Must-Win Battles shows leaders exactly how to identify the 3 to 5 critical challenges most likely to make or break their businesses -- and then mobilize people and resources to successfully execute on them. This book draws on the authors' exceptional experience as world-class consultants and leading-edge business researchers, and builds on the highly successful executive program they created for IMD, one of the world's best business schools. The authors show leaders how to cut through uncoordinated initiatives, create a short list of true "must-wins," focus relentlessly on them, and infuse their organizations with renewed energy and effectiveness. Along the way, discover how to recognize which victories will make the greatest difference, avoid unwinnable battles, drive consensus when somebody's ox is inevitably being gored, make sure must-win battles are specific and measurable, and change the behavior of your top management team to lock in this laser-sharp focus for future battles.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
Must-Win Battles shows leaders exactly how to identify the 3 to 5 critical challenges most likely to make or break their businesses -- and then mobilize people and resources to successfully execute on them. This book draws on the authors' exceptional experience as world-class consultants and leading-edge business researchers, and builds on the highly successful executive program they created for IMD, one of the world's best business schools. The authors show leaders how to cut through uncoordinated initiatives, create a short list of true "must-wins," focus relentlessly on them, and infuse their organizations with renewed energy and effectiveness. Along the way, discover how to recognize which victories will make the greatest difference, avoid unwinnable battles, drive consensus when somebody's ox is inevitably being gored, make sure must-win battles are specific and measurable, and change the behavior of your top management team to lock in this laser-sharp focus for future battles.
About the Author
Peter Killing and Thomas Malnight are Professors of Strategy at IMD. The ideas in this book come directly from their extensive work with management teams across many countries, and in both large and small organizations, creating winning strategies using must-win battle concepts. From these experiences it is abundantly clear that the “intellectual” approach to strategy is not enough. What Peter, Tom, and the managers highlighted in this book believe is that “strategic priorities with heart” will win the day.
At IMD, Peter runs company-specific programs for companies such as Nestlé, BMW, PepsiCo International, Scottish & Newcastle, Tetra Laval and Tate & Lyle. Tom’s experience includes work with companies such as Unilever, A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, Masterfoods, Firmenich, Carlsberg, and Adecco. He also directs IMD’s Booster Program, an intensive program focusing on accelerating project and team development, while Peter runs the Breakthrough Program for Senior Executives and Mastering New Challenges, a program for managers about to take on new responsibilities.
Both Tom and Peter have written widely on the topics of strategy, change, and leadership, in publications ranging from the Harvard Business Review to the Academy of Management Journal. Peter is a co-author of a strategy text, Strategic Analysis and Action, which is currently in its sixth edition.
Tom has a DBA from the Harvard Business School and was on the faculty of The Wharton School for seven years before joining IMD. Before his doctorate, he spent 10 years with Mitsubishi International Corporation, including two years in Japan. Peter holds a Ph.D. from the Ivey Business School in Canada, where he taught for 20 years and was Associate Dean of Executive Education at the time he came to IMD.
Tracey Keys has 20 years of experience as a consultant and manager, focused on complex strategy and organizational issues. She has worked with companies in the media, consumer goods, finance, and new media sectors across Europe, the U.S., and Africa. Previously, Tracey has held senior roles at the BBC, where she was Head of Corporate Planning, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Deloitte & Touche/Braxton Associates. She has also been an active advisor to start-ups, several of which have been launched successfully in the technology, publishing, wine and consulting fields. Tracey is a Fulbright Scholar and holds an MBA from The Wharton School, where she was distinguished as a Palmer Scholar.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Insight on MWB and How to Appy It,
By
This review is from: Must-Win Battles: How to Win Them, Again and Again (Hardcover)
MWB stands for "Must Win Battles," which is the title and a common acronym throughout this this book. Authors Peter Killing, Thomas Malnight and Tracey Keys use "battle" to refer to competitors and "must-win" to mean these battles must be won. There are a lot of circumstances applicable to the concept of 'battle.' Examples and case studies cover management style, team work, planning, shortlisting, and executing, are noted. One example is Unilever in Africa, Nestle China, and a two-year case study of the CFF business groups from the words of an executive.
