Robert Herbold

“Seduced by Success” written by Robert J. Herbold offers interesting insights in maintaining your business on course and ever renewed.

He has been the Chief Operating officer of Microsoft and an executive of Procter and Gamble.

A summary of the 9 Traps to identify:

1. Neglect: Sticking with yesterday’s business model

2. Pride: Allowing your products to become outdated

3. Boredom: Clinging to succesful branding after it becomes stale and dull

4. Complexity: Ignoring your business processes as they become cumbersome and complicated

5. Bloat: Rationalising your los of speed and agility

6. Mediocrity: Condoning poor performance and letting your star employees languish

7. Lethargy: Getting lulled into a culture of comfort, casualness and confidence

8. Timidity: Not confronting turf wars, infighting and obstructionists

9. Confusion: Unwittingly providing schizophrenic communications

I found the stories developed in the book most interesting.Of particular interest is the story of Sony as opposed to Apple ‘s IPOD.