Strategic Invention Points, SIPs, are an creation of former CEO and Founder of Intel’s Andrew Grove. SIPs are not always easy to spot, but you can’t hide from them. Intel’s first SIP was when the Japanese started producing better-quality, low-cost memory chips. It took Intel three years and huge losses to recognize, to rethink and to reposition the company to become, once again, leader in its field.
Since the mid-1980s we are active in the implementation processes of strategic intelligence as well as with our international master class at numerous companies across the world. Combined with our publications of six books on strategic intelligence since the year 2000 and the execution of over 75 International Master Classes, we are proud to be recognized as one of the premier strategy & strategic intelligence firms in Europe. The creation of new positions nearby the boardroom such as ‘Vice President of Future Disasters’, ‘Head of AARs’, SEALS Teams and ‘Corporate Radar Rooms’ are for us the so-called “icings on the cake”.
Narcissism is widespread at the top in both private and public companies as well as in non-profit organizations and the public sector. Narcissism is a necessary element for effective leadership, but it can, however, also become a negative trait. So we may therefore speak about positive and destructive narcissism. Examples to be emulated are Steve Jobs (Apple), Michael Eisner (Walt Disney), Jack Welch (GE), Ingvard Kamprad (IKEA), Henri Ford (Ford Motor Company), Freddie Heineken (Heineken) and Richard Branson (Virgin).
In the fall of 2015, we published our book “Big Boys Big Egos and Strategic Intelligence”, the fifth book in a row on business-, competitive- and strategic intelligence since 2000. Scientific research on narcissism lies at the basis of this book, which is based on a sample of 950 CEOs of the S&P top-500 companies during the period 1992-2009.
The majority of leaders in our organizations and in politics do not like these contrarians. However, we desperately need such people in our organizations. It is interesting to see Cesare Mainardi’s research on ‘losers’ and ‘winners’ such as Amazon, Apple, IKEA, Haier, Natura and Starbucks.
In the previous post “Companies compete in arenas, not in sectors of industry” we explained how crucial it is to go beyond an industry analysis towards analyses of arenas. This means it is no longer enough to look at the industry sector in which your company competes. A further step Is required, namely conducting an analysis of the ‘competitive arena’.