
If “the essence of strategy is choosing what not to do,” as Michael Porter famously said in a seminal HBR article, then the essence of execution is truly not doing it. That sounds simple, but it’s surprisingly hard for organizations to kill existing initiatives, even when they don’t align with new strategies. Instead, leaders keep layering on initiatives, which can lead to severe overload at levels below the executive team.
IMD Professor Michael D. Watkins, along with Rose Hollister, recently carried out research for the article, Too Many Projects. Their research indicated the seven causes of initiative overload, as well as provided a step-by-step process to guide leaders.
In this new IMD Research and Knowledge video series, IMD faculty explore the surprising results from recently-published influential, research-based articles, and spell out the main learning points for business leaders.
If you think your organization is taking on too many initiatives and suffering as a result, you are almost certainly right.
Watch the video and find out what you can do about it.
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
IMD faculty recommend non-fiction books on corporate scandals, building high-performing teams, learning from history, a biography of a leader, and the hidden cost of AI
Discover five lessons on building range as a leader, developing non-linear leadership capabilities that drive innovation and agility at Sanofi and beyond.
Networking is vital for career advancement, yet women still face unique challenges when building professional relationships.
Caspar Herzberg of Aveva explains how breaking down data silos and fostering “radical collaboration” can boost industrial efficiency, resilience, and trust.
But clinical psychologist Ingrid Clayton identifies a fourth survival strategy lurking in your neural circuitry that most leadership training misses – and it might be sabotaging your effectiveness.
Longevity is reshaping careers and leadership as lifespans rise. Anna Erat explains why organizations must redesign roles, skills and workforce strategy for the future.
IMD’s Zhike Lei interviews former Novo Nordisk R&D head Marcus Schindler on balancing delivery and discovery, building AI-ready teams, and leading innovation up
Academic institutions face unprecedented complexity from technological change, evolving funding models, diverse stakeholder demands and pressure to demonstrate societal impact. Traditional strategic planning – periodic exercises that typically yie...
On paper, everything with the project looked fine. Deadlines were being met, the work was on track, and meetings ran efficiently. But beneath the surface, this high-performing manager told us, “I was holding it together on the outside, yet inside,...
In The Confidence Myth, Ginka Toegel reveals how women leaders can communicate with confidence and authority by replacing tentative speech with direct, powerful language for stronger impact.
in I by IMD
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in I by IMD
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in I by IMD
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in I by IMD
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications