How do you get people to bottom-line the conversation about a critical initiative/project, while ensuring that none of the important details get lost? If you are talking to a senior executive how do you bring them up to speed without testing their patience?
'Leaders say they want more innovation, but what exactly does that mean? What type of innovation, and where is it most needed? These sound like difficult questions to answer, but surprisingly they are not.
To really understand the performance and potential of any strategy, you need to explore this DNA - the portfolio of projects, programs and initiatives.
Executives close to a project often have a 6th sense when it comes to the success of a strategic initiative. It may be an uneasy feeling or a nagging doubt rather than a systematic analysis of project risks, yet it absolutely needs to be listened to.