Massive ambition regarding strategy. A few niggling doubts concerning execution. That winning combination sums up the key results of our research.

After a year of cost-cutting and efficiency, leaders are starting to focus on value creation and innovation. But what about your organization, is it ready?

Massive ambition re strategy. A few niggling doubts re execution. That winning combo sums up the key results of our research encompassing 371 transformation initiatives, 129 project consolidations and 50 productivity drives.

Have you got complexity under control? Well, if the answer is ‘yes’ maybe you should think again! To deal with a complex external environment requires first mastering internal complexity.

Many managers fear their people are not working as hard or as smart from home, as they would if they were in the office. This is often dismissed as ‘Performance Paranoia'. But what if it is actually valid and can serve a valuable purpose?

The gap between strategy and execution is commonly talked about. But our data suggests that the reality is more complicated than that.  It is time to look at ‘the gap' in a new way. 

The pandemic utterly changed our lives and our work in so many ways. However, there was a surprising upside for strategy. Now that the pandemic is over that benefit is being lost.

Among the many talents and skills required by leaders is perfect vision, or to be more precise the ability to focus on both the short and the long term. This enables them to meet the dual imperatives of performance today and transformation tomorrow. At the best of times this ability is a rare talent, but in these times of slowing growth and increased uncertainty it is even rarer still. 

The great irony is that the cost of not meeting this quarter’s number is only a fraction of the cost of short-term thinking. It is 47% less revenue and 81% less profit according to McKinsey data!2. The business case for looking beyond the quarterly number is both clear and compelling.