Assignment
Text Book: Denial: Why Business Leaders Fail to Look Facts in the Face---and What to Do About It by Richard S. Tedlow
I need the answers for the 18 questins in less than 3 hours !!
1. What is denial and what problems does it lead to?
2. What caused the downfall of the US tire industry?
3. How does group think affect organizations?
4. How can an organization avoid a "yes-man' culture?
5. A&P successfully managed the market for a long time. Discuss their successes and what ultimately lead to their failure. Was it destroyed by fire or did it rust away?
6. What initially did Sears do right?
7. What role did talent or lack thereof play in denial at Sears? What does "beware the monument" mean?
8. What was the root cause of IBM's problems?
9. What role does denial play in the development of speculative bubbles?
10. How did the "madness of crowds" ultimately affect Webvan?
11. What role does culture play on the impact of denial within an organization - Ford vs. DuPont
12. What role does inclusiveness play in the success of an organization?
13. Explain the phrase "Denial is not a matter of intelligence. It is a matter of point of view." P. 178
14. What did Johnson &Johnson do to prevent it from falling prey to denial?
15. What does the author recommend to combat denial?
16. What role do Cassandras play in an organization?
17. Do you agree with the statement "Denial goes hand in hand with short-term thinking." Why or why not?
18. What role does language play in denial - see page 211 - 212.
An astute diagnosis of one of the biggest problems in business
Denial is the unconscious determination that a certain reality is too terrible to contemplate, so therefore it cannot be true. We see it everywhere, from the alcoholic who swears he's just a social drinker to the president who declares "mission accomplished" when it isn't. In the business world, countless companies get stuck in denial while their challenges escalate into crises.
Harvard Business School professor Richard S. Tedlow tackles two essential questions: Why do sane, smart leaders often refuse to accept the facts that threaten their companies and careers? And how do we find the courage to resist denial when facing new trends, changing markets, and tough new competitors?
Tedlow looks at numerous examples of organiza¬tions crippled by denial, including Ford in the era of the Model T and Coca-Cola with its abortive attempt to change its formula. He also explores other companies, such as Intel, Johnson & Johnson, and DuPont, that avoided catastrophe by dealing with harsh realities head-on.
Tedlow identifies the leadership skills that are essential to spotting the early signs of denial and taking the actions required to overcome it.