Strategic Leadership Guide

Most changes fail, especially if they are complex. But why? The Lippitt-Knoster model explains exactly why you don’t get what you want. Making changes is notoriously difficult, especially if they are substantial and complex. In response, there are many change management approaches and step-by-step instructions for managing change. But, to manage change, it is essential to first understand it. Once we know the key ingredients of a successful change, we know what it takes to make it. Even more importantly, once we know these ingredients, we also know WHY a change fails, so that we can do something about it. According to the Lippitt-Knoster Model for Managing Complex Change, a complete change effort requires the following six ingredients: 👉 Vision: sets the direction and explains why the change is needed 👉 Consensus: creates alignment and commitment for the change 👉 Skills: outlines the skills and expertise needed to realize the change 👉 Incentives: creates the motivation and drive to make the change 👉 Resources: enables the change with the needed time, money and tools 👉Action Plan: clarifies the roadmap and steps for realizing the change All six are needed. Consensus was added later by Knoster and it’s not so clear if both originators agree. Yet, I find it essential for any change to be successful, so you need all six. If you miss one you don’t get the change you want. ❌ Miss Vision and you get Confusion ❌ Miss Consensus and you get Sabotage ❌ Miss Skills and you get Anxiety ❌ Miss Incentives and you get Resistance ❌ Miss Resources and you get Frustration ❌ Miss Action Plan and you get False Starts So, here is what it takes to make a successful (complex) change: Step 1: Vision. Create and share a clear vision of the change and why it is needed. What will the new situation look like? Step 2: Consensus. Engage people across the organization to gather input and align their viewpoints in line with the vision. Step 3: Skills. Identify which skills are needed, provide the necessary training, upskill or attract people with the right skills. Step 4: Incentives. Understand what motivates people and create the right mechanisms for intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Step 5: Resources. Reserve enough time and money for making the change and obtain the necessary tools, technologies and other resources. Step 6: Action Plan. Develop a high-level roadmap and detailed action plan that outlines the priorities, order and steps for making the change. === Want to create true and lasting change? Then the Certified Strategy and Implementation Consultant (CSIC) program may be something for you. For more information and registration for the September 2024 cohort of this exciting program, and booking a call with our enrollment advisor, visit our website strategy.inc. 

Most CEOs make million-dollar decisions using the same process they use to pick lunch. And that's exactly why 70% of strategic initiatives fail. Here's what I've noticed after watching hundreds of leaders in action: The average founder attacks problems like a firefighter. See problem → Rush to solution → Wonder why it keeps happening. But the best CEOs? They're more like detectives. They know that the first solution is rarely the right solution. The obvious answer is usually incomplete. And moving fast without thinking costs more time than thinking first. I learned this the hard way. Years ago, our sales were tanking. My gut said "hire more salespeople." Seemed obvious. More people = more sales, right? Wrong. When I finally slowed down to really examine the problem, I discovered our pricing was confusing customers. Our best prospects were ghosting us after demos. The fix? A simple pricing calculator on our website. Cost: $500 and one afternoon. Result: 40% increase in close rate. The expensive hiring spree I almost launched? Would've made things worse. Here's what separates strategic thinkers from reactive leaders: 1/ They question before they answer. What's really broken here? What are we not seeing? 2/ They zoom out before they zoom in. How does this connect to everything else? What's the real impact? 3/ They explore before they execute. What are ALL our options? What haven't we tried? 4/ They test before they invest. Can we try this small first? What would prove this works? 5/ They align before they advance. Is everyone clear on the why? Do we all see the same target? The ironic part? This "slower" approach is actually faster. Because you solve the right problem. Once. Instead of the wrong problem. Over and over. Strategic thinking isn't about being smarter. It's about having a better process. One that turns your biggest challenges into your biggest advantages. What expensive mistake could better thinking have helped you avoid? Want a PDF of my Strategic Thinking Wheel cheat sheet? Get it free: https://lnkd.in/du7gMRpg ♻️ Repost to help a leader in your network. 💡 Follow Eric Partaker for more strategy insights.

