Brian Klapper's Blog

I spent 14 years as a professional at Goldman Sachs. I was hired as an analyst, then became a trader, then a desk manager, and in 1996 I became the youngest woman and first female trader to be made a partner of the firm. Over those years I had the good fortune of receiving some great career advice, but the most useful advice did not come from a person, but instead came from a process: Goldman’s partner selection process.

As some very smart people have written before, our present social era is about so much more than social media--rather, the social era is about the relationships that form between brands and users.

Sure the mechanics of your products matter.  But how do you  make your customers feel.  Nail that question and you'll win them over for good.

Although organizations often consider creative thinking to be a luxury—and one they can’t afford because of current pressures—my experience with many organizational teams confirms that anyone within the organization can generate great ideas. From executive management to frontline employees, creating a culture of creativity and innovative thinking can be easier than you might think possible.

I recently came back from Mountain View, California where I was invited to give a speech as part of the famed Authors@Google program http://youtu.be/tBiILyK8eyU.

Most contemporary change management approaches were either invented by, or are further propagated by what we call “traditional consultants.”

Front-line workers - those who are closest to the customers and the products and services the company delivers – have historically been undervalued and ignored in major activities and decisions of many organizations.

I have decided to begin an executive interview series where I will periodically discuss interesting topics with a select group of thought leaders that I have gotten to know over the years.

Let’s consider those finicky and elusive sparks that ignite the many new products, services, refinements, and enhancements that we as consumers enjoy and demand at an increasing pace. These temperamental ideas are what give rise to the great actions, products, and services of our day, yet they are so often extinguished before ever being given a chance.

Hewlett Packard’s logo when it was founded was “invent.”  Boy have times changed.  Founded in 1939, HP quickly grew and became a major multinational information technology firm by the 1960s.  It grew its to line through spectacular products (Laser printer, inkjets, networking gear), and acquisitions (Compaq, EDS, 3 Com, Palm).  In 1983, HP was rated as one of the most admired companies in the world.  Now HP is saddled by bloated labor costs (320,000 employees), me-too products, and a questionable future.    And just last week, HP’s Ray Lane gave up his role as chairman of the company and two of the company’s longest serving board members, John Hammergen and G. Kennedy Thompson have resigned their seats entirely.