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Michael Porter: WCA Leadership Summit
By Jeremy | August 13, 2007
Strategy and Leadership
Friday, Aug 10, 2007: Session 5 Michael Porter, Professor, Harvard Business School Director, Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness Founder & President, Inst. for a Competitive Inner City Session 5 Webpage Session Powerpoint Slides (PDF) I was first exposed to Michael Porter's theories of competitive advantage during grad school, during an internship at Local Inisitiatives Support Corporation and research into the development and implementation of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone. Ten years later, it's fascinating to see how Porter's recommendations influenced both the economic resurgence of upper Manhattan (primarily the neighborhoods of Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood) and the related issues of gentrification and displacement. His session was must see theater for me, and lived up to the hype (my own). Opened by asking what might appear to be obvious questions, but which are often overlooked or ignored: a) "How do we do well at doing good?" and b) "How do we serve our communities effectively?" How you define your goals matter in answering the questions. Your goals shape how you should act. What needs are you serving? How are you addressing them? To what end? How are you stewarding (allocating) resources to address those needs well? We have an obligation to society to use limited resources well. How do you measure impact on the community needs? - TRAP: There are 1000s of worthy causes. Whether something is worth doing is the wrong question, and should not be the basis of your choice to do it. Instead, where do you add the most value? What's the most social benefit / $ expended. External Questions: What social needs are impacting the congregation? other communities you care about? What other resources already exist to address those needs? - TRAP: Inefficiency and lack of scale by feeling the need to reinvent every wheel. Don't be afraid to collaborate and even outsource worthy causes to otgher groups. Don't imitate. Differentiate! Internal Questions: What resources do we possess that might be utilized towards that goal: time, talent, money, passion, etc? Where can we add value beyond good intentions? Where can we do more than give $ or unskilled labor? - TRAP: Agenda Creep. Being spread too thin. Focus. What are your set of services that foster synergy, both internally and with outside groups? How do we scale up over time? Do fewer things! Grow your impact by focusing energies and resources where you add most value to society -- not on personal passion or pet projects. - TRAP: Three common mistakes about strategy: 1 - Confusing strategy with goals 2 - Confusing strategy with specific actions 3 - Confusing strategy with high minded statements alone Strategy problems always begin with goal definition. Be SPECIFIC What's your SOLUTION MODEL? It must make sense to be sustainable. a) Example 1: Inst. for a Competitive Inner City. Reducing poverty (as a goal) is not about social services (as a solution model). Social services are about improving quality of life -- NOT reducing poverty. Reduce poverty by increasing income, job opportunities, and generating wealth. Therefore identify inherent strengths that can attract business. Focus on competitive advantages. b) Example 2: Health Care. The "product" for health care is health, NOT treatment. Therefore health care solutions must be holistic. Think Systematically. Concept of "Value Chain," or how you organize yourself to deliver the service. a) Example: Global AIDS relief. The best AIDS programs are not just about AIDS. Must include other ailments and related issues that matter, such as regular treatment. Things that stand in the way of EFFECTIVENESS: - Lack of clarity and consensus re. the goal - Services/activities driven by donor/staff passions and not value add - No attempt to measure performance (incl, how much does it coast?) - Inability to make tradeoffs - Inability to stop anything, even when it's underperforming - Reliance of governments to solve problems. They are ill-equipped and it's not their job. We must. Summary: Meeting social needs should be core to church mission. Church's job: mobilize congregations to do good outside church, AND to do good well. Requires clear choices, clear goals, and alignment, and motivation.Omas behaarte altetopless teens TinySex Laktierenden BrüsteBeine Hot offene girlsretro porn Hairygif Cartoons XxxMekka ATK behaartBrustwarzen Verspritzen laktierenden Titten, MapTopics: community development, leadership, willowcreek | 2 Comments »
August 15th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
I had the opportunity to attend the Summit also and blog about it. I thought Porter made some good points, and I believe churches do need to set better goals and measure results when it comes to serving the community. I disagree with Porter to some extent, though, because not all the effects of service are measurable. If a church is serving the poor in its community the goal may be not just to reduce poverty but also to spread the Gospel. It’s impossible to measure spiritual seeds planted.
Also in his assertion that unskilled labor may not be the best use of some people’s time. I thought it was interesting that the next day we heard Jimmy Carter’s interview. I doubt Carter thinks its a waste of his time to build houses for a week each year. And I wonder how many people have gotten involved with Habitat for Humanity as a result.
August 16th, 2007 at 11:49 am
Paul, I agree with both critiques. But Porter allowed for them by underscoring, first, the need to define our goals clearly and, second, how different definitions will dictate different courses of action. If the goals of the construction project, for example, includes community building among the volunteers, leading by example, being in and among the people being served, then the skill level of the volunteers is less important. But Porter’s suggestion that professionals volunteer professional services pro bono for worthy causes is also well taken!
Thanks for commenting!