Guiding Growth: How Vision Keeps Companies on Course - Hardcover

Lipton, Mark

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1578517060 ISBN 13: 9781578517060

Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press, 2003

Synopsis

When it comes to sustained success, vision matters more than strategy. Scores of studies have proven this statement, and millions of business leaders believe it. Yet few executives understand what vision is. They embrace the idea, but ignore the implementation - a disconnect that threatens companies striving for growth in a volatile marketplace. Organizational expert Mark Lipton argues that this "believing-doing" gap exists because today's fast-paced world demands short-term fixes-pressuring executives to make tactical decisions that ultimately create larger strategic problems down the road. But Lipton shows that vision has more substance than leaders think-and that it is an essential factor in building scalable organizations that last for the long haul.Based on extensive research and real-world consulting work with executives implementing the scaling process, "Guiding Growth" provides fresh examples of established and new firms that have developed powerful growth visions. Moving beyond token 'mission statements', Lipton outlines a step-by-step process for establishing an actionable vision, presenting it to the company, and embedding it into the organizational fabric. Illustrating how visions become guiding forces for day-to-day behaviour and overall company direction, "Guiding Growth" reveals how companies can stay their course, even as they grow.Mark Lipton is Founder of the consulting firm Lipton & Co., which specializes in organizational growth. He is Professor of Management and Chair, Human Resources Management and Organizational Change Management at the Milano Graduate School, New School University, in New York City.

About this title

About the Author:

Mark Lipton is Founder of the consulting firm Lipton & Co., which specializes in organizational growth. He is Professor of Management and Chair, Human Resources Management and Organizational Change Management at the Milano Graduate School, New School University, in New York City.

From Publishers Weekly:

Corporate "vision" is one of management theory's less coherent concepts, and this ambitious study attempts to make it a little clearer. Lipton, a management professor and founder of an eponymous consulting firm, argues that growing companies require a vision-a "precise idea of their raison d'etre, strategy and values" that is both inspiring and concrete enough to guide action. His aim herein is to give readers the "nitty-gritty details" of formulating and implementing such a vision. Despite flowcharts, checklists and planning exercises, however, Lipton draws his "vision development process" in strokes that some readers will find too broad-e.g., a company's vision should "describe a future that is more attractive than the present," and its leaders should recognize that diverse viewpoints and debate are essential to vision development. The exemplary vision statements Lipton cites are either blandly generic ("Satisfying all of our stakeholders and achieving our standards is our goal") or spicily generic ("Involve agile, kick-butt teams to strategize, execute, & improve process"). Lipton also covers familiar but laudable ideas from what might be termed the "human potential" school of management, which emphasizes the nurturing of employees' talents and commitment. Drawing on brief case studies of firms like Continental Airlines, 3M, and sportswear maker Oakley (which rewarded one talented worker with a puppy), Lipton encourages businesses to loosen rigid hierarchies, promote egalitarianism, give workers permission to innovate, pay decent wages, avoid layoffs and foster an "almost cult-like" organizational culture. The enthusiastic theorizing about vision may get a bit tiresome, but managers and entrepreneurs will still find much to reflect upon here.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1578517060
• ISBN 13: 9781578517060
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288