From Zero base to hero moves: How strategic resource allocation defines a great CEO Imagine this: you’ve been handed the reins of an organization with a mandate to grow—but no instructions, no road map, and no sacred cows. You must start from scratch, every dollar and decision scrutinized, and every allocation must prove its worth. For some, this scenario feels paralyzing. For great leaders, it’s the perfect canvas. Welcome to zero-base thinking: the ultimate test of strategic leadership. Most companies operate on autopilot when it comes to resource allocation. Budgets are rolled over, headcount is tweaked, and strategies evolve incrementally. But great #CEOs understand that true transformation requires starting from a blank slate. Zero-base thinking is about asking: “If we had to rebuild this today, would we do it the same way?” The answer often sparks innovation, uncovers waste, and repositions teams for maximum impact. Here’s why it’s a game-changer: • It removes biases: Decisions are made based on merit, not history. • It aligns with priorities: Resources flow to what drives the most value. • It empowers agility: Starting fresh allows leaders to pivot quickly in a changing environment. When I joined a previous organization, we were stuck in the inertia of “this is how it’s always been done.” I implemented a zero-base approach, reevaluating every function and investment. This wasn’t about cost-cutting; it was about realignment. The result? We freed up resources to double down on high-growth areas, sunset underperforming projects, and reallocate talent to where they could make the biggest impact. In less than 12 months, the company was operating leaner, faster, and more profitably. If you’re evaluating candidates for the top job, look for someone who: • Thinks like an outsider: They approach challenges without the baggage of “we’ve always done it this way.” • Prioritizes impact over politics: A great CEO makes decisions that serve the organization, not personal agendas. • Executes with precision: Strategic thinking is meaningless without flawless execution. As a #CEO, I’ve learned that zero-base thinking isn’t just a budgeting tool—it’s a leadership philosophy. It requires courage to challenge assumptions, discipline to prioritize ruthlessly, and a vision to reimagine what’s possible. For board members, hiring a CEO with this mindset means partnering with someone who isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions and make the bold moves. After all, transformation doesn’t come from tinkering around the edges—it comes from starting at zero. So, the next time you’re looking to hire a CEO, ask them this: “If you had to rebuild this company from scratch, what would you do differently?” Their answer will tell you everything you need to know. #Leadership #Management #BoardOfDirectors #CorporateGovernance #BoardLeadership #ExecutiveLeadership #BoardDevelopment #BoardStrategy #NonExecutiveDirector #Boardroom #Strategy #StrategicThinking

A PM at Google asked me how I managed 30+ stakeholders. 'More meetings?' Wrong. Here's the RACI framework that cut my meeting load by 60% while increasing influence. 1/ 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙫𝙨 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 Most PMs drown because they invite everyone who's "interested." Instead, split your stakeholders into: - R: People doing the work - A: People accountable for success 2/ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙥 Stop asking for approval from everyone. Create two clear buckets: - C: Must consult before decisions - I: Just keep informed of progress 3/ 𝘿𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 > 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 For "Informed" stakeholders, switch to documented updates. They'll actually retain more than in another recurring meeting. 4/ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙋𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙚 "𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲." Use this in every email. Watch the right people emerge. 5/ 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 Build your approval flows around your R&A stakeholders only. Everyone else gets strategic updates. --- This isn't about excluding people. It's about respecting everyone's time while maintaining momentum. If you found this framework helpful for managing stakeholders: 1. Follow Alex Rechevskiy for more actionable frameworks on product leadership and time management 2. Bookmark and retweet to save these tactics and help other PMs streamline their stakeholder management

