The structural problems of strategic thinking
Over the last few months I’ve been sharing my observations about leaders becoming overly operational at a time when we need them to be operating strategically. In times of uncertainty,
Why Big-Picture Thinking Fails Exactly When We Need It?
A few years back, I identified an interesting paradox when it came to planning and uncertainty. I had noticed among my clients—and in organisations more broadly—that times of high uncertainty
Simon Says: You are not at the mercy of uncertainty
The negative impacts of uncertainty on organisational performance are well documented — but they’re only half the story. Yes, uncertainty can: To be honest, it feels depressing just to write that out.
Simon Says: Why some leaders stay operational instead of being strategic
This post is a reflection on a recent conversation I had with a local government client. Although the situation involved one municipality, the themes are far from unique. In fact,
Simon Reads: The Future of Power
This edition of Simon Reads is inspired by this week’s episode of The Future With Friends, where we explored the future of power – who holds it, how it shifts, and what it
Simon says: Why a collective purpose is more useful than a vision statement
One of the most common mistakes when it comes to identifying collective purpose is that we confuse it with an organisation’s vision. Whereas an organisation’s vision is an ‘idealistic view
Simon Says: The foundation of any strategy is shared understanding
Last week, I shared my strategic planning model called The Strategic Planning Pyramid (the name is accurate, if not a little obvious). It has been developed through two decades of
Simon Says: When There Are Too Many ‘I’s in a Team
In last week’s post, I dove into the idea of the ‘Olympic Year’ and how we can use metaphor to gain deeper insights and uncover new opportunities. One of the
’Tis the season for reflection
For most of human history, we have understood that different seasons require us to have a different focus. Trees don’t bear fruit year-round, crops need to be planted in spring,
Is it time to rethink December?
The December Drift It’s easy to blame Christmas for a lack of focus in December. People are winding down, office parties are ramping up, and talk of holidays takes priority
