1. Breakthrough Execution
Lori Marchese, CPA, MBA, PMP, PSM
November 2016

2. THE SIMPLE BREAKTHROUGH STEPS
SET BREAKTHROUGH GOALS
SEEK KNOWLEDGE
THINK DIFFERENTLY
ACT WITH TOTAL COMMITMENT
EXECUTE WITH FOCUS AND TEAMWORK 1 2 3 4 5

3. EXECUTE WITH FOCUS AND TEAMWORK
Collaborate
like a Kindergartner
Stop Multitasking and Focus
Prioritize and Communicate
Collaborate like a Kindergartener
Stop Multitasking and Focus
Prioritize and Communicate

4. MARSHMALLOW
CHALLENGE

5. Tom hands out bags while Lori talks

6. GOALS of the Challenge Build the Tallest Freestanding Structure
The winning team is the one that has the tallest structure measured from the table surface to the top of the marshmallow.
That means the structure cannot be suspended from a higher structure, like a chair, ceiling, etc. The table must be the base. Additionally, the structure cannot be taped to the table.

7. GOALS cont. 2. The Entire Marshmallow Must be on Top
The entire marshmallow needs to be resting on the top of the structure. Cutting or eating part of the marshmallow disqualifies the team.
3. Use as Much or as Little of the Kit
The team can use as many or as few of the 20 spaghetti noodles, as much or as little of the string or tape.

8. GOALS cont. 4. Break up the Spaghetti, String, or Tape
Teams are free to break the spaghetti, cut up the tape and string to create new structures.
5. The Challenge Lasts 18 minutes
Teams cannot hold on to the structure when the time runs out. Those touching or supporting the structure at the end of the exercise will be disqualified.

9. Any Questions??

10. Tom STARTS Timer, plays Rocky music
You can now begin.

12. OR SHOULD THIS BE< YOU NEED TO TAKE ACTION FOR BREAKTHROUGH RESULTS, TAKE A CHANCE< TRY AND ADJUST

14. Who consistently performs poorly?
Recent Business School Graduates

15. Who consistently performs well?
Tom STARTS Timer, plays Rocky music

17. WHY?
Tom STARTS Timer, plays Rocky music

18. WHY?
They ask questions, they take risks, they try try try again

22. TOOL FOR CONSENSUS
In order to achieve Breakthrough Results, everyone has to be committed.
Everyone must collaborate like a kindergartner.
Ask Why
Work in an iterative fashion with short term goals
Be consistent and accountable to their commitment.

23. FIST TO FIVE

24. Project Management Form a circle in a team of 5-6 people Designate a:
Project Manager (PM)
Quality Assurance (QA) controller
Why not put them in their new teams?

25. Project Management ROUND 1:
1. The PM asks a person in the circle his/her name.
2. The person in the circle gives his/her name to the PM and spells it out while the PM writes it down.
3. The PM then moves clockwise to the next person in the circle and repeats steps 1 and 2.
4. The round stops when the PM has written down all the names.
5. The QA controller tracks the time it takes to complete the first and last name and the time it takes to write down all the names.
6. The QA controller checks for any errors.

26. Project Management ROUND 2:
The PM asks a person for the first letter of his/her name.
The person in the circle gives the first letter to the PM and the PM writes it down.
The PM then moves clockwise to the next person in the circle and repeats steps 1 and 2. Once the PM has all the first letters, the PM starts collecting the second letter of each person’s name, then the third and so on until all the names have been written down again.
The QA controller tracks the time it takes to complete the first and last name and the time it takes to write down all the names.
The QA checks for any errors.

27. Project Management Which took longer? Why?
How did it feel being “the PM”?
Was it more or less stressful in round 2?
Did you make more or less mistakes the second time around? Why?
What happened when people had longer or shorter names in round 2?
How does this relate to your current work?
How does it relate to when you are working on multiple projects/tasks simultaneously?

28. Project Management
Lessons
Learned

29. Project Management
Multitasking
Focus
Lessons
Learned

30. Project Management Multitasking Focus Gets a task completed
Gets task completed sooner
Focus
Decreases Quality of Work
Increases Stress
Multitasking

31. Decreased Productivity
Project Management
Multitasking can reduce productivity by approximately 40-percent according to some researchers.
Decreased Productivity
Switching from one task to another makes it difficult to tune out distractions and can cause mental blocks that can slow down your progress.
Context Switching
From The Myth of Multitasking: How “Doing It All” Gets Nothing Done:
2.1 hours: Average estimated lost productivity per person per day due to interruptions, based on a 40-hour work week.
$650 billion: Estimated annual loss to the US economy due to unnecessary interruptions plus recovery time.