Ever heard of the Lippitt-Knoster Model for Managing Complex Change? It's a classic in the change management world, laying out the essential pieces needed to navigate big transformations. Taking a cue from that, I've adapted it to fit the world of digital transformation. There are seven key elements you can't afford to miss: Vision, Strategy, Objectives, Capabilities, Architecture, Roadmap, and Projects & Programs. Skip any one of these, and you're asking for trouble. Here’s why each one matters: • 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: This is the 'what' of your transformation. A clear vision gives everyone a target to aim for, aligning all efforts and keeping the team focused. • 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲: Think of this as the 'why' and 'how.' A solid strategy explains the logic behind your vision, showing how you plan to get there and why it's the best route. It’s designed to guide everyone in the company on how to make decisions that support the vision, aligning all efforts and keeping the team focused. • 𝐎𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬: These are your milestones. Clear, specific objectives make it easy to measure success and ensure everyone knows what's important. Without them, you can easily veer off course and waste resources. • 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: These are what your company will now be able to do that it wasn't able to before in order to achieve the objectives. These can be organizational capabilities (like improved decision-making), technical capabilities (such as real-time operational visibility), or other types like enhanced customer engagement or streamlined processes. • 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: A robust architecture ensures all your tech works together smoothly, preventing inefficiencies and costly headaches. This includes various types of architecture such as data architecture, IT infrastructure architecture, enterprise architecture, and functional architecture. Effective architecture is central to reducing technical debt and aligning software with broader business transformation goals. • 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐩: Your roadmap is the game plan. It lays out the sequence of actions, helping you avoid uncertainty and missteps. It's your guide to getting things done right. • 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 & 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬: These are where the rubber meets the road. Actionable projects and programs turn your strategy into reality, making sure your plans lead to real, tangible outcomes. From my experience, I think '𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬' and '𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐩' are the two most overlooked. What do you think? ******************************************* • Follow #JeffWinterInsights to stay current on Industry 4.0 and other cool tech trends • Ring the 🔔 for notifications!

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, leadership development can't afford to stand still. Just as we regularly upgrade our technology, we must consistently upgrade our leadership capabilities - but unlike a software update, leadership skills can't be installed overnight. Along with my colleagues Leslie Kawai and Erin Wilson Burns from The RBL Group, we've identified five essential strategies that are reshaping how organizations develop their leaders. Drawing from our Leadership Code Research Initiative findings, we explore evidence-based methods, expanded coaching access, personalized development approaches, stakeholder-focused assessments, and the critical need for strategic reflection time. These aren't just theoretical concepts - we've included real-world examples of organizations successfully implementing these strategies to build stronger leadership pipelines and drive measurable business results. I invite you to read our full article and share your experiences: Which of these five strategies has had the most impact in your organization? What other leadership development approaches are you finding effective in today's business environment? Let's learn from each other as we work to build the next generation of leaders. #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #TalentDevelopment #HR #OrganizationalDevelopment

Ever feel stuck on a big decision—whether in business, leadership, or life? Intel’s CEO, Andy Grove, had a brilliant technique to cut through uncertainty. It’s called self-distancing, and it works like magic. Here’s how it goes: When Grove felt unsure about a decision, he’d ask himself: 👉 "What would my successor do?" This simple question removes ego, emotion, and fear from the decision-making process. When you pretend someone else is making the call, you gain instant clarity. Instead of being trapped in your own biases or past decisions, you see the situation objectively, just like a fresh CEO taking over would. This works because we naturally give better advice to others than we take for ourselves. When you self-distance, you make rational, long-term choices instead of emotional, short-term ones. Try this the next time you’re stuck: -Thinking of launching a new product? → What would my successor do? -Need to fire a problematic employee? → What would my successor do? -Considering a career change? → What would my successor do? This mindset shift isn't just for CEOs—it works for anyone. If you’re too emotionally attached to a situation, zoom out and think like an outsider. The right move often becomes obvious. Andy Grove used this when Intel was struggling in a price war with Japanese competitors in the memory chip market You can use it today to think clearer, act faster, and make better choices. Give it a shot and let me know how it works. Retweet to help others get unstuck.

With all the buzz surrounding #AI, it's crucial to explore the relationship between AI and human leadership. While AI possesses unmatched capabilities like unlimited information access, superior processing power, and rapid learning, recent research from Harvard Business Review suggests that employees continue to prefer human leaders. Although AI excels in specific leadership areas like strategy, decision-making, and performance analysis due to its speed and precision, it encounters challenges understanding human dynamics, emotions, and personal agendas in the workplace. So, despite AI's benefits, employees still want human interaction when it comes to things like hiring, promotions, and sensitive matters. Ultimately, the future of leadership is AI-enabled, not AI-dominated. As this article points out, effective leaders should strike a balance, using AI for analytical tasks while embracing human qualities like awareness, compassion, and wisdom in interpersonal aspects. Leaders who understand and leverage AI while maintaining these human-centered qualities will be better positioned to attract, retain, and motivate top talent.

