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A pain to deal with. But so many great metaphors to offer.
When a daughter hands me a ball of them, my first instinct (not proud) is to pull. To hope for a loose chain to give and then, tbh, throw a small tantrum when the tangle tightens.
Annoyingly, the right way to manage this is to take a beat, find the points inside the mess where the knots are hiding, and undo them one at a time.
It’s not fun or sexy, but it’s consistently the solution no matter how hard I resist.
In the workplaces I’m in these days, the analogy is alive and well.
At present, I’m in Financial Services, Biotech, Healthcare, and Logistics. A real range of industries but all are struggling with a version of the same.
Leaders are frustrated. In some cases almost tantruming. Because their teams aren’t “making it happen.” Targets and timelines are being missed, ideas and presentations are missing the mark, patient satisfaction is dipping, order backlogs building up…
On top of this they see their teams working hard. So hard, they fear burnout. But what can they do? They’ve delivered the strategy, named the priorities, driven the comms.
They see their teams’ exhaustion. But slowing down is not an option. So, like with the tangled necklaces, they pull harder. Say the targets again louder. Rerun the comms plan. Say inspiring things like “you can do this!” and “Get creative!” And still.
But here’s where the tangle’s the teacher. Because pulling harder and slowing down are not our only choices. That’s a false binary.
The right answer? Say it with me. It’s to look closely at the tangle. And find the knots that the leaders have inadvertently created. And untie them so speed can resume.
See, we’ve got solid vision and strategy at the top. We’ve got strong operations and execution running the org. But what’s missing – especially right now in this era of near-blinding uncertainty and constant change? Is a bridge between the two. One that runs in both directions.
And these days, I am repurposing the Executive Offsites I’m running to become this bridge. You know – that magnifying glass that helps executives see where there are knots in the org they just need to untie. And allow speed to resume.
I know it doesn’t sound sexy. But I’ll be darned if it’s not absolute rocket fuel.
Like this logistics company I mentioned? Their strategies and priorities were clear. But when I dug into the data of their reality, teams were telling me…
- Our top 2 priorities are to drive revenue and to close out backlogs. But executing feels like Whackamole. Revenue = new projects; Backlog = old projects. Those take us in separate and competing directions.
- We’re told to “hit the plan” but our most seasoned operators are receiving direction from above on which machines to match with which projects. If we’re accountable for the plan, we need ownership of the choices. Or a deeper understanding of why now
- Procurement timelines don’t match our reality. Our current process is set up such that whatever we need arrives 4-6 months too late. But no one is listening.
Problem is, each of these may sound whiny. I know senior leaders are rolling their eyes. “Why can’t they be adults and just figure these out?”
And looking down from the executive suites, I get it. But looking straight ahead at these teams in the focus groups I’m runnning? They’re not looking for you do their jobs for them. They’re looking for complexity to be acknowledged. For guidance on how to make choices when nothing seems entirely correct. For you to understand how the current process – probably designed 25 years ago – is obstructing them in today’s world. And for you to just, consider.
In the executive offsites I’m running today, we are looking at these things. And sure, if leaders need a minute to roll their eyes, I’ll grant it. But then we roll up our sleeves and do the work.
We listen – really listen to how our work in the ivory tower is playing out on the ground. We identify what we want to change and what we just want to acknowledge. We build a clear action plan. Key supporting messages. And a meaningful way forward.
My offsites these days are deeply unsexy. But they’re unflinchingly brave. Courage these days is getting us further than allure.