In today’s complex work environments, feeling overwhelmed isn’t just common—it’s practically expected. When multiple managers have competing demands, interdepartmental communication breaks down, and your role feels increasingly unclear, overwhelm can quickly derail your productivity and wellbeing. The good news? You can regain control with these deliberate strategies that work in real-world work settings.

Immediate Action Steps

1. Create a Manager Communication System

Create a comprehensive tracking document that includes all requests, projects, and tasks assigned to you. For each item, record:

• The requesting manager or department
• Specific deliverables expected
• Current priority level (high/medium/low)
• Deadline and estimated hours required
• Dependencies or blockers

Schedule a weekly 15-minute meeting with all your managers simultaneously (or individually if necessary) to review this document. Use this time to identify conflicts, negotiate priorities, and ensure everyone has visibility into your total workload. Update the document in real-time during discussions so there’s a clear record of any changes to expectations or deadlines.

2. Implement the “One Thing” Method

Each evening before ending work, identify the single most important task for the following day—one that will significantly move the needle on your priorities. Write this down somewhere visible. The next morning, complete this task before opening email, attending meetings, or checking messages. This might require arriving 30 minutes early or blocking your calendar for the first hour of your day.

The key is to work on this priority with complete focus: silence notifications, close unnecessary tabs, and consider using a Pomodoro timer (25 minutes of focus followed by a 5-minute break). Once completed, you’ll have accomplished something meaningful regardless of what the rest of the day brings.

3. Use Time Blocks for Balance

Transform your calendar from a passive meeting scheduler to an active time management tool:

• Schedule 90-120 minute blocks for deep, focused work on complex independent tasks. Label these clearly as “Focus Time: Project X” to signal to colleagues that interruptions should be minimized.
• Create designated collaboration blocks for team projects, ideally grouped together on certain days or time periods.
• Allocate specific 30-minute windows twice daily for email and communication management.
• Build in 15-minute buffer zones between meetings to process information, prepare for the next interaction, or simply reset mentally.
• Include a daily 10-minute planning block to reassess priorities and adjust as needed.

Protect these blocks with the same commitment you would give to a meeting with a key stakeholder.

Building Sustainable Systems

Clarify Roles and Responsibilities

Begin by documenting your perceived responsibilities versus your actual daily tasks. Create three columns:

1. Official job description duties
2. Additional responsibilities you’ve accumulated
3. Time investment required for each task

Schedule a focused meeting with your direct supervisor with the specific agenda of role clarification. During this meeting:

• Present your findings without complaint—frame the conversation around effectiveness rather than workload
• Ask which additional responsibilities align with your development goals and which might be better redistributed
• Request written clarification on decision-making authority: which decisions you can make independently versus those requiring approval
• Establish regular check-ins to ensure ongoing alignment as projects and priorities evolve

Follow up with an email summarizing agreements reached and distribute relevant information to other stakeholders.

Create Department Communication Protocols

Draft a simple interdepartmental communication framework that includes:

• Preferred communication channels for different request types (email for detailed requests, messaging for quick questions, etc.)
• Expected response timeframes for various priority levels
• Information required for requests to be actioned efficiently
• Templates for common cross-departmental requests
• Clear escalation paths for urgent matters

Present this draft to department heads in a collaborative spirit, asking for input and refinement. Once finalized, document the protocol and share it widely. Review effectiveness after one month and adjust as needed.

Adopt the Eisenhower Matrix

Create a four-quadrant grid on a whiteboard or digital tool:

1. Urgent & Important: Tasks requiring immediate attention to prevent significant negative consequences. Address these first, but analyze afterward whether they could have been anticipated.
2. Important, Not Urgent: Strategic work that moves you toward goals and prevents future crises. Schedule specific, protected time for these tasks daily.
3. Urgent, Not Important: Requests and interruptions that demand immediate attention but don’t contribute significantly to your goals. Delegate these when possible or batch process them during designated times.
4. Neither Urgent Nor Important: Activities that fill time but provide minimal value. Eliminate these ruthlessly or dramatically reduce time spent on them.

Sort all incoming tasks into these quadrants before committing to them. Review your distribution weekly—if you’re consistently spending most of your time in the “Urgent” quadrants, you’re likely being reactive rather than strategic.

Navigating Office Politics Productively

Document Achievements and Agreements

Maintain three ongoing documentation tools:

1. A weekly accomplishment log recording completed projects, challenges overcome, and positive outcomes
2. A communication record summarizing all significant agreements made in meetings or conversations, distributed to relevant parties
3. A contribution tracker noting instances where you’ve supported other departments or colleagues

Review these regularly before performance discussions, when requesting resources, or when negotiating priorities. This documentation serves both as a memory aid and as objective evidence of your contributions.

