Insight Index – Page 38

JIM’S INSIGHTS

Futurist Jim Carroll has quickly become recognized as your ‘go-to source’ for effective insight on what comes next, the strategies that you consider, and the leadership path you need to follow.

Video clip — where’s the opportunity? Where’s the growth?

Given the rapid pace of global economic developments in the fall of 2008, it’s interesting that the number of organizations bringing me in for a leadership or management event has increased. That’s because, despite perilous economic times, CEO’s in a variety of industries are working hard to ensure that their organization stays focused on growth. […]

Innovation – act fast – empower people!

Empowering staff and partners to make quick decisions is an essential component of innovating in the high-velocity economy. Particularly given that right now, optics are really important. RBC Plaza’s Grand Opening is on, but, Um, About Those Sky Divers … (from iStockAnalyst) Oct. 2–RALEIGH — A big building calls for a big celebration. But when […]

100 Days of Innovation – Get Out in Front

The last few weeks have seen a variety of keynotes for leadership meetings — for a telecom company, food services organization, commercial real estate & property management firm, among others. These have involved audiences from 250+ to 800+ executives. Obviously, the economy weighs heavily into my observations on stage, and in the questions in the […]

Freeze, innovate or panic? Innovation strategies for RIGHT NOW

Given the rapid pace of global economic developments, organizations are faced with a pretty stark choice. The CEO of a company that is having me speak to an upcoming leadership meeting stated it this way: their choice going forward is to : Freeze: do nothing Innovate: respond to rapid market change through innovation, particularly with […]

Being an optimist: a keynote on economic development

So I’m in an airport, on my way to keynote a conference on economic development. And of course, I saw the latest news on the ‘bailout’, and the plunge in the Dow. And so I went to look up the definition of being an optimist, to reassure myself: Optimist: 1. One who usually expects a […]

Interview – “Is it time to panic?”

The CBC contacted me for my thoughts on the events this week, and in particular, the impact on the Canadian economy. They invited folks to write in with their questions. As you can see, many people are worried about the safety of their investments. I take the first question — about whether there is a […]

Financial meltdown? Or environmentally responsible reporting?

I don’t want to distract from the seriousness of the events unfolding on Wall Street, but check out these headlines: American banks face financial meltdown if their reforms fail. Mortage Meltdown! Bloody and Bowed — Money Managers Remain Badly Shaken by the Meltdown. Market Cap Meltdown — Billions in Blue Chip Stock Values Have Been […]

7 Things to Do Right Now As the Upturn Begins!

I’m often providing detailed strategic guidance to senior executives and leaders on trends and the future, and certainly the economy has become a big part of what I address today. Much of my time is spent putting into perspective the fact that we’ve always had downturns; there’s still plenty of growth opportunities out there; innovation […]

High velocity globalization – massive markets, major trends

I’m hitting the ground running this week, with an opening keynote presentation for a global legal firm, who are holding their annual shareholders / partners conference in Las Vegas. I’ve got about 800 commercial lawyers in the room; many of whom are experts in very specific niches involving real estate, financial deals, intellectual property, commercial […]

Transitioning the global economy

There are a zillion fast, zippy cool trends out there. And then, there are the big, sweeping, massive transformative trends that change entire economies. I just finished writing an article for an executive publcation. Here’s one reality I pointed out: at a fundamental level, we are witnessing a massive global leveling of wealth throughout the […]

After flat? Rethink strategies and go post-flat!

As some economies continue to experience rounds of volatility, there are still plenty trying to figure out what to do next. And there are a many who are focused on the theme of “what do we do after the world has gone flat?” In the “post-flat” world, you need to change your focus. In an […]

Financial industry innovation – change the game!

Here’s something to think about: we are going to see $12 to $18 trillion in intergenerational wealth transfer in the next 12 years in North America. (US GDP is $12 trillion). By 2053, $130 trillion will have moved from one generation to the next, in rolling waves of wealth transfer. All this will involve monies […]

If I ran your company, here’s what I would do!

Supertramp — a band from the 80’s — had a minor hit with the song “On the Long Way Home,” which featured the memorable line, the line, “when you’re up on the stage, it’s so unbelievable.” It is, quite. And when you’re up there, you realize how lucky you are to be able to share […]

Led Zeppelin Leadership: How do you innovate when you’re dazed and confused ….

At a particular keynote last week, I met a number of senior executives who certainly agreed with my message – we need to constantly realign our company to the reality of change that surrounds it. That’s where innovation comes from. But they also also indicated that they found it increasingly difficult to keep up with […]

Leadership insight: study air guitar!

My blog posting ten days ago (a “Memo to the CEO”) stirred up quite a bit of interest and response. In the item, I noted that the most important thing CEO’s “can do *right now*, as you work to navigate your way through the challenging economic shoals that surround you, is to make sure that […]

A memo to the CEO: Innovation matters more than ever

Memo To: CEO’s worldwide, (particularly in the financial sector) From: Jim Carroll ————————- I know things are extremely busy, particularly given our economic climate, but I think there’s a key issue that you need to make sure is on your agenda. The most important thing that you can do *right now*, as you work to […]

Innovating in a flat world – the jewelry industry

I keynoted the 2008 Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America Expo New York yesterday, on the theme of “”How to Unlock Your Potential in the High Velocity Economy.” Just about a week from now, Dubai will hold a similar event. The challenge for the AJMA members is that they now find themselves in a world […]

Where’s the growth?

Gloom has set in on global markets. Volatility rages. Some organizations have gone into a mode of “aggressive indecision,” deferring action while they try to ﬁgure out “what comes next.” A pretty lousy strategy that is doomed to fail in the longer term. Future oriented leaders understand the reality of growth. They know that we […]

High velocity leadership: how to stay focused on growth

Organizations today are looking for deep insight into the trends that will affect their markets and industries. CEO’s are focused on the need for innovation, knowing that a world of high velocity change requires that they respond to opportunity and challenge in an instant. They are looking for guidance on establishing high-performance, innovation oriented teams […]

Leading in turbulent times: how to innovate during the recession!

Even as news and financial pundits endlessly debate the question, let’s face reality: the US economy is in a recession. Given this reality, the key question going forward is: what do you do now to ensure that you remain innovative, competitive, and forward-oriented? Innovate for the upturn! That’s the key message I focused on with […]

What do innovative organizations do?

One of my recent keynotes for a global organization focused on the issue of high-velocity change. No matter who you are and what you do, there are certain realities: your markets, customer expectations, competitors, cost structure and business model continues to change really, really fast, and will continue to do so. This little video clip […]

Credit Suisse Bulletin: Success Comes to Those Who Evolve

Credit Suisse, headquartered in Zurich, is global financial powerhouse operating in 50 countries; 48,000+ employees, assets of $75 billion US, and net assets under management of $1.345 trillion. They’ve just released their 2008 Bulletin magazine, a publication provided to key investment banking, private banking and asset management clients worldwide. They’ve include a fairly lengthy Q&A […]

Which way forward? An economic interview with Jim Carroll

Jim Carroll is frequently approached by global news organizations to comment on economic issues. He was recently interviewed by the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) for his perspective on how the Canadian economy will be impacted by recent global events. This document summarizes key components of the interview. The interview includes a variety of topics, including […]

Innovating locally in a global economy

I spent the day yesterday with management executives and store owners of DoItBest, one of the largest US hardware retailers. It’s a fascinating organization, because in the midst of the current economic challenges in the US, it’s managed to grow its profit at the same time that it saw a dramatic revenue decline. As with […]