February 2010

The Path Back

Recovery is happening. Global business is on its feet and moving forward robustly in a few places, erratically in others, barely at all elsewhere—but moving. It is entering, however, an altered landscape, changed by the length and severity of the recession. CEOs have new realities to confront: More likely to be promoted from within, less likely to be board chairman as well as chief executive, they will need to rethink their agendas accordingly. Some industries—financial services more than any other—will be dramatically reshaped not just by the economic consequences of the crisis but by its regulatory aftermath. More and more China—which is spearheading global growth--is becoming not just the source of competition, but also the font of sales. In addition, CEOs and the companies they lead face new pressure to move beyond mere compliance with environmental regulation, to a place where sustainability and strategy are one and the same, and woven into the company's capability system.

It's uniquely the job of a leader—your job—to listen to the many demands on your attention and your energy; to sort through them and weigh them; and to chart the path that will take you were you want to be. I hope you'll find some guidance in the documents I've selected below, highlights of recent thinking from my colleagues at Booz & Company.

Best regards,

Tom Stewart
Chief Marketing & Knowledge Officer

Thinking Ahead

Lessons from the Trenches for New CEOs: Separating Myths from Game Changes by Ken Favaro, Per-Ola Karlsson, Jon Katzenbach, Gary Neils CEOs operate in a new terrain today. Financial and regulatory changes have altered demands on corporate leaders. Boards hold CEOs and their teams more accountable than in the past, and fewer CEOs also hold the position of board chair.download (746kb, PDF) >

Future of Banking: Reappraising Core Capabilities After the Crisis by Vanessa Wallace, Andrew Herrick For all the chaos in the global banking sector since mid-2007, the purpose of banking, the needs of customers, and the core capabilities that drive the strategies of the most successful banks have endured.download (800kb, PDF) >

Shan Zhai: A Chinese Phenomenon by Edward Tse, Kevin Ma, Yu Huang Shan Zhai is becoming a widespread phenomenon in China. Originally used to describe a bandit stronghold outside government control, the term "Shan Zhai" today refers to businesses based on fake or pirated products.download (396kb, PDF) >

Going for Green: A Capabilities Driven Approach to Environmental Opportunity by Richard Kauffeld, Abhishek Malhotra, Susan Higgins Four factors—the demands of consumers, business partners, and regulators; employee enthusiasm; the commercialization of green technology; and the opportunity for top- and bottom-line growth—have created a permanent place for sustainability on the strategic agendas of large companies.download (427kb, PDF) >

More from Booz & Company

The Right Fight Harmony and alignment are not always the best way to get the most out of organizations. Contrary to conventional management wisdom, leaders can unleash creativity, innovation and the productive potential of their employee by strategically employing "right fights", assert Saj-nicole Joni and Damon Beyer the authors of a new Booz & Company leadership book. read more >