Build Strategic Relationships

Identify 5-7 key stakeholders across departments whose work intersects with yours. Schedule regular, brief check-ins (15-20 minutes) with each on a rotating basis. Prepare for these by:

• Researching their current priorities and challenges
• Identifying areas where your work intersects
• Preparing 1-2 specific questions about their perspective
• Considering ways you might offer assistance or collaboration

These relationships will provide valuable organizational context, help you understand unstated priorities, and create allies who can help navigate complex situations.

Long-Term Mindset Shifts

Develop the habit of evaluating requests through the lens of organizational impact rather than urgency. Learn to say “no” respectfully by offering alternatives: “I can’t complete this by Friday, but I could deliver it by Tuesday, or focus on the most critical portion by your deadline.”

Remember that saying “no” to low-impact work means saying “yes” to high-impact contributions. The most effective professionals aren’t those who do everything—they’re the ones who thoughtfully choose what deserves their attention.

Start with just one technique today. Master it, then add another. By implementing these strategies consistently, you’ll transform from constantly reacting to deliberately acting, turning workplace overwhelm into focused productivity that enhances your reputation across departments.

Understanding the Decline

Before diving into solutions, it’s crucial to recognize the common causes of sales deterioration in the capital equipment sector:

1. Market Evolution
   a) Emerging Technologies: New technologies like automation, robotics, and smart manufacturing can make existing capital equipment product lines become less relevant or obsolete. For example, the rise of CNC machining centres has reduced demand for manual lathes and milling machines in many manufacturing facilities.
   b) Shifting Customer Preferences: Customers may start prioritizing energy efficiency, sustainability, or flexibility over raw output capacity. This can hurt sales of legacy high-volume, high-energy capital equipment. As an illustration, the growing popularity of modular, scalable production lines has diminished the market for large, monolithic injection molding machines.
   c) New Competitors: Innovative startups or international players may enter the market with superior technology, more compelling value propositions, or disruptive business models. This dynamic pricing pressure and market share erosion. A classic example is how 3D printing has allowed smaller, more agile manufacturers to compete with established industrial equipment providers.
2. Internal Challenges
   a) Outdated Sales Methodologies: If the sales team is still using traditional, transactional sales tactics instead of a more consultative, solution-oriented approach, they will struggle to keep up with evolving customer buying behaviors.
   b) Loss of Key Talent: When top-performing sales reps leave for competitors, it can create gaps in customer relationships, product knowledge, and sales execution. This brain drain is especially problematic in the capital equipment industry, where domain expertise is critical.
   c) Degrading Customer Relationships: Delivery delays, poor after-sales service, or unreliable equipment performance can damage customer trust and loyalty over time. This is particularly damaging in a market where repeat business and referrals are essential.
   d) Outdated Pricing Strategies: If equipment pricing fails to keep pace with inflation, material costs, and competitive dynamics, it can erode profit margins and make the company’s offerings less attractive.

Diagnosing the root causes of sales decline is the first critical step in developing an effective turnaround strategy. Understanding the specific market forces and internal issues impacting your capital equipment business will allow you to craft a tailored solution.

The Unique Dynamics of Capital Equipment Sales

The capital equipment industry presents a distinct set of sales challenges compared to other product-based or service-oriented businesses. Understanding these unique dynamics is crucial when developing an effective sales turnaround strategy.

1. High-Stakes, Complex Buying Decisions
   a) Capital equipment purchases represent major investments for customers, often amounting to hundreds of thousands or millions of revenue.
   b) The decision-making process typically involves multiple stakeholders, including executives, engineers, operators, and finance teams.
   c) Customers conduct extensive due diligence, evaluating factors like total cost of ownership, productivity improvements, and long-term reliability.
2. Extended Sales Cycles
   a) The sales cycle for capital equipment can span several months or even years, depending on the size and complexity of the equipment.
   b) Customers often require significant time to secure budgets, obtain approvals, and coordinate installation and integration with their existing operations.
   c) This elongated timeline increases the importance of maintaining strong relationships and consistently delivering value throughout the process.
3. Aftermarket Service and Support
   a) Capital equipment providers often derive a substantial portion of their revenue and profits from aftermarket services, including maintenance, repairs, and upgrades.
   b) Customers expect a high level of responsiveness, technical expertise, and parts availability from their equipment suppliers.
   c) Effective management of the aftermarket business can be a key differentiator and driver of customer loyalty.
4. Technical Product Knowledge
   a) Capital equipment sales teams require a deep understanding of the technical specifications, applications, and operational characteristics of their products.
   b) Customers often have highly specialized requirements and technical questions that can only be answered by knowledgeable, experienced sales professionals.
   c) The ability to provide technical guidance and demonstrate how the equipment can solve the customer’s unique challenges is essential.
5. Consultative, Solutions-Oriented Selling
   a) Successful capital equipment sales are increasingly moving away from a transactional, product-focused approach.
   b) Customers expect sales teams to act as strategic partners, offering tailored solutions that address their specific business needs and challenges.
   c) This requires sales professionals to have strong problem-solving skills, industry expertise, and the ability to collaborate closely with customers.

