Seth Kahan

Competitive intelligence is information about products, customers, competitors, the market and internal capabilities that support your ability to make strategic decisions. Effective innovation requires this kind of intelligence to make smart choices that take into account each of these areas. I have been conducting competitive intelligence for my executive clients since 2000. I find it […]

I first read Peter Senge’s book, The Fifth Discipline: the Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, in the mid 90s. I had never heard of Senge and was impressed by his approach. I shared the book with my boss and within a couple of weeks we were in sitting in Senge’s office in Cambridge

Every major change brings with it a dip in production before it swings up into an increase. This dip has two dimensions: productivity and time as you will see below. In 1999 I led the communications effort for the total replacement of all systems in the World Bank, a global organization of 15,000 people in

Today I am writing about the game of business. I find it useful to define this game using four elements: 1. The value proposition, 2. The core competencies required to deliver that value, 3. The set of target customers, and 4. The reframing that takes place in the minds of the stakeholders. For example, let’s

Canada has eighty-one billionaires, but only one who has pledged to give it all away. On Saturday the Globe and Mail reported that Jeffrey Skoll, past president and first fulltime employee of eBay, signed the Giving Pledge – a commitment to give away the majority of his money to philanthropy. In so doing he joins

Standing clear in freedom’s waves I watch the children play And know beneath their feet Under time’s enduring beat Ten thousand hearts are buried. Through battles, wars, and pain, Suffering, loss, and gain, The most precious gift of all, A single bugle call, Our future you safely carried. Standing here with quiet sorrow I think

On May 5th the US Navy christened and launched the USNS Cesar Chavez, naming the cargo ship after the civil rights leader and union activist.  It is the 14th Lewis and Clark-class of dry cargo/ammunition ships and a bold move. According to the Navy’s website, “Continuing the Lewis and Clark-class tradition of honoring legendary pioneers

Make and execute a plan. Then leverage the serendipity that falls in your favor. Great achievers always have a plan. It’s common knowledge that there will always be unanticipated obstacles and issues when it comes to its execution. But, what the great achievers also know is that just as often there will be unanticipated opportunities. 

Mojo is a personal ornament that either provides protection from evil, danger, and disease or conveys a blessing, as an aid to a particular challenge. It originates from hoodoo, a largely African-American belief system that combines rituals from Africa, Native America and Europe. The mojo itself is a little flannel bag containing objects of special

To succeed in a turbulent environment you need a robust psychology. This is where many fall short. They clutch when they could reach. When faced with calamity they set their sights on survival rather than leadership. Rather than going for real opportunity they set their sights low. If the game changes and you don’t, it’s