Value Creation
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A creative and sustainable enterprise has formed the habit of continuous and deliberate renewal. Whether that renewal is of enterprise, team, or project, the process is important. The preferred future may be distinctly different from the current trajectory. Past and present experience need to be mined fully, without being allowed to set the limits. Connecting to creativity is crucial. There are champions to be cultivated, and a new story to be crafted.
The goal will be the creation of new value, for clients and for the enterprise.
Creating Strategic Value™ is the process. Begin with futuring and follow the wheel clockwise. The process is sequential; each piece informs the next. The right side of the wheel is primarily conceptual, the left side more tactical.
The focus is deliberately not on planning or strategy, but on creating new value. What’s next?
1. Futuring
Futuring is beginning with the end in mind. It is defining the outcome or result, creating clarity about the desired future state of the enterprise. It is knowing what one wants to accomplish, in specific, succinct, concrete terms. This is a conceptual piece of the process, challenging for those with a highly tactical orientation. With all possible clarity, and lack of ambiguity, what is the preferred future?
2. Sensing
Sensing is scanning the environment, identifying leverage points that may work for or against the desired future. It is looking for any and all relevant conditions, both evident and not-so-evident. It is picking up weak signals and identifying emerging trends. Thoroughness is critical to success – it is important to turn over all the stones. What are the obstacles and impediments to the preferred future? What are the levers that can provide traction?
3. Creating
Creating is the generation of ideas, with no rules, limits, or gatekeepers. Nothing is far-fetched – this stage is high on quantity and low on judgment. It is stretching to find another perspective, above, below, inside-out, and sideways. It is intuitive, divergent, the free-flow capture of inklings. The lack of constraint will be difficult for some. It takes rigour to persevere, to hold on for the blinding flash of the obvious. At this stage, more is more.
4. Designing
Designing is the marriage of creativity and concrete reality. It is the addition of constraints, the need to bridge from where one is today to where one wants to be in the future. It is narrowing the idea set, moving from divergent to convergent thinking, adding the realities of resources and timing. Strong design welcomes constraint to bring clarity, elegance, and simplicity. How do you start from where you are? At this stage, less is more.
5. Aligning
Aligning is the beginning of managing the change process. It is knowing the forces that need to be aligned – people, resources, timing, politics. It is assessing readiness and willingness to move forward. It is positioning the right people in the right places, as well as developing cheerleaders and champions. Aligning requires political intelligence, mature judgment, discernment, and patience. What is, and is not, ripe to happen now?
6. Implementing
Implementing is the heart and soul of the tactician – how will this get done? It is who, when, and how. It is rigorous and disciplined execution. It is setting up the scorecard, monitoring the metrics, and tracking progress. The trickiest part is role clarity, and the ability to hold people accountable for results. Implementing thrives on the concrete, detailed plan, and founders on the vague intention.
7. Animating
Animating is creating the story that will build energy, traction, and momentum. It is turning to face outwards, bringing life to all that has been done so far. It is crafting the message that supports different types of people to become emotionally engaged, embrace what's happening, and seek participation. Animating must be authentic and clear, no mixed messages. It is a great opportunity for a wide range of tools and a high degree of creativity.
8. Adapting
Adapting is evaluating what has been done, looking for what is not working, learning from experience, and leveraging knowledge forward. It is asking for feedback, receiving feedback, and integrating that feedback. It is checking progress against any movement in the environment. The required shifts may be minor tweaking or major course-correction. Denial and avoidance will have to be overcome. How does one stay vigilant for what needs to change?
Creating Strategic Value™ can become like DNA to the organization. This process is not intended for use two days a year, it is ongoing and integrated. Good leaders often operate the process instinctively. The nature of the Whole Brain Leader™ is to do this well.
The model is circular by design, because coming to the end always connects to a new beginning. Success is a constant return to the place of creating value.