Strategy. Innovation. Brand.

Failed Business Fads: Top 10

lucy kellawayLucy Kellaway has an excellent column in the Financial Times in which she identifies the top 10 failed management fads. (Click here). Somehow the article reminded me of fashion fads, like Nehru jackets and leisure suits, that have come and gone. I sometimes cringe when I see old pictures of myself.

I had to smirk at several of the management fads. I tried not to be my snarky, know-it-all self when the fads were in fashion but somehow I knew that they would never work. Now I have the warm satisfaction of knowing I was right all along.

There were, however, several fads that I actually believed in. In fact, I still do. So I’m distressed that Kellaway has declared them failures and asked us to bid them adieu.

I’m not tipping my hand because I’m interested in your opinions. Which of the fads have you experienced personally? Did any of them do any good at all? Is Kellaway right — are they all dead or do some of them still have legs?

Just leave your thoughts in the comments box below. In the meantime, I’ll be managing my employees by walking around them (or should I be walking them around?)

3 Responses to Failed Business Fads: Top 10

  • Most of the items on that list were good ideas in a specific context, and became bad ideas once they were seen as panaceas and applied too broadly.

    Good managers should focus on the fundamentals instead:

    1. Intelligence

    2. Management by paying attention

    3. However many sigmas it takes

    4. Competence

    5. I’m with the team

    6. Embracing learning

    7. Processing business

    8. Fun by fairness

    9. Matrix Movie Night

    10. Leadership

  • i believe that there are no bad ideas till proving that they don’t work!

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