Just read the article "The Quick Wins Paradox" by Van Buren and Safferstone Todd in Harvard Business Review – Jan 2009. It is a good article focusing on things that can make newly appointed leaders successful.
We all agree that new leaders need to show quick wins to gain confidence of their direct reports and the higher level management. Authors suggest 5 main reasons new leaders fail are Focusing too much on details, reacting negatively to criticism, Intimidating others, Jumping to conclusion and Micromanaging.
According to the author new leaders can be successful if they focus on collective quick wins instead of individual wins. They way to achieve collective quick wins are by making people believers not bystanders, understanding uncertainty, showing humility and learning about the team.
The article is very good and you should surely read if you like the brief intro here. Order Here…
This is story of Archway bakery in Ashland, Ohio. The bakery was closed in October abruptly and 300 employees were let go. Lance Inc of South Carolina bought the bakery in auction and reopened the bakery. I was really moved by this story. I think it is amazing what Lance has done.
Business Week has released its 10 best list of Innovation and Design books for Year 2008. I think it is a great list. I am already readying one on the list and will surely try out others. Enjoy the list.
Aaron Gustafson
By Reena Jana and Matt Vella
This year, a number of the world’s experts released long-awaited books that augmented a bumper crop of texts on the subject of innovation. Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen, for example, published four books in 2008, while Procter & Gamble (PG) chief executive officer A.G. Lafley contributed a volume of tips on how to be innovative. Here we offer our list of the year’s 10 best reads—as in stimulating, practical, and well, inventive. The roster includes some well-known titles and a few surprises, presented in alphabetical order.
I think it is amazing what Lance has done. 
