Luke Johnson Generation game redefines business

October 7, 2009 1:13 am by Luke Johnson

An issue that has troubled me for some time is the clash of generations under way at the top of so many organisations. It is not just the usual strife between ambitious youngsters and older incumbents waging a rearguard action to maintain their grip on power. Rather, this conflict reminds me of the battles between young and old in the 1960s over the Vietnam war, and the gulf of misunderstanding between them.

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Posted in Corporate culture, Management, Technology |

Luke Johnson The genuine nobility of manufacturing

September 30, 2009 1:10 am by Luke Johnson

Something has been troubling me for a long, long time. I have a certain regret about the industries to which I have devoted my attention. I love fields like hospitality and the media, where I have spent much of my career. I understand how the economics work: restaurants and broadcasting can offer high margins and excellent cash flow, and providing diners and viewers with pleasure is hard to beat.

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Posted in Entrepreneurship, Management |

Luke Johnson Leaders who use charm to reach the top

September 23, 2009 1:30 am by Luke Johnson

Humour and charm are a surprisingly powerful combination as a means of ascent in life. I have met a number of entrepreneurs who have built fortunes on the back of their wit and general popularity – and not much else. They disarm us with self-deprecation, we enjoy their company – so why wouldn’t we want to do business with them? Of course, it all has to be done well; sycophancy and flat jokes do not weave the same spell.

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Posted in Corporate culture, Leadership, Managing others |

Luke Johnson How to optimise your board

September 16, 2009 2:35 am by Luke Johnson

Board meetings are the central device for the supervision of companies. Do they work? I suspect they are the least bad system, but they are far from perfect. Very large boards tend to be dysfunctional. Generally, everyone feels they have to contribute to justify having turned up.

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Posted in Corporate culture, Management |
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About the authors

Stefan Stern writes a column on Tuesdays on management. He is winner of the 2010 Towers Watson award for excellence in HR journalism, and has previously won awards from the Work Foundation and the Management Consultancies Association.

Ravi Mattu is the editor of Business Life, the FT's management features section, and a former editor of the Mastering Management series. He joined the FT in 2000 from Prospect magazine

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