Evolving Perspectives

Delighting customers is not only simple, clear and measurable: It is also the sure path to generating real long-term shareholder value. Shortcuts to prosperity by focusing on extracting value to shareholders or making money out of money are dangerous illusions. Prosperity comes from focusing on generating real goods and services for real human beings. – Steve Denning

Complex settings are messy and operate in a non-linear fashion. The actions and intentions of others, and their reactions to our actions and intentions, are key components that we have to take into account in what we plan and do. A focus on shareholder value leads directly to behaviors that tend to prevent the achievement of that goal. Institutionalized selfishness is not a sound basis on which to run a firm or an economy. – Steve Denning