Three sections and nine chapters. Section I: Preparing the Journey Section II: Engaging the Team Section III: Making it Happen The different types of managers listed are the commander, diplomat, thinker, and motivator, who are defined and described. This is followed by the role of Emotional Intelligence in the workplace. EI is just as, and oft-times more vital than IQ. There are questions regarding this that the reader can answer for themselves so they can apply this concept to their own situations in life and in the work place. This book helps the manager and employees as individuals and allows them to reflect on others and themselves. Different dynamics of MWB, which often may include change. While strategically planning and implementing Must-Win Battles there are Resisters, Bystanders, and Supporters. A time-line is almost always necessary and matrices and diagrams are presented, when planning and executing. A good reality check is in chapter 4, which lists "Typical Company-Related Myths." Those who've worked in medium or large organizations can identity with the company values and slogans. But they're usually only slogans, because they aren't practiced. :) At the end of the book there are: A) The MWB Journey and Road map B) The Denison Survey: Questions C) Using the External Assistance This is helpful for all people who manage and work in organizations of all types and sizes.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Title Tells the Story,
By Craig L. Howe "The Pointed Pundit" (Darien, CT United States) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Must-Win Battles: How to Win Them, Again and Again (Hardcover)
You can stop here.
This book's title tells the whole story. Must-win battles (MBWs) are those three to five challenges your organization must conquer to achieve its key objectives. For most organizations of any size, that is not much of a list. Arriving at it requires focus and prioritization. Someone's priorities will not make the cut. If you do not, your goals will suffer from inadequate resources and attention. To be successful, the authors, Peter Killing and Thomas Malnight, strategy professors at IMD, along with Tracey Keys, a consultant and manager with an expertise in complex strategy and organizational issues, believe strategy concepts must be combined with leadership and team building principles. Before achieving MBW status, an objective must meet: 1. Make a difference. 2. Be market-focused. 3. Create excitement. 4. Be specific 5. Be tangible. 6. Be winnable. Forsaking an academic approach, the authors argue MWBs must generate as much emotional energy and commitment as intellectual rigor. No two are the same. Yet each can be broken into two distinct phases: engaging the team and engaging the organization. Phase one, engaging the team, consists of three steps: 1. An assessment of the starting conditions. 2. A definition of the battles to be fought. 3. Then, a commitment to one agenda. Phase two, engaging the organization, motivates and marshals the organization. 1. Embed the agenda. 2. Engage the organization. 3. Maintain momentum while driving the last 10 per cent of your goal. The authors employ case studies to illustrate their method. By establishing an MWB culture in your organization, the authors argue, you will create a sustainable competitive advantage by responding to your immediate market challenges quickly and efficiently. By transforming the way in which your people work together, you will create a series of renewable competitive advantages in the market place.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Winning business battles that achieve your organization's key goals,
By Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (COMMUNITY FORUM 04) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Must-Win Battles: How to Win Them, Again and Again (Hardcover)
In any organization, at any time, there are probably three to five key battles that must be won to achieve important goals, write authors Killing and Malnight. As you read this, you are probably thinking of the battles that are ongoing right now, the ones you need to win to get to your own goals. The first step, then is identifying what the key battles actually are and eliminating the sideshows that distract from the real issues. The authors advise that these battles are NOT internal, instead they are:
Market-focused Something that makes a difference Creates excitement Are specific and tangible Are winnable (!) The example provided is one of Unilever, a large multinational company, working to gain market in Africa. But despite Unilever as an example, the strategy to pick your fight and win it is equally applicable to small business--if not more so. One point I really admire is that the authors recommend that emotion be considered along with reason in how to win those battles. In other words, instead of steamrolling over emotion, which is a statement of condition, like the weather, the authors recommend dealing with it and generating excitement by directing emotion. There is also good advice on "not shooting the messenger" or how to take bad news. As one top CEO remarked to the press on how he achieved success "First, you have to deal with reality." Excellent book and a must-read for business managers of any organization.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Listmania!
|
|
So You'd Like to...
|
|
