Resources & Solutions

Project Nucleus: An AI-Led Turnaround to Fulfill the Target Promise

Project Nucleus is a comprehensive AI transformation strategy for Target Corporation, developed by former Amazon executive John Rossman. The report outlines a three-layered approach to revitalize Target’s operations: deploying AI copilots to boost associate productivity by 30%, reengineering core workflows to achieve 25% cost reduction, and building a proprietary Hyperlocal Demand & Fulfillment Engine to create a defensible competitive moat. Based on the Big Bet Leadership framework, the strategy addresses Target’s declining sales, margin erosion, and operational friction through systematic AI implementation over 18-24 months.

High-Stakes Decision Making Framework

A fast, disciplined way to turn big, risky choices into advantaged bets. It starts by nailing the wicked problem and a vibrant future state, then isolates the few must-be-true hypotheses that drive value and risk. We classify the choice with the Door Test (reversible vs. irreversible), design cheap experiments to learn quickly, and mine hidden jewels—assets that create option value even if we pivot. Canaries and tripwires make risk visible early; meeting mastery keeps decisions crisp; and we hedge the downside, bank the upside with staged commitments and exit ramps. Use regret minimization only as a rare tie-breaker when data and tests can’t decide. The result: faster clarity, bounded downside, and a higher chance of asymmetric wins.

State of AI Report by MIT

Here’s the full MIT Report on AI and the Enterprise

The Amazon Annual Planning Process — OP1. From the best seller Think Like Amazon, by John Rossman

This is chapter 37 from Think Like Amazon: 50 1/2 Ideas to Become a Digital Leader.

The Big Bets™ Meeting Design GPT

Big Bet Systems – Rethink Meetings. Design for Impact.

Here’s the harsh truth: we’re addicted to meetings that don’t matter.When you’re in a meeting, you’re not designing. You’re not solving. You’re not thinking. You’re certainly not moving fast. You’re just… talking. Most meetings are the lazy way to get things done.

Rossman’s Business Manifesto for Competitive Advantage — The Pig, the Lipstick & the Playbook of Champions

Cut through the noise and confront the enemy of every great company—mediocrity. The Pig, the Lipstick, and the Playbook of Champions is a no-nonsense guide to building a high-performance culture, reclaiming your competitive edge, and achieving sustained success in today’s unforgiving business landscape.

In The Pig, the Lipstick, and the Playbook of Champions, John Rossman delivers an unflinching manifesto for leaders who refuse to settle for “good enough.” This essential business guide dismantles the myths that keep organizations stuck, revealing the bold truths of modern leadership and transformation.

The Chief Repeating Officer PDF

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
— George Bernard Shaw

Big Bets fail when leaders don’t repeat the right messages. The Chief Repeating Officer ensures clarity through repetition until it’s second nature to the team.

#Leadership #BigBetSuccess

Free “Why Memos?” Appendix for Big Bet Leadership

The research and benefits for using memos to think through hard problems and to work as a team is extensive. Here’s the appendix to Big Bet Leadership titled “Why Memos?”.

Click the “download” button at the bottom of this page.

Three Chapters from Think Like Amazon: 50 1/2 Ideas to Become a Digital Leader

Amazon’s famous “working backwards” approach to writing narratives, a future-press release and a set of FAQs is outlined in this set of chapters.

Big Bet Leadership GenAI Prompt Worksheet

Supercharge your thinking and writing using these GenAI prompts. Engineered to deliver the Big Bet Leadership memos. Get ready to 10x your ideas and writing with these prompts!

The Digital Leader Newsletter

Strategy and Techniques for Change Agents, Strategists and Innovators. A newsletter from the author of “Big Bet Leadership”, “The Amazon Way” and “Think Like Amazon” John Rossman. A substack newsletter with thousands of subscribers.

Big Bet Preflight Scorecard

Embark on Your Big Bet Journey with Confidence: Introducing the Big Bet Leadership Pre-Flight Scorecard

Ready to elevate your strategic initiatives but unsure where to start? Or do you have an in-progress significant transformation and are unsure if it will be successful? The Big Bet Leadership Pre-Flight Scorecard is the perfect framework to give a holistic and fast score to indicate the strengths and areas of concern.

Big Bet Introduction Video

How’s your digital transformation, growth strategy, operating model transition or AI strategy going? Over 80% are considered failures, with only 0.5% of major initiatives deliver on time, on budget and deliver expected benefits. Big Bet Leadership is a playbook for you to become a transformational leader — a Big Bet Legend. Listen to this short video to get started.

Designing Your Leadership Principles

The Amazon Way is a durable best seller — but it’s not about Amazon! It’s about you and what you can learn from a company like Amazon to innovate, improve customer centricity, creating a data driven and accountable high-performance team. The third edition had a new appendix — how to build your leadership principle. Don’t forget to “etch the in Jell-O”!