CEOs have the dual challenge of navigating the external environment – monitoring evolving industry dynamics, regulatory shifts, technology innovations, competitive advances, and customer expectations…while also optimizing their internal organization – aligning objectives, building capabilities, improving agility and execution, attracting and retaining top talent. All of these activities are critical requirements to remain relevant. Every leader ultimately experiences “moments of truth” when they realize they need that extra oomph to get over the finish line.
Given the increasing velocity of change occurring at all levels of the corporate ecosystem, at some point, virtually every organization faces a situation in which there aren’t clear and apparent solutions to strategic challenges. At these times, external intervention can help to illuminate the path forward.
As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” While most all executives understand this, the challenge remains to balance limited resources with multiple priorities. Executives need to maintain their focus on important matters and critical deliverables within their own domains. Also, not all companies have strategists on staff, nor the bandwidth necessary to lead truly transformational efforts.
