“When I have my interview with my God, our conversation will focus on the individuals whose self-esteem I was able to strengthen, whose faith I was able to reinforce, and whose discomfort I was able to assuage—a doer of good, regardless of what assignment I had. These are the metrics of that matter in measuring my life. This realization, which occurred nearly fifteen years ago, guided me every day to seek opportunities to help people in ways tailored to their individual circumstances. My happiness and my sense of worth has been immeasurably improved as a result.” PeopleWayYearsHas BeensSelfMatterHelpingAbleOpportunityIndividualResultsFocusSelf EsteemCircumstancesConversationYears AgoEsteemRealizationInterviewsFifteenDiscomfortAssignmentsMeasuringDoersFifteen YearsMetricsTailored Author:Clayton Christensen
“The whole enterprise of teaching managers is steeped in the ethic of data-driven analytical support. The problem is, the data is only available about the past. So the way weve taught managers to make decisions and consultants to analyze problems condemns them to taking action when its too late.” WayWholeProblemActionPastDecisionSupportTeachingTaughtLateEthicsAvailableDrivenManagersDataEnterpriseToo LateTaking ActionConsultants Author:Clayton Christensen
“In the first stage of insight-building, all that researchers can do is observe phenomena. Second, they classify the phenomena in a way that helps them simplify the apparent complexities of the world so they can ignore the meaningless differences and draw connections between the things that really seem to matter. Third, based on the classification system, they propose a theory. The theory is a statement of what causes what and why, and under what circumstances.” WorldWayFirstsMatterHelpingSeemsCausesCan DoDifferencesStageBuildingTheoryCircumstancesDrawsConnectionsThirdsInsightStatementsComplexityMeaninglessProposeSimplifyResearchersClassification Author:Clayton Christensen
“One reason there are so many short-lived management fads is that their prescriptions were derived and advocated in precisely this way. So managers read about a fad and try it, find that it doesn't work, abandon the effort, and move on to the next thing. In reality, it is usually the case that the faddish prescription was indeed sound advice in certain circumstances, but actually was poor advice in other circumstances.” WayTryingReasonRealityMovingCertainNextSoundPoorEffortCasesAdviceCircumstancesManagementManagersAbandonPrescriptionsFadsShort LivedSound Advice Author:Clayton Christensen
“I've concluded that getting the categories right is an absolutely crucial step to building useful management theory, and unfortunately too few writers do this. You've got to engage in serious scholarship, and then figure out how to write it in a way that lots of people can understand.” PeopleWayWritingStepsFiguresBuildingSeriousTheoryManagementCategoriesCrucialScholarship Author:Clayton Christensen
“How could Digital's collapse be so precipitous? It's because, in many ways, financial performance data is misleading. As you move up to the top of the market, you're getting rid of the less profitable products at the low end and adding business with more attractive margins at the high end. The rate of unit volume growth might be tapering off as you pursue these smaller markets, but your margins actually look better. So Wall Street rewards your stock price until you hit the ceiling.” WayLooksEndsMightMovingGrowthStreetsProductsWallLowsPerformancesRewardsRateFinancialPursueDataAttractiveDigitalCollapseVolumeUnitsProfitableMarginsCeilingsMisleadStock PriceTapering Author:Clayton Christensen
“Disruptive technology is a theory. It says this will happen and this is why; it's a statement of cause and effect. In our teaching we have so exalted the virtues of data-driven decision making that in many ways we condemn managers only to be able to take action after the data is clear and the game is over. In many ways a good theory is more accurate than data. It allows you to see into the future more clearly.” WayHappensAbleActionGamesCausesDecisionTechnologyVirtueClearTeachingEffectsTheoryDrivenStatementsManagersDataDecision MakingAccurateCause And EffectExaltedDisruptive Author:Clayton Christensen
“When the functionality of a product or service overshoots what customers can use, it changes the way companies have to compete. When the product isn't yet good enough, the way you compete is by making better products. In order to make better products, the architecture of the product has to be interdependent and proprietary in character.” WayEnoughCharacterUseOrderCompanyProductsCustomersArchitectureGood EnoughFunctionality Author:Clayton Christensen
“It is when the product is not good enough that proprietary integration gives you a competitive edge. You cannot outsource and be competitively successful in this situation. But at the other end, where standard components assembled in standard ways can yield acceptable performance, you must outsource.” WayGivingEndsEnoughSituationSuccessfulProductsStandardsPerformancesEdgesYieldGood EnoughAcceptableIntegrationComponentsNot Good Enough Author:Clayton Christensen
“In most instances, biotechnology, though a radically different approach, is a sustaining technology: It's a dramatically improved way of targeting problems that we hadn't been able to solve with the conventional approach of mainstream pharmaceutical companies.” WayDifferentProblemAbleCompanyTechnologyApproachSolveInstanceMainstreamConventionalSustainingPharmaceuticalDifferent ApproachBiotechnologyPharmaceutical Companies Author:Clayton Christensen
“The important thing is that over time, scientific progress transforms things that used to have to be dealt with in a problem-solving mode down to the pattern-recognition space; and from pattern recognition into the rules-based mode. This is the mechanism by which less-trained people are enabled to do more sophisticated things. This is always the way disruption happens. It enables a larger population of less-experienced people to do more sophisticated things.” PeopleWayImportantProblemHappensUsedSpaceProgressImportant ThingsPatternsPopulationRecognitionMechanismSophisticatedProblem SolvingDisruptionScientific Progress Author:Clayton Christensen
“My conclusion: Management is the most noble of professions if it's practiced well. No other occupation offers as many ways to help others learn and grow, take responsibility and be recognized for achievement, and contribute to the success of a team.” IfsWayWellsHelpingMotivationalGrowsResponsibilityTeamOffersAchievementManagementNobleProfessionHelping OthersConclusionServantOccupationTaking ResponsibilityServant Leadership Book:Harvard Business Review Leadership Library: The Executive Collection (12 Books) Source: Harvard Business Review Leadership Library: The Executive Collection (12 Books)
“I've concluded that the metric by which God will assess my life isn't dollars, but the individual people whose lives I've touched. I think that's the way it will work for us all. Don't worry about the level of individual prominence you have achieved; worry about the individuals you have helped become better people.” PeopleThinkingWayIndividualLevelsWorryDollarsGods WillTouchedMetricsProminence Author:Clayton Christensen
“You can talk all you want about having a clear purpose and strategy for your life, but ultimately this means nothing if you are not investing the resources you have in a way that is consistent with your strategy. In the end, a strategy is nothing but good intentions unless it's effectively implemented.” IfsWayWantMeanEndsPurposeClearResourcesStrategyIntentionInvestingConsistentGood Intentions Author:Clayton Christensen
“Many think of management as cutting deals and laying people off and hiring people and buying and selling companies. That's not management, that's deal making. Management is the opportunity to help people become better people. Practiced that way, it's a magnificent profession.” PeopleThinkingWayHelpingOpportunityDealsCompanyCuttingManagementProfessionSellingBuyingMagnificentHiringBuying And Selling Author:Clayton Christensen
