How to Succeed Without Being the Smartest Person in the Room

Jeanne Ross

Traditionally, many management roles have involved defining individual tasks and specific processes for completing them. Today, leaders need three very different management approaches, particularly as they rely more on empowered teams. Instead of defining jobs, they need to be establishing missions. Instead of making decisions, they need to be facilitating decisions. And instead of allocating resources, they need to be eliminating obstacles.

How to Lead Effective Cross-Functional Teams

Chad Dyar

Getting buy-in on a large digital transformation project is hard enough when it’s happening within an existing team. Managing a cross-functional project that requires contributions from multiple units is an even bigger challenge — but it can be done effectively if project leaders focus on three key steps.

How Business Ecosystems Rise (and Often Fall)

Frontiers |

Martin Reeves et al.

It’s tempting to look at high-profile business ecosystems and assume that the model is a reliable formula for success. In fact, many ecosystems never earn a significant market share, and only about 15% dominate their markets over time. An analysis shows that most share a common life cycle, with several critical windows along the way. For management, the key is understanding these windows and adjusting the company’s strategy over time to meet the unique requirements of each.

The Myths and Realities of Business Ecosystems

Frontiers |

Jack Fuller et al.

The rise of ecosystems requires a new way of thinking about business: the ecosystems perspective. If we can describe this unique perspective, and clear up the myths and confusions surrounding the use of the term, we position ourselves to design strategy effectively in ecosystems.