and cold, and for all of my sailing friends in the Bay Area, I say “bring it on,” give me 20 knots, chop and sea spray any day. Although I confess here that I really enjoy a long smooth broad reach off of Malibu with warm weather, a gentle breeze, long rolling waves, and the Eagles on the cockpit speakers. 

3) Playing rock guitar has been a life long passion. Rock On!

4) My kids and I have made a few really silly movies using their stuffed animals, stop-motion and our voice overs for filming…but we haven’t had the nerve to put them up on YouTube (yet).

5) My name gets misspelled all the time.My favorite was in Germany where the hotel staff were expecting a German man by the name of Mike Kanesauer (as opposed to Kanazawa) and were quite surprised when I arrived

6) I have a son who just started high school and the song that played at my high school graduation was from Styx. No need to do the math.

Now, as to the rules of this game: You must:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag at least three people at the end of your post and link to their blogs.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So my next three are:

The Daily Challenges of an Entrepreneur

Guy Kawasaki - How to Change the World

Rajesh Setty - Life Beyond Code

And one I’d love to see personally…

Scott Adams - The Dilbert Blog 

(note: picture from www.dolphinlandings.com)

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By: Michael Kanazawa

Sometimes the Biggest Ideas are the smallest things. Quiznos is in the midst of a major turnaround under the leadership of veteran turnaround CEO Greg Brenneman. Reviving the growth and profits of a 5,200 chain restaurant certainly qualifies for a BIG Idea to BIG Results transformation.

What is Brenneman’s answer to this challenge? Go smaller.

Quiznos has been steadily slimming the menu that had grown overly complex with too many choices of sandwiches, specials, sizes, and coupon deals. That complexity was driving up food costs and slowing down operations. There can be real costs to going too big.

They also just launched an innovative new product called the Sammie. The new sandwich is a flatbread snack that looks like a taco, but is filled with meats and vegetables. For some who are familiar, it is really like a Gyro (Greek sandwich), but with deli fillings. The new sandwich is small and comes at a smaller price than their other menu options at just $2.00. This will give them a BIG boost with an innovative product into the value-conscious snack buyers. And rather than just creating a low-end, cheap knock-off version of their famous toasted sandwich priced at $3.99 rather than $4.57, they truly created a new product to meet customer needs for a convenient and well priced snack. (more…)

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By Michael Kanazawa

Remember when you used to dream about what wishes you would make if a genie showed up? Wasn’t the first one always, “I wish I had 1,000 more wishes.” That is absolutely the best one you could ever make, right?

On top of all New Year’s resolutions lists is there an equivalent must-have item? No, it’s not to get yourself a Wii. Here is our suggestion…

#1)  Turn my Big Ideas into Big Results

New Year’s resolutions, company priorities, strategic imperatives and operating goals are all just lists of things to get done. But even as we create those lists at the beginning of each year, are we really committed to seeing them through? Promise to make your big ideas into big results first, then whatever you put on your list after that will get done. You will produce results, which is really the only reason for making a list in the first place.

Go ahead and put that resuloution on your list, but now how will you follow through? This year we have just the thing to help. As you work through setting goals and direction for yourself, your team, your division or your company, the new book BIG Ideas to BIG Results (FT Press/Pearson Hall) is just what you need to ensure you have the streamlined process, tools and knowledge to follow through and drive results.

Bob and I wrote this book based on our years of experience in helping leaders through the challenges of taking charge, focusing companies for dramatic growth, and engaging their organizations for breakthrough results. Our desire in writing the book was to bring valuable solutions, that were once only available through the Harvard Business School MOE program and then only to top executives at global companies, into the hands of leaders at all levels in all types of companies. 

We’re looking forward to having a great 2008 with you! No matter what your aspirations for 2008, if you make turning your Big Ideas into Big Results your number one commitment, you’ll be sure to see success on all your other commitments throughout the year.

Photo source: www.timessquarenyc.org

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