The ACE approach is helpful for considering the caliber of a memo when launching a change implementation plan:

1. Actionable: Does the message set reasonable expectations and describe the path forward in now, next, and then terms?
2. Credible: Does the message provide the rationale for the decision?
3. Emotional: Does the message outline the relevant incentives?

Author: Tom Hunsaker
Source: How to Actually Execute Change at a Company
Subject: Change Management Questions

Direction-setting checklist: Be bold

1. Vision: Do we have a clear and compelling vision that reframes what winning looks like, and is it owned by the whole enterprise?
2. Strategy: Have we created a short list of clearly defined big moves at the enterprise level that will distance us from our competitors?
3. Resource allocation: Are we ‘thinking like an outsider’ to actively reallocate resources (such as dollars, people,

… [ Read more ]

Authors: Carolyn Dewar, Kurt Strovink, Scott Keller, Vikram Malhotra
Source: The CEO’s essential checklist: Questions every chief executive should be able to answer
Subject: CEO / Executive Questions

1. Put Customer Value First
   • Why do we need to enhance or transform our technology right now?
   • What problems do we expect to solve?
   • How will this change deliver value to our customers?
2. Simplify Your Architecture
   • How can we best simplify our technology systems environment?
   • Where is the modularity in our current system environment? Is it flexible enough for our needs?
   • What data and functionality will be accessible —

… [ Read more ]

Authors: Leon Cooper, Milan Vyas
Source: 10 principles for modernizing your company’s technology
Subject: IT Questions

Ask for Guidance and Input

Use these questions to get help from your manager on any tasks or projects you are having difficulty with, or to express your need for additional resources, input, or support.

1. I am having some challenges and struggles with X. Can you help me think about how to navigate and address X successfully?
2. Could you suggest any ideas and thoughts around how

… [ Read more ]

Authors: Cydnei Meredith, Liana Kreamer, Steven G. Rogelberg
Source: 28 Questions to Ask Your Boss in Your One-on-Ones
Subject: Personal and Career Development

The purpose of the “fast friends” exercise is to help create and sustain more meaningful relationships, which is beneficial to overall health, team effectiveness, and business success. The original exercise consists of three sets of 12 questions each. Participants work in pairs and get 15 minutes for each set (10 minutes for an abbreviated version), resulting in 45 minutes (or 30 … [ Read more ]

Authors: Arthur Aron, Edward Melinat, Elaine N. Aron, Renee J. Bator, Robert Darrin Vallone
Source: 36 Questions for Increasing Closeness
Subject: Human Resources Questions

IBM has honed a position since the 1950s when it spoke about and acted on racial justice. The company asks its employees to ask themselves the following five questions.

1. Is the issue directly linked to the business?
2. Does the company have a history of engaging in it?
3. What are the stakeholders saying?
4. What are the competitors doing?
5. Could the company make a meaningful difference by engaging?

At the moment, … [ Read more ]

Author: Lucy Parker
Source: Author Talks: How you can future-proof your business for sustainable, long-term growth
Subject: Social Responsibility Questions

Questions for Assessing Leadership Style

1. What are 1-2 questions you always ask your team members in one-on-one meetings, and why?
2. If I asked someone on your team about your leadership style, what would they say?
3. Tell me about a time when you delved into significant detail and got your hands dirty.
4. What accomplishments are you most proud of? What role did you play?
5. What ritual or practice have

… [ Read more ]

Source: Hire Better Managers: 35 Interview Questions for Assessing a Candidate
Subject: Human Resources Questions

Companies need to determine how functions best fit into their value-creation narrative. Organizations must answer the following questions:

1. What are the key decisions that business-unit leaders need to make, and what do they need to control? For example, if IT business-application development is a core enabler for a business unit’s growth strategy, how much control does its leader need to ensure that projects are

… [ Read more ]

Authors: Aaron De Smet, Caitlin Hewes, Elizabeth Mygatt, Kirk Rieckhoff
Source: Redefining corporate functions to better support strategy and growth
Subject: Management Questions

Setting the Stage

The first 10 questions deal with the context in which the brand can be positioned. They set the stage of the brand story, if you will.

1. Redefine your business: What other categories satisfy a similar need or provide the similar emotional reward that yours does? And what opportunities would this new perspective offer for building your brand and your portfolio? (Example: Cirque

… [ Read more ]

Author: Ulli Appelbaum
Source: 26 Universal Questions for Brand Positioning (and Creating Your Brand Story)
Subject: Marketing Questions

• What is the unique value proposition of the ecosystem you want to create?
• Who has already built ecosystems to create a similar value proposition?
• Do you have the resources and capabilities to be the orchestrator of a new ecosystem and overcome the advantages of the existing ecosystems?
• If trusted partners have the complementary resources you need to create your ecosystem, should you invite them as core partners?
• If

… [ Read more ]

Authors: Andrew Shipilov, Francesco Burelli
Source: The Five Essential Roles of Corporate Ecosystems
Subject: Strategy Questions