Turnberry Blog
PSGS 014: Book Review: IT Governance
Premise:
The premise of "IT Governance" is that top-performing organizations have a systematic decision-making framework that enables them to achieve greater bottom-line results to their business goals, value and growth over their competition. Organizations that have implemented an IT governance framework have better clarity around their strategy and the part that IT plays in the implementation of those strategies. They also have better processes for more efficient and effective change management procedures and organizational accountability for tracking project benefits.
The book "IT Governance" has been a valuable resource in my personal growth as an IT Governance practitioner and portfolio management consultant. Having led IT Governance boards for a number of years at a large international law firm, I’ve found the processes and procedures outlined in the book extremely valuable.
PSGS 013: Book Review: IT Portfolio Management Step-By-Step
Premise:
"IT Portfolio Management Step-by-Step" is a must-have for portfolio management practitioners. The book is grouped into four parts: an overview and background of what’s included in the material, the foundational elements of portfolio management, building a step-by-step plan and implementation guide, and PPM best practices. In the pages of this book, you will find information on the best practice approach for aligning, rationalizing, prioritizing, selecting, optimizing, tracking, monitoring and managing your organization's IT portfolio investments. The book also covers the three primary areas of IT portfolio management which are the development of processes and frameworks, the implications of tools for data collection, costs, risks, benefits, requirement analysis, and business drivers alignment. You will also discover information on corporate investments and a common taxonomy and governance approach for communicating principles, policies, and guidelines to enable a consistent cadence for your portfolio process.
What I learned:
The need for IT Portfolio Management can be understood against the backdrop of the following statistics:
- 84% of companies do not use a business case for their IT project investments
- 83% of companies only adjust their budgets once or twice a year
- 67% of IT organizations are not able to adjust to market trends when needed
- 57% of companies believe they have a balanced IT budget
PofE 049: The Strategic Management Style of Harvey Mackay – Are You Sharkproof?
"Perception is strong and sight weak. In strategy, it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things." -Miyamoto Musashi
Background and Challenges 
• Harvey Mackay is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Executive Program.
• In 1959, the 26-year-old Harvey purchased an insolvent company with 12 employees, three 28-year-old outdated envelope-folding machines and one printing press.
• Harvey Mackay’s management styles of strategic management and operations management has helped the company to grow to a $100 million business employing over 600 people.
PofE 048: Mary Kay Ash – Managing the Risk of Poor Skincare One Makeup Bag At A Time
Background and Challenges
• Mary Kay Ash was unable to attend college without financial assistance.
• She sold encyclopedias door-to-door in the late 1930's.
• While working as a secretary at a Baptist church, she sold Stanley Home Products to provide financial support for her family. It took her one year to learn direct selling and receive the title of sales queen.
• She joined the direct-sales firm World Gift in 1952 after she left Stanley Home Products when the company promoted other men over her lacking her knowledge and talent.
PofE 047: Top 5 Advertising Techniques of David Ogilvy – A Copywriter’s Secret
"Passion kept one fully in the present, so that time became a series of mutually exclusive 'nows.'" -Sue Halpern
Background and Challenges
• David Ogilvy left Oxford University in England to become chef apprentice at the finest restaurant in Paris.
• David had a knack for selling and achieved success selling the high-end cooking stove AGA door-to-door to French chefs in spite of the Depression in Great Britain. His bosses asked him to write a sales instruction guide at the age of 24.
• The manual’s success led to a position at his brother’s advertising firm of Mather & Crowther. In 1938, the firm sent him to New York City to study American advertising.
PofE 046: Walt Disney 5 Qualities of A Leader
"Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use."
Background and Challenges
• Walt Disney was interested in art and drawing at an early age. At the age of 7, he sold small sketches and drawings to nearby neighbors.
• After he had returned from driving ambulances for the Red Cross in France during World War I, he pursued a career in commercial art with the production of short hand-drawn animated films for local businesses.