Bill Fournet. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World
Interview conducted by Rod Walton World Business Editor.
One thing all generations agree
on: For better or worse, the
current workplace demands the
ability to multitask. So how do we
cultivate that ability? Should we
cultivate that ability? Are there
alternatives that still allow us to
keep pace with our “busier”
colleagues?
Bill Fournet is president and CEO of The Persimmon Group, a Tulsa-based
management consulting firm. A graduate of Vanderbilt University
and Oklahoma State University, he founded Persimmon in 2004 and leads
the firm’s practice for business strategy, leadership development and team
performance. Persimmon also has a speaker’s bureau serving conferences and
workshops.
1. Your company is well known
for its project management
services. Why is project management
so important?
More and more companies
are turning to projects
as a way to drive change,
innovation and expansion.
At a basic level, project
management is the art
and science of delivering
specific results, usually to
harness future technology
or trends.
Unfortunately, companies
that focus exclusively on
daily operations are stagnating
— they can’t stay in front
of the rapid changes in their
industry because they’re so
focused on what is right in
front of them. On the flip
side, companies that rush
into projects without discipline
can find themselves in
a world of hurt.
We work with clients to
prioritize their project portfolio,
develop their people,
and implement the tools
and processes needed for
consistent success.
2.You talk a lot about the
importance of being “agile”
as a company. What does
that mean?
Companies are operating
in a constant state of
flux. Events across the
hemisphere take hours —
not months — to affect the
way we do business. What
seemed like a brilliant idea
last year might now be
disastrous thanks to rapidly
changing social, cultural,
and economic factors.
While it’s still important
to think and plan strategically,
it’s just as important
to stay tactically flexible.
Companies that can quickly
execute a change of plans
are better positioned to take
advantage of market opportunities.
By the way, you don’t
have to be small to be agile.
Agility is a cultural commitment
that can be made at
even large companies.
3. You mentioned seeing an increase
this year in companies
creating or updating their
strategic plans. What is driving
that?
Three reasons. First,
as the economy recovers,
companies are finally starting
to expand their value or
presence in other markets.
Second, as I mentioned earlier,
customer markets are
changing and many companies
are trying very hard
to adjust. Finally, we work
with many clients who are
experiencing a leadership
transition — especially generational
or family-based
organizations.
4. In addition to being a
CEO, you’re a professional
speaker. What are your
favorite talks?
I enjoy speaking on topics
that affect both our business
and personal lives — leadership,
generational diversity
and managing our time in
this techno-information
age.
Right now, one of my
favorite areas of focus is
time management — each
generation currently in the
workplace has vastly different
philosophies of time.
The younger generations
are fast movers — they expect
to be promoted every
one or two years, and they
can’t go 15 minutes without
checking their email or
social networks. However,
they also don’t see a sharp
distinction between “my
time” and “company time,”
which can be both good and
bad for employers, depending
on your point of view.
One thing all generations
agree on: For better or
worse, the current workplace
demands the ability
to multitask. So how do
we cultivate that ability?
Should we cultivate that
ability? Are there alternatives
that still allow us to
keep pace with our “busier”
colleagues?
5. You’re very committed to the
Boy Scouts of America. What
does that organization mean
to you?
Scouting is an incubator
for leadership — it enables
young men to “practice”
leadership and confidence
in various situations so that
they become future leaders.
We provide leadership
development, service focus,
outdoor skills and character
training to a lot of young
men.
Scouts has always been
an important part of my life:
I’m an Eagle Scout, as is
my oldest son, and my two
younger sons are on that
path as well.
Time with the Scouts
has also been a great way
to bond with my sons and
help them keep in balance
with nature. Kids today
can really get consumed
with technology; Scouts
puts them out in nature and
teaches them survival skills.
Original Print Headline: Strategies for shifting times
5 Questions
1: You've moved from the construction industry with Flintco to power generation with Clifford. What is the learning curve in your new job?
1 How has the Girl Scout program evolved over the years, and what does it offer today?
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