Seen something very similar when I worked at VMware. Lots of wrong decisions based on incorrect framework. Even when there was innovation and good products bad Go To Market killed products.
Phil, great summary of what has happened. I used to work at HP at the time and I was shocked of how this is all possible. First to fire Mark. Then to bring Leo and the Autonomy fraud. I was suspecting that he was also afraid not to hurt the MSFT relationship by WebOS focus. There was another disaster happening because of Mark was not there: the EDS integration totally failed because the EDS management stayed in their roles. I guess Mark would have cleaned the top level. Once great HP Consulting Services slowly drowned towards the bitter end called DXC.
Phil - great commentary on the HP WebOS mess, which happened just after I left my role as HP Fellow. And you are dead to rights in pointing out what went wrong. I watched between 2003 and 2010 how HP's corporate leaders starting with Carly Fiorina dropped so many tech balls (the early one I participated in was that they missed the chance to acquire VMware, which I advised them to grab. Another "we don't get software" mistake.) And then they started laying off all the best minds in HP Labs - who needs research? That was it for me, literally. Hiring Apotheker, after I left, just confirmed the company's mess.
I see you are focused mostly on corporate innovation, and maybe what Gordon Bell called "intrapreneurship" after he left DEC behind. And that's great! Enterprises in the top tier - F100, etc. - die by failing to innovate, even when they have great ideas, and occasionally their C-level can make the difference. However, as Gordon used to point out when he and I were advising such companies, it's really hard for companies like HP or IBM or Xerox, and now Intel, to get out of their own way.
So, I wish you well in starting the Innovators' Network. I think for me personally as a retired tech innovate, it's a bit pricey, but to be honest for C-level innovation executives in enterprises, it's a bargain to access the experience of you and others.
Seen something very similar when I worked at VMware. Lots of wrong decisions based on incorrect framework. Even when there was innovation and good products bad Go To Market killed products.
You nailed it! The rush to market (with bad go to market) can be deadly to great ideas.
Phil, great summary of what has happened. I used to work at HP at the time and I was shocked of how this is all possible. First to fire Mark. Then to bring Leo and the Autonomy fraud. I was suspecting that he was also afraid not to hurt the MSFT relationship by WebOS focus. There was another disaster happening because of Mark was not there: the EDS integration totally failed because the EDS management stayed in their roles. I guess Mark would have cleaned the top level. Once great HP Consulting Services slowly drowned towards the bitter end called DXC.
Phil - great commentary on the HP WebOS mess, which happened just after I left my role as HP Fellow. And you are dead to rights in pointing out what went wrong. I watched between 2003 and 2010 how HP's corporate leaders starting with Carly Fiorina dropped so many tech balls (the early one I participated in was that they missed the chance to acquire VMware, which I advised them to grab. Another "we don't get software" mistake.) And then they started laying off all the best minds in HP Labs - who needs research? That was it for me, literally. Hiring Apotheker, after I left, just confirmed the company's mess.
I see you are focused mostly on corporate innovation, and maybe what Gordon Bell called "intrapreneurship" after he left DEC behind. And that's great! Enterprises in the top tier - F100, etc. - die by failing to innovate, even when they have great ideas, and occasionally their C-level can make the difference. However, as Gordon used to point out when he and I were advising such companies, it's really hard for companies like HP or IBM or Xerox, and now Intel, to get out of their own way.
So, I wish you well in starting the Innovators' Network. I think for me personally as a retired tech innovate, it's a bit pricey, but to be honest for C-level innovation executives in enterprises, it's a bargain to access the experience of you and others.
- David P. Reed