Leaner Isn't Necessarily Better - Innovation Expert Stephen Shapiro

To hit earnings goals, companies may focus myopically on short-term, cutting hea
dcount and overhead just to stay afloat. But this can jeopardize their long-term
health. Companies should focus instead on the type of "fat" they are cutting.
Boston, MA, May 07, 2011 -- As the economy continues to struggle, organizational
cutbacks are the norm. Corporations are looking to become "lean mean fighting m
achines". But leaner does not necessarily mean healthier. Most organizations are
anorexic. In an attempt to cut fat, they also cut muscle. The result - a weak a
nd underpowered organization that is unable to perform at peak levels. Making ma
tters worse, the fat that remains is potentially the most dangerous.
"In the human body there are two types of fat: subcutaneous, the fat stored just
under your skin; and visceral, a more insidious fat that surrounds your interna
l organs and often goes undetected. Similarly, organizations have two types of
fat. The visible fat takes the form of bloated employment levels. However, the m
ore dangerous fat remains deep within the organization - typically a result of o
rganizational inefficiencies, bureaucracy and the utilization of suboptimal meth
ods," says Stephen Shapiro, innovation leader and author of Personality Poker. (
http://PersonalityPokerBook.com )
"Anorexic organizations target the visible fat, rather than going deep down into
the vicious hidden fat," Shapiro points out. "Reorganization efforts, for examp
le, typically result in headcount reduction. This is the equivalent of organizat
ional liposuction. It makes you look leaner, but doesn't address the more danger
ous inefficiencies that exist. It is like putting a Band-Aid on a festering woun
d."
Stephen Shapiro's recent book and personality tool, Personality Poker, helps org
anizations build their innovation muscle while reducing the hidden fat that resu
lts from inefficiencies. The tools provided will make any organization stronger,
leaner and more nimble. To play Personality Poker for free online, and see how
it has already helped companies world-wide, visit http://game.personalitypokerbo
ok.com/poker.php
About Stephen Shapiro:
Stephen Shapiro is one of the foremost authorities on innovation and collaborati
on, and has personally touched hundreds of thousands of lives in over 40 countri
es. While Stephen's insights apply to virtually any organization, big or small,
he has contributed to shifting the innovation culture for such Fortune 500 organ
ization as Staples, GE, BP, Johnson & Johnson, Fidelity Investments, Pearson Edu
cation, Nestlé, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. As the founder and creator of a 20,000 pe
rson internal innovation practice within Accenture, and advisor to hundreds of o
rganizations worldwide, Stephen possesses a rare and extensive arsenal of tools
allowing him to arm any organization with the knowledge they need to shift their
most threatening challenges. His most recent project, Personality Poker ( http:
//PersonalityPokerBook.com ), released by Penguin Portfolio in October 2010, is
a card game that has been played by over 25,000 people in boardrooms and living
rooms around the world.
Stephen can be reached at 617-379-1177 or online at http://PersonalityPokerBook
.com,
Press Contact: Stephen Shapiro, 24/7 Innovation, 2001 Marina Drive, Suite 807, Q
uincy, MA 02171, +617-379-1177, steve@24-7innovation.com, http://PersonalityPoke
rBook.com, http://SteveShapiro.com, http://linkedin.com/in/shapiroinnovates
Contact: Deborah Shapiro, 24/7 Innovation, 773-213-4485
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Contact:
Steve Shapiro
24/7 Innovation
2001 Marina Drive Suite 807
Quincy, MA 02171
617-379-1177
press@richcontent.tv
http://PersonalityPokerBook.com