The Turnaround Process: A Strategic Framework

Phase 1: Diagnostic Assessment (Weeks 1-2)

1. Conduct a comprehensive sales data analysis:
   a) Review sales trends by product line, territory, and customer segment
   b) Analyse win/loss ratios and reasons
   c) Examine customer churn patterns
   d) Assess sales cycle length trends
2. Gather intelligence:
   a) Interview top performers and lost customers
   b) Conduct competitor analysis
   c) Review all sales processes and tools
   d) Evaluate sales team capabilities

Phase 2: Strategy Development (Weeks 3-4)

1. Define clear objectives:
   a) Set realistic revenue targets
   b) Establish customer retention goals
   c) Determine market share objectives
   d) Create timeline for turnaround milestones
2. Develop action plans:
   a) Revise value proposition if needed
   b) Update pricing strategy
   c) Redesign sales processes
   d) Create new sales enablement tools

Phase 3: Implementation (Months 2-6)

1. Restructure the sales organization:
   a) Realign territories based on opportunity
   b) Implement new KPIs and metrics
   c) Establish clear accountability structures
   d) Create specialized roles (hunters vs. farmers)
2. Enhance sales capabilities:
   a) Implement targeted training programs
   b) Introduce modern sales methodologies
   c) Deploy new sales technologies
   d) Establish mentoring programs
3. Improve market approach:
   a) Launch new value propositions
   b) Implement revised pricing strategies
   c) Develop account-based marketing programs
   d) Create customer success programs

Phase 4: Monitoring and Adjustment (Ongoing)

1. Track leading indicators:
   a) Pipeline velocity
   b) Quote activity
   c) Customer engagement metrics
   d) Sales team activity levels
2. Measure results:
   a) Monthly revenue trends
   b) Win rates
   c) Profit margins
   d) Customer satisfaction scores

Critical Success Factors

1. Leadership Commitment
   a) Visible executive support
   b) Required resources allocation
   c) Clear communication of priorities
   d) Regular review of progress
2. Change Management
   a) Open communication with all stakeholders
   b) Quick wins to build momentum
   c) Recognition of progress
   d) Address resistance promptly
3. Customer Focus
   a) Regular customer feedback
   b) Rapid response to issues
   c) Proactive communication
   d) Value-added solutions

Conclusion

A successful sales turnaround in the capital equipment industry requires a systematic approach, unwavering commitment, and patient persistence. The key is to balance short-term revenue needs with long-term sustainable growth. Remember, the goal isn’t just to stop the decline but to build a stronger, more resilient sales organization for the future.
By following this framework and adapting it to your specific situation, you can create a clear path forward. The journey may be challenging, but with proper execution, the results can be transformative for your business.

The real challenge lies in effectively communicating these ideas to your team. This is a step-by-step guide through the process of conveying your business vision and objectives in a way that resonates with your entire organization, regardless of their level of business expertise.

Understanding Vision and Objectives

First, let’s clarify what we mean by vision and objectives. Your vision is the big picture – it’s where you see your business in the future. It’s aspirational and inspiring.
Objectives, on the other hand, are the specific, measurable goals that will help you achieve that vision. They’re the stepping stones on your path to success.

It all starts with Crystal Clear Communication of the Vision and Objectives.

Clear communication is vital because it:

1. Aligns your team towards a common goal
2. Motivates employees by giving their work meaning
3. Helps in decision-making at all levels of the organization
4. Fosters a sense of belonging and purpose among team members

Strategies for Effective Communication

1. Keep it Simple: Use clear, everyday language. Avoid complex business jargon that might confuse your team.
2. Tell a Story: Humans are wired to remember stories. Create a narrative around your vision that people can relate to and remember.
3. Show Enthusiasm: Your passion can be contagious. Demonstrate why you’re excited about the vision and objectives.
4. Make it Relevant: Explain how the vision and objectives relate to each person’s role. Help them see their part in the bigger picture.
5. Repeat Often: Don’t just communicate once. Reinforce the message regularly through various channels.
6. Be Open to Feedback: Listen to your team’s thoughts and be willing to adapt your communication style if needed.

Step-by-Step Action Plan

1. Clearly define your vision and objectives in writing. Ensure the objectives are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-based).
2. Create a simple, engaging presentation or document to explain them.
3. Schedule a company-wide meeting to introduce your vision and objectives.
4. Follow up with smaller team meetings for more detailed discussions.
5. Develop visual aids (posters, infographics, screensavers) to keep the message visible.
6. Incorporate the vision and objectives into regular communications (newsletters, emails, team meetings).
7. Implement a recognition program for employees who embody the vision and contribute to achieving objectives.
8. Regularly review and update your communication strategy based on feedback and results.

