“Three Box-Approach - Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva” - Professor M.S.Rao

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” - Steve Jobs

When Vijay Govindarajan sent me mail about three-box approach with links I felt excited with this concept. I decided to share it with my bloggers who regularly visit my blog. And they have also been asking me to write something different. Hence, I decided to explore this concept briefly for the benefit of my bloggers.

Vijay Govindarajan’s and Chris Trimble’s article titled “The CEO’s Role in Business Model Reinvention” in Harvard Business Review urged forward-looking CEOs to manage reinvention with a “three-box approach”. This approach emphasizes on managing the present (box!1), selectively forgetting the past (box!2), and creating the future (box!3). Leaders need to operate in all three boxes simultaneously to achieve the desired organizational outcomes.

What is Three-Box Approach?

Three-Box Approach is about managing the present, selectively forgetting the past and creating the future. It is an excellent approach coined by VG and Chris Trimble that benefits all of us – be it profitable organizations or non profit institutions. For instance, Brian Goldner, the CEO of Hasbro, Inc., successfully applied three-box approach that helped him turnaround Hasbro in 2000. He focused on leveraging the company’s core brands, reducing costs, and lessening its reliance on its licensed business. And the pastor of United Methodist church who had difficulties brainstormed with his team members and worked on this approach and benefited immensely.

Three-Box Approach vs. Hindu Philosophy

According to Hindu philosophy there are three popular deities, Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva who are called creator, generator and destroyer respectively. However, when we talk about 3 Box approach, the Box 1 represent managing the present (Vishnu), Box 2 represents destroying the past (Shiva) and Box 3 represent creating (Brahma). As all three Gods are important for human cycle all three boxes are important in making organizations stand out. This 3 box approach calls for shedding the bad and wedding the good for organizational excellence and effectiveness.

Due to the rising complexity and uncertainty it is tough to predict the future. In addition, rapid growth in technology compelled companies to explore new ways and means to meet the customer aspirations and expectations. Hence, the Three Box Approach provides solace and solutions to companies to reinvent, reignite and reimage themselves to stay ahead of others.

Here are the links to know more about it:

http://hbr.org/hbrg-main/resources/pdfs/extras/transforming-your-organization-with-the-three-box-approach.pdf

http://blogs.hbr.org/hbr/hbreditors/2011/09/the_three-box_approach_to_busi_1.html

Professor M.S.Rao

Founder, MSR Leadership Consultants, India

Blog: http://profmsr.blogspot.com

Where Knowledge is Wealth

Email: profmsr7@gmail.com

Dear readers,

I would appreciate your comments about this article.

© 2011 MSR Leadership Consultants India. All Rights Reserved.

This is an educational blog for free sharing of knowledge, not for commercial use. Please don't cut articles from my blog and redistribute by email or post to the web. The use of this material is free provided copyright is acknowledged and reference or link is made to the Blog http://profmsr.blogspot.com This material may not be sold, or published in any form, or used in the provision of business services to a third party without permission.

“Empathy vs. Sympathy” - Professor M.S.Rao

“Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt


Individuals often look for empathy, not sympathy. In fact, there is a vast difference between empathy and sympathy. Sympathy is all about showing compassion when others are in problems and expressing solidarity and standing by them. In contrast, empathy is the ability to step into the shoes of others and looking at the things from others’ perspective. Empathy is essential for individuals. When you empathize with others most of the problems can be resolved in the world easily. But people often look only from their perspective not from others’ perspective leading to misunderstandings and conflicts.

Empathy is one of the essential ingredients of effective leadership. Leaders empathize with others to accomplish their objectively successfully. Before giving any task to others they empathize whether people can do it. Only when leaders are convinced that group members can do then they assign the tasks accordingly. Usually people expect empathy than sympathy. Hence, people must differentiate between these two words empathy and sympathy and empathize with others to connect with others easily and build bridges thus promoting fraternity and brotherhood. To conclude in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "Three fourths of the miseries and misunderstandings in the world would disappear if we step into the shoes of our adversaries and understand their standpoint."



Professor M.S.Rao
Founder, MSR Leadership Consultants, India
Blog: http://profmsr.blogspot.com
Where Knowledge is Wealth
Email: profmsr7@gmail.com



Dear readers,

I would appreciate your comments about this article.



© 2011 MSR Leadership Consultants India. All Rights Reserved.
This is an educational blog for free sharing of knowledge, not for commercial use. Please don't cut articles from my blog and redistribute by email or post to the web. The use of this material is free provided copyright is acknowledged and reference or link is made to the Blog http://profmsr.blogspot.com This material may not be sold, or published in any form, or used in the provision of business services to a third party without permission.

“Frances Hesselbein – The Living Peter Drucker” - Professor M.S.Rao

"Leadership is a matter of how to be, not how to do it." - Frances Hesselbein

Frances Hasselbein needs no introduction. She is the President and CEO of The Leader to Leader Institute, (Formerly The Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management) and former CEO of The Girl Scouts of the USA. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief for Leader to Leader, the premier international leadership journal. Peter Drucker, the management legend and the father of modern management hailed Frances for her contribution to leadership. And also several international leadership gurus such as Marshall Goldsmith, Jim Collins, Warren Bennis, Peter Senge to name a few have praised her as an inspiring and thought leader.

She has been influenced by both Peter Drucker and Marshall Goldsmith. She contributed to Girl Scouts of the USA. She demonstrated her leadership skills by successfully leading Girl Scouts in America and received America’s highest civilian award - Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House in 1998. She wrote her book My Life in Leadership which is a biographical one.

She is a remarkable leader who made a difference in the lives of others through her contributions. She is a gracious woman leader, servant leader and thought leader. We can say that she is the living Peter Drucker. She walked her talk and her actions will inspire all of us to deliver goods without looking for any rewards.



Professor M.S.Rao
Founder, MSR Leadership Consultants, India
Blog: http://profmsr.blogspot.com
Where Knowledge is Wealth
Email: profmsr7@gmail.com




Dear readers,

I would appreciate your comments about this article.



© 2011 MSR Leadership Consultants India. All Rights Reserved.
This is an educational blog for free sharing of knowledge, not for commercial use. Please don't cut articles from my blog and redistribute by email or post to the web. The use of this material is free provided copyright is acknowledged and reference or link is made to the Blog http://profmsr.blogspot.com This material may not be sold, or published in any form, or used in the provision of business services to a third party without permission.