Archive for September, 2008
« Previous EntriesThe Financial Crisis…Connecting the Dots.
Tuesday, September 30th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
For those of you who still wonder how our nation finds itself entangled in this current financial crisis, I want to share the following video which I believe very accurately connects the dots. I would encourage you to watch this video in its entirety, and then forward it on to others. The most important Presidential election in recent history is right around the corner, and your vote matters. I would ask you not to fall prey to the political rhetoric and gamesmanship, not succumb to panic, not to listen to media bias, and not to acquiesce to pressure from the politically correct. This country cannot afford more of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Barney Frank. This country can not afford one day of Barrack Obama in the White House. This country needs the real leadership of John McCain.
Read The Full PostBailout Plan Rejected
Monday, September 29th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
I wasn’t sure Congress had the intestinal fortitude to do it, but the House did step-up and reject the proposed Bailout plan today…Much to the chagrin of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Barney Frank, the majority of Republicans and 95 Democrats actually listened to the American people and said no to the Bailout. My hope in our elected representatives (at least some of them) has been temporarily restored. The Republicans have an alternate plan that will be put forth later this week that will more closely represent the “workout” I’ve described in previous posts than the Bailout that was killed earlier today. With your continued phone calls and e-mails to your representatives inside the Beltway we can avoid a disastrous Bailout and actually force Wall St. to pay for their own mistakes. Don’t give up the battle…For those who are fearful about the markets reaction today, I’ve outlined a few thoughts on the following page for your consideration…
We’re Being Duped…Again.
Monday, September 29th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
We’re being duped again…This rush to pass the Bailout plan is nothing short of self-serving fear mongering on the part of the people who caused this problem in the first place. Don’t you find it interesting that Congress convened at 7:30am this morning hoping to rush the vote on the Bailout plan before the American people could weigh-in? If the Democrats believe so strongly in this plan, then why don’t they just pass the bill? The Democrats have enough votes to carry this, they simply won’t do it without support from the Republicans. The Democrats want to be able to say this Bailout was a bipartisan act, and are looking for some Republican cover. Shame on the Republicans if they do this. This Bailout is bad for America, and stands for everything that’s wrong with big government politics.
Read The Full PostMcCain, Obama Debate Analysis
Friday, September 26th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Today’s post is a response to numerous e-mails asking me if I would provide an analysis of the McCain, Obama Presidential Debate. While the spin and hype leading up to the debate, and the ads released immediately after the debate, may have been more interesting than the debate itself, I found the outcome of tonight’s mental chess game to be fairly predictable. Not surprisingly both campaigns are claiming sweeping victories, and the media is portraying the debate as a draw. In the text that follows I’ll provide not only my analysis on the candidate’s individual performances, but also on the realities of Presidential debates themselves…
Bailout or Train Wreck?
Thursday, September 25th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Will today’s meetings in Congress produce a Bailout, or will the end result be just another cobbled together train wreck in the making? Is the Bailout a prudent step forward for our nation, or is it just another band-aid solution forestalling the inevitable? So, will Congress agree to a deal today? If so, will it be the right deal? Will it work? If not, what will be the market ramifications? In today’s post I’ll provide you with my thoughts on the aforementioned questions, as well as put forth some economic observations and alternatives for your consideration…
Accountability
Wednesday, September 24th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
While yesterday’s post addressed “Rogue CEOs & Board Accountability,” I felt that a follow-on piece further delving into the topic of accountability would be prudent given what the lack of accountability has done to our nation’s economy. The truth is that few people really likes to hear the “A” word applied to their individual circumstances, choices, decisions, and performance. Regrettably, this is precisely why we are embroiled with many of the daunting challenges facing our country today. Nothing keeps personal and corporate train wrecks from occurring more than a solid framework of accountability. In today’s post I’ll examine the many important benefits of accountability…
Rogue CEOs & Board Accountability
Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Rogue CEOs…given the recent failure of banks and financial institutions previously thought to be untouchable, there has been a tremendous amount of justifiable venom being spewed at the CEOs of these firms. Their ignorance, and in some cases their arrogance, allowed these rogue CEOs to operate outside of normal business rules, conduct self-serving agendas, and partake in self-dealing transactions all while receiving outrageous compensation. Before I go any further, let me state that I believe we should understand that the overwhelming majority of CEOs operate within the bounds of reason and ethics consistently placing stakeholder interests ahead of their own. The real question we should be asking is where were the boards of directors during this period of mismanagement? You see it is the board who is responsible for holding the chief executive accountable. Even where you have a CEO who is inclined to misbehave, an actively engaged board of directors simply won’t allow it to happen. In todays post I’ll examine the role of the board of directors in keeping CEOs accountable…
Rethinking Good To Great
Monday, September 22nd, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Just like Tom Peters got it wrong with “In Search of Excellence,” Jim Collins got is wrong with “Good To Great.” Most of the companies Tom profiled as “America’s Best Run Companies” are now defunct. Jim Collins profiled Fannie Mae as a company that made the leap from good to great. If Jim’s definition of a great company is an entity whose fraud, corruption, mismanagement, and poor leadership can run so rampant as to require a bail-out by the government, then I would submit there may be a problem with his business logic.
Design Matters
Friday, September 19th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Let me make my position very clear…design absolutely matters. Whether it is aesthetic, functional, creative, process, innovative, intellectual, technical or applicational…design matters. While I have heard many a professional downplay the value of design, it has been my experience that most business people who espouse this opinion are commenting on something outside of their domain expertise in an attempt to justify a competing agenda or a position of ignorance. While this position may seem a bit harsh, it is nonetheless true. In today’s blog post I’ll examine why design matters.
CEO Profile - Bill McDermott
Thursday, September 18th, 2008By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Bill McDermott is a CEO who understands leadership. As a CEO Coach I have had the benefit of hearing many a chief executive describe what “leadership” means to them, but rarely have I heard a CEO describe executive leadership as articulately as Bill does in the following interview. Bill’s life story is both an inspiration and a testimony to the benefits of a sound work ethic. As a teenager already holding down three jobs, he took on a fourth job working at a Deli (which he later purchased from the owner while still in his teens), worked his way through college, and got his start in sales at Xerox. Before he left Xeorx he had climbed to the position of Division President and was a corporate officer. After leaving Xerox, he did a stint as the President of Gartner, and served as an EVP with Siebel Systems…all of this before his 42nd Birthday. I invite you to listen to what Bill McDermott has to say about leadership…
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