by Stuart Cross | Nov 26, 2021 | Business Rocks
All management decisions are either about the past or the future. Decisions about the past are focused on understanding and fixing problems. Your time is spent working out what’s happened, how it happened and what needs to be done to fix the issue, or at least limit...
by Stuart Cross | Nov 24, 2021 | Strategy
Innovation is more important to business success than ever. Shortening product lifecycles, the pace of technological breakthroughs and global competition have served to place a premium on companies that can innovate. Yet, while 80% of business leaders say that...
by Stuart Cross | Nov 19, 2021 | Business Rocks
Back in 2012, I wrote this Business Rocks post when HS2, the high-speed rail link between London and the North of England, was first proposed: A new £16 billion high-speed rail link between London and Birmingham (HS2) has been proposed by the government. The...
by Stuart Cross | Nov 17, 2021 | Strategy
Ten years ago, I published my first book, The CEO’s Strategy Handbook. I wanted to write a practical guide on strategy for business leaders, enabling them to lead their teams and organisations to a better, more successful future. As part of the research for the book,...
by Stuart Cross | Nov 12, 2021 | Business Rocks
Decision-making is a key task of any executive team. It can easily consume one-third or more of senior executives’ time. Yet, in a recent McKinsey survey, over 60% of executives said that most of their decision-making time is used ineffectively. The truth is that in...
by Stuart Cross | Nov 10, 2021 | Growth
When I was younger I used to ski quite regularly on the Scottish Cairngorms. Each morning I would check the weather, knowing that the slightest hint of a breeze down in the glen would mean that a gale would be blowing on the exposed mountaintop. Executive alignment is...
by Stuart Cross | Nov 5, 2021 | Business Rocks
As a result of my three sons loving the sport, I’ve recently revived my sporadic interest in golf. This time I’ve decided to get some lessons so that I’m finally able to swing the club in something like an organised way. I’ve had three lessons so far and the...
by Stuart Cross | Oct 29, 2021 | Business Rocks
Diversity drives better results. Research has shown that teams with highly diverse opinions create three times as many successful innovations as groups with low levels of diversity. Diverse groups are also better at problem-solving and making new ideas real. Many...
by Stuart Cross | Oct 20, 2021 | Strategy
A prospect recently asked me to summarise the factors that make the difference between successful and unsuccessful strategies. In my experience, many business leaders can become frustrated that their organisation struggles to deliver a strategy that, in their own...
by Stuart Cross | Oct 15, 2021 | Business Rocks
We have our son’s first parents’ evening of the new school year next week. Pre-Covid (remember then?), this would have involved us arriving late, being confused about where to go and waiting endlessly for other parents to finish their sessions before grabbing 30...
by Stuart Cross | Oct 8, 2021 | Business Rocks
When it comes to finding examples of exciting, high-growth businesses, our immediate thoughts tend to go to the Silicon Valley giants and other hi-tech, digital superstars. Few of us, I’m guessing, would instantly consider a pasty and sausage roll business. Yet,...
by Stuart Cross | Oct 1, 2021 | Business Rocks
Last week, Jimmy Greaves sadly passed away. A footballing legend, Jimmy scored over 350 goals in the old First Division, far more than any other player either before or since, and 44 goals for England in just 57 games. By all accounts he was the greatest natural goal...
by Stuart Cross | Sep 17, 2021 | Business Rocks
Emma Raducanu’s incredible victory in the US Open is the sporting achievement of the year. She is the only person to win a Grand Slam after coming through the pre-tournament qualifying rounds and she never lost a set in the entire competition. Ahead of the final,...
by Stuart Cross | Sep 10, 2021 | Business Rocks
This week I celebrated 15 years as an independent consultant, helping companies to develop better strategies and to accelerate growth. I say ‘celebrated’, but in fact, up until now, I haven’t given it a moment’s thought. Yet, over the past decade and a half I’ve had...
by Stuart Cross | Sep 3, 2021 | Business Rocks, Covid
For many western nations, Covid-19 is starting to transition from being a pandemic to becoming more of an endemic virus. While some governments are still pursuing a zero-Covid strategy, most are trying work out how we can best manage and live with the disease....
by Stuart Cross | Aug 13, 2021 | Business Rocks
Archie, one of our sons, is fastidious about ‘best before’ dates on food items. It drives my wife to distraction that he refuses to consume anything that is even one minute beyond the date on the package. As someone who has moved house with Corn Flakes that are five...
by Stuart Cross | Aug 6, 2021 | Business Rocks
Two weeks ago, just before the opening ceremony, I told my wife that I had no real interest in this year’s Olympic Games. The lack of crowds, in particular, I felt, would limit its excitement and appeal. Within 24 hours, however, I found myself waking up at 5am to...
by Stuart Cross | Jul 23, 2021 | Business Rocks
When I’m agreeing the objectives and scope of projects with my clients, I’m not just focused on the business objectives. I also try to understand the personal objectives that lie behind my buyer’s stated business goals. While their declared aims may be rational and...
by Stuart Cross | Jul 9, 2021 | Business Rocks
For the first time since 1966, the England men’s football team have reached the final of a major championship. Unsurprisingly, Gareth Southgate, the manager, is receiving a lot of attention. Like most managers, most of the focus is on the things that can be easily...
by Stuart Cross | Jul 2, 2021 | Business Rocks
The hardest part of strategy is not coming up with ideas. That’s easy, everyone can do it. No, the hardest part is choosing not to do something. The hardest part is prioritizing. Every time you prioritize, you’re saying ‘no’ to a good idea. You are potentially missing...
