One of the most common frustrations I’ve heard from CEOs and managers more generally is “But I told them ….” Whether it’s to do something or to behave a certain way (e.g. values). But “telling them” isn’t enough. Here are some reasons your team may not be doing what you “told them”. There’s a culture […]
Tips, News & Views
Freedom has Consequences
Freedom. So easily abused and misunderstood when we have it. So fundamental for our humanity that we have to fight for it when we don’t. My heart (and many more useful things!) goes out to those fighting for their freedom. Whether in Ukraine, Palestine, Syria or elsewhere. Those of us with the privilege of freedom […]
Where strategy goes to die No. 9 – The framework is rarely the problem or the solution
A common response when strategy doesn’t seem to be happening is to throw out the framework for implementing it and look for a new one. But in my experience, the framework is rarely the problem. The far deeper and bigger problem is discipline. I strongly believe in the importance of frameworks for delivering strategy. Some […]
Where strategy goes to die #8 – A masterpiece of spreadsheets, not humans
A strategy articulated by the most beautiful and elegant diagram of neatly-fitting geometric shapes is often laid waste by the less elegant actions of totally ungeometrically-shaped and unpredictable objects. Humans. The military’s long known this. The noted and successful Prussian general military strategist Von Clausewitz based much of his strategy work on it. (See the […]
Mess in your strategy is normal
“No one should develop a strategy without taking into account the effects of organizational friction. Yet we continue to be surprised and frustrated when it manifests itself. We tend to think everything has gone wrong when in fact everything has gone normally.” This from Stephen Bungay’s excellent book on getting strategy done, “The Art of […]