Interview: Karl Krayer

Karl Krayer

Krayer received his Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma, specializing in organizational communication. He then served on the faculties of Auburn and Texas Christian Universities before beginning a ten-year stint with Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc., as a training manager. His training and organizational development interventions at Dr Pepper/Seven Up yielded significant results for the corporation in productivity, profitability, and return on investment. His internal consulting efforts were instrumental in leading work reorganization and process improvement changes for the corporation’s Marketing and Marketing Services divisions. Since 1998, Krayer has consulted and facilitated for many other major organizations, including Nokia, Lehigh Hanson, Texas Instruments, TXU Energy, Lucent Technologies, Cadbury Schweppes, Hunt Oil, Citi, YUM! Brands, Shell, Texas Department of Transportation, and Child Health Care Association. Krayer now serves as an Adjunct Faculty member in the University of Dallas Graduate School of Management and is also is the president of Creative Communication Network, a full-service company offering speeches and presentations, training and custom consulting and meeting facilitation for individuals, groups and organizations. His co-authored book, Organizing Change, was published by Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer in 2003.

Here is a brief excerpt from my interview of Krayer. The complete interview is also available.

Morris: Of all the business books you have taught and discussed thus far, which one do you most enjoy re-reading because, each time, you continue to find something of value that you missed before?

Krayer: I believe that history will place Good to Great as the best business book ever written, perhaps as much for its rigorous methodology and its insightful discoveries. Readers need to remember that this book does not predict success, but rather, report what led certain businesses to success, based upon historical data. I really enjoy the enthusiasm that Jim Collins shared in writing the unexpected findings from his team’s research. I like to re-read those sections so that I can paraphrase them accurately to my audiences.

Morris: Given the recent proliferation of electronic reading devices such as Amazon’s Kindle and Sony’s PRS, has the bound volume become an endangered species?

Krayer: Not in my view. I believe books are also symbols, and people enjoy displaying them in their homes and offices as well as carrying them around to show people what they are reading, as much as they do actually reading them. You can’t do that with these devices. I think that customers who value autographed copies and who travel to book signings to meet the author and receive a signed copy will not tolerate digital signatures sent through e-mail. I think that retail outlets that sell books have more than met the challenge, and have created experiences for customers who will continue to frequent these stores. I have posted detailed explanations of these reasons on our blog at
http://ffbsccn.wordpress.com
Krayer. Go to Karl’s categories. I welcome your comments if you think I am wrong. Let’s talk about it!

If you wish to read the complete interview, please contact me at interllect@mindspring.com.