The pace of change in today’s job market is unprecedented. AI, automation, and evolving business models are transforming the way we work, as well as the skills we need to thrive. The question isn’t whether your workforce will need to adapt but when. A recent Harvard Business Review, ‘Management Tip of the Day’ suggests four key steps to future-proof your workforce: 🔹 Use scenario-driven planning to map different paths your business could take, then develop leaders who could succeed in each. 🔹 Tie development experiences directly to succession goals. Identify gaps, offer stretch roles, and pair rising talent with mentors and coaching that target upcoming transitions. 🔹 Make succession planning a business priority. Treat it like any critical strategy, with clear accountability, timelines, and measurable outcomes. 🔹 Expect leaders to develop future leaders. Building talent for tomorrow should be part of every leader’s mandate At Capgemini, we’re committed to developing the next generation of leaders at every level. Through initiatives like our Leadership, Gen AI and Industry campuses, mentoring programs, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities, we aim to future-proof our workforce, close leadership gaps, and drive lasting growth and agility.   What steps are you taking to future-proof your team or workforce?

“Another Boeing plane has crashed…” That headline didn’t just inform the world. It shook it. Airlines grounded fleets. Passengers canceled bookings. Families waited in grief. And in those painful moments, everyone turned to Boeing — waiting for reassurance, compassion, and clarity. But what they received instead was silence, technical statements, and corporate coldness. ⸻ 💬 The Dialogue That Never Happened Imagine if Boeing’s CEO had stood before the world and said: 👉 “We are devastated by this tragedy. Our deepest condolences go to the families who lost their loved ones. We take full responsibility to uncover the truth, fix it, and make sure this never happens again. Every passenger’s life matters. We will not rest until trust is restored.” Instead, the company issued vague technical explanations about “software updates” and “pilot procedures.” The difference? One statement speaks to the heart. The other hides behind jargon. 📉 The Fallout of Silence Boeing didn’t just lose billions in market value. They lost something far more precious: trust. • Passengers felt unsafe. • Governments demanded groundings. • Airlines questioned contracts. • Employees lost pride. A global brand that once symbolized safety became a symbol of fear. And the leadership lesson? 👉 In crisis, your communication is your reputation. ⸻ When tragedy strikes, the human brain looks for three things immediately: 1. Reassurance (Pathos): “Do you see my pain? Do you care?” 2. Clarity (Logos): “What exactly happened? Am I safe?” 3. Responsibility (Ethos): “Can I trust you to fix this?” ⸻ Here’s a 3-step Crisis Communication Framework every CEO must remember: 1. Acknowledge Emotion (Pathos): • Show empathy immediately. • Example: “We are heartbroken by this tragedy. Lives were lost. Families are grieving.” 2. Share Facts Clearly (Logos): • State what you know, what you don’t know, and what you’re investigating. • Example: “The incident involves [details]. Investigations are ongoing. Safety checks are underway globally.” 3. Commit to Responsibility (Ethos): • Show accountability and promise change. • Example: “We take full responsibility. Here’s how we are fixing it: [specific steps].” ⸻ ✅ Do’s & ❌ Don’ts of Crisis Communication ✅ Do’s • Respond quickly. Speed signals responsibility. • Lead with humanity. Speak to emotions first, facts second. • Be transparent. Say what you know and admit what you don’t. • Take responsibility. Even partial acknowledgment builds trust. • Be consistent. Updates must be regular, not one-time. ❌ Don’ts • Stay silent. Silence is filled with rumors. • Use jargon. “Software anomaly” means nothing to grieving families. • Deflect blame. Saying “pilot error” erodes credibility. • Downplay loss. Even one life lost must be honored. • Overpromise. “It will never happen again” sounds hollow if unproven. ⸻ 💡 The Bigger Leadership Lesson Crisis doesn’t just test your company. It tests your character.