John Bell

Author and retired CEO and strategy consultant

John R. Bell is a retired CEO of a consumer packaged goods company, and a former global strategy consultant. Bell is the author of the book, Do Less Better: The Power of Strategic Sacrifice in a Complex World (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014), and the novel, The Circumstantial Enemy (independently published, 2017), a historical thriller based on true World War II events. A prolific blogger, Bell’s musings on strategy, leadership, and branding appear in several online journals including Fortune and Forbes.

Mon, 08/31/2015 - 15:55
Work That Matters Starts With Matters That WorkHerein lies the difference between objectives and strategy
Mon, 11/05/2018 - 12:02
To most of us, the phrase “work that matters” infers job satisfaction. The outcome is lower stress, lower turnover, and higher productivity—in business, a win-win for employees, customers, and shareholders. The logic is infallible. So, I ask you,…
Five Things I Learned Writing a Novel That I Wished I Knew When I Was a CEODevoting more time to better understand our employees would have delivered better results
Wed, 02/14/2018 - 12:02
I have written more than a 100 blog posts about leadership, strategy, and culture. Within that portfolio are several accounts of business reinvention and transformation. Yet it was only a few months ago that I composed my first post on another…
Twenty Reasons Why Companies Should Do Less BetterGood gardeners know that pruning is just as important as planting
Thu, 05/25/2017 - 12:01
Do Less Better is the name of my book (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014). Do less better is also a culture and a strategy of organizations and their leaders. Do-less-better practitioners are fanatical about focus and simplification; herein lies the secret…
In Praise of Fast CompaniesTheir leaders are nimble and quick with keen wits
Tue, 05/31/2016 - 16:35
Should every company be striving for the type of strategic advantage that has become the hallmark of Amazon, Google, and Facebook? For sure, in the tech world, it’s hard to imagine success without quick and continuous technology improvement. What…
Why Strategy Withstands the Test of TimeToday’s business world is a complex place. Strategy cuts through the clutter.
Mon, 02/08/2016 - 17:05
How often have you heard people say, “Our strategy is to become the biggest and the best?” This isn’t strategy. Strategy is not the what. Strategy is the how: How will you become the biggest and the best? Of course, within that definition, there…
Leadership Comes in All Shapes and SizesA position in management is not required
Thu, 12/03/2015 - 16:18
Leadership doesn’t begin when you step up on the first rung of the management ladder. One direct report doesn’t make you a leader; nor does 10. Yet, the moment you have direct reports, you are expected to lead. When you fail to demonstrate traits…
Why Leaders Believe That Tomorrow Will Be BetterClear vision brings dreams to fruition
Thu, 09/10/2015 - 11:35
To every one of us, the future is important. Maybe it’s because the future is where we’re going to spend the rest of our lives. Or could it be something more, something about the human spirit that has us looking ahead to a better future for…
Stubbornness and Strategy: Birds of a FeatherWalk away from nonstrategic ventures and maintain the integrity of focus
Mon, 08/31/2015 - 15:55
From as far back as my days in brand management, I have held a deep affection for strategy. This might have something to do with the fact that I can be stubborn. Good strategists are also stubborn, even pigheaded. Why is that? Because without…