33. Benefits of Focusing You’ll get more done. It’s easy.
You’ll get things done more easily.
  You’ll reduce stress.
You’ll feel better.
You’ll be more pleasant to be around.

34. Practice Focusing Identify and remove distractions
Pick something to do; what’s your top priority? 
Set a timer for 50 minutes.
Give yourself a break.
Reset your timer
Repeat

35. Practice Focusing Give up on Multitasking
Shut down the text, , and think.
Establish rules for team meetings
Laptops down
Recorder vs. Reflective listening

36. Give yourself permission
Practice Focusing
Give yourself permission
to think and be alone
Put the timer on and think.
Walk outside.
Establish personal boundaries

37. EXECUTE WITH FOCUS AND TEAMWORK
Collaborate
like a Kindergartner
Stop Multitasking
and Focus
Prioritize and Communicate

38. EXECUTE WITH FOCUS AND TEAMWORK
Collaborate
like a Kindergartner
Stop Multitasking and Focus
Prioritize and Communicate

39. Basic Principle: Fail Early, Fail Small
TEST MARKET
$5.0mm
OPS, PRODUCT, ADVERTISING
$1.0MM
LAUNCH
$ at Risk
REFINEMENT
PROTOTYPING
CONSUMER TESTING
$500m
IDEATION, POSITIONING AND SCREENING
$250m
$100m
Initiate
Plan
Execute
Monitor & Control
Closedown

40. How to Nurture the Best and Kill the Rest
Resources are limited – you can’t work on everything!
When to “Kill”?
Concept gets very low scores on consumer appeal
Diagnostic information provides no direction on how to fix
No one on the team has any energy behind the idea
You are using “sunken costs” as an argument for keeping the idea alive
When to “Nurture”?
The size of the prize merits continued use of resources
You have clear direction on how to improve the idea
Someone on the team has passion behind the idea
A ROBUST PRIORITIZATION SCHEME CAN BE YOUR BEST TOOL IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS
Initiate
Plan
Execute
Monitor & Control
Closedown

41. Managing a Portfolio of Ideas to Explore
QUADRANT ANALYSIS CAN HELP IN THE PRIORITIZATION TASK
A two-dimensional chart arraying ideas
Visual nature of chart makes it simple to understand and to discuss options
MANY DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS COULD BE USED FOR THIS TYPE OF ANALYSIS
Each brand needs to identify the dimensions that make the most sense for their business
THE FRAMEWORK USED HERE:
Quantify: measured consumer or market place potential
Qualify: assessment of degree of difficulty
Initiate
Plan
Execute
Monitor & Control
Closedown

42. Prioritization Matrix Using Quadrant Analysis
Consumer Potential (Quantify) vs. Degree of Difficulty (Qualify)
NURTURE
PURSUE AGGRESSIVELY
KILL
PURSUE SELECTIVELY
LOW
HIGH
DIFFICULTY
Current brand fit
Operations capability
Financial costs (investment, ingredients, labor)
People resources & capabilities
Degree of Difficulty (Qualify)
CONSUMER POTENTIAL
Consumer appeal
Size of category segment
Strategic fit
Consumer Potential (Quantify)
Initiate
Plan
Execute
Monitor & Control
Closedown

43. Opportunities Roadmap
Innovation Pipeline
Opportunities Roadmap
NURTURE
PURSUE AGGRESSIVELY
KILL
PURSUE SELECTIVELY
LOW
HIGH
Market Attractiveness/Opportunity
Equity/Capabilities Fit

44. EXECUTE WITH FOCUS AND TEAMWORK
Collaborate
like a Kindergartner
Stop Multitasking and Focus
Prioritize and Communicate

45. TELEPHONE GAME Moderator will whisper a phrase to first team member.
First person repeats to second person
Second person repeats to third person
Third person to fourth person
Fourth person to fifth and so on
Last team member writes down the phrase.
Moderator will have last person share with class.

46. THE SIMPLE BREAKTHROUGH STEPS
SET BREAKTHROUGH GOALS
SEEK KNOWLEDGE
THINK DIFFERENT
ACT WITH TOTAL COMMITMENT
EXECUTE WITH FOCUS AND TEAMWORK 1 2 3 4 5