Ensuring Objectives Resonate with Your Team

1. Seek Input: Ask for your team’s thoughts on the objectives. This creates buy-in and may provide valuable insights.
2. Encourage Questions: Create a safe environment where team members feel comfortable asking for clarification or expressing concerns.
3. Connect to Daily Work: Show how everyday tasks contribute to achieving the objectives and realizing the vision.
4. Set Mini-Goals: Break down larger objectives into smaller, more manageable targets. This makes progress more visible and achievable.
5. Celebrate Milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate progress towards objectives, no matter how small. This reinforces the importance of the goals and motivates the team.
6. Provide Resources: Ensure your team has the tools, training, and support needed to work towards the objectives.
7. Lead by Example: Demonstrate how you’re personally working towards the vision and objectives in your own role.

The Ongoing Process

Remember, effectively communicating your vision and objectives is not a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process that requires patience, consistency, and commitment. Be prepared to reiterate your message, address concerns, and adapt your approach as needed.

As you implement these strategies, you’ll likely see increased engagement, improved alignment, and a stronger sense of purpose within your team. This shared understanding and commitment to your vision and objectives will drive your business forward, helping you turn your aspirations into reality.

By following this guidance and remaining open to feedback and adaptation, you’ll be well on your way to creating a unified, motivated team that’s aligned with your business vision and actively working towards your objectives

To verify both the value proposition and the competitive advantages, it is useful to conduct Customer Satisfaction Surveys which are a simple way to establish what customer/user perceives to make the difference These should be implemented on a regular basis as part of the business policies. 

Answers to these questions will highlight the value proposition:

1. What problem are we solving?  
2. How do we solve the problems?  
3. Why should people buy our solution?  
4. Who is the typical buyer of our solution? 

Once you have answered these questions, it is advisable to consult your team for their opinion. Customers are a great source of information in this regard.

Your competitive advantage:

By using a SWOT quadrant, a business is able to assess competitive differences. Use this to make the necessary improvements to ensure sustainability.

This exercise should also be done in a group session with your team members.
At the end of the exercise, you should have your value proposition and competitive advantage. Validate your results with other stakeholders, such as colleagues, customers and suppliers. 

3. Keeps customers loyal 

As we know it’s 10 times harder to get new customers than to keep an existing one.  Build relationships by staying in touch with customers via email, social media and even telephone calls.

4. Builds reputation 

A good reputation is critical to growing your business. Being professional, with high-quality standards in all communication channels. Keeping your promises is very important in maintaining a solid reputation.

5. Keep customers informed 

As stated above, you can only sell to those who know about your business. Regular communication about innovations or specials or even user stories will keep communication flowing with your customers.

With the information age, it is critical to distinguish your business and its offering from the noise in the marketplace.  A business must have a multifaceted marketing strategy. Segmented into a specific target audience and delivered clearly.  

I hope this was helpful and should you have any questions…..remember AMA – Ask Manny Anything 

Let me first explain what is the operating cycle before I illustrate how to work it out. Every business wants to turn its inventory into cash as soon as possible. In order to improve cash flow and have the ability to do more sales in the same timeframe. To make customers happy, you should fulfil their order as soon as possible. Thereby processing more orders for more happy customers. 

The operating cycle is the measure of time. The time it takes a business to get paid for a product or service after it receives the inventory or order for it. This also has a direct correlation to the amount of working capital that is needed in a business. 

In order to work out your average operating cycle, you need to establish a few parameters. Firstly, the amount of time inventory sits in the store. Secondly, how long it takes the business to collect payment from its customers. 

Operating cycle = Inventory period + Accounts receivable period 

To calculate the Inventory period you need the direct cost of the goods sold and the average inventory value at a point. 

Inventory period = 365/ (cost of goods sold / Average Inventory value)  

 To calculate accounts receivable period you need the total sales for the period and the average of accounts receivable. 

Accounts receivable period = 365 / (Total Sales / Average Accounts Receivable) 

So in order to improve the operating cycle, a business needs to speed up the sale of inventory and collect payment faster. 

The Net Operating or Cash Conversion Cycle

Then we have another critical measurement which is known as the Net Operating Cycle as well as the Cash Conversion Cycle. This is the time the business needs to fund its operations or the number of days between paying suppliers and collecting from customers.  This determines the efficiency of cash flow management and the longer the delay. The more cash flow a business needs to operate.  

So, to reiterate, Net operating cycle is the length of time between paying for inventory and then collecting the cash from the sale.

The formula for determining this period is: 

Cash conversion cycle = Operating cycle – Accounts payable period  

To work out the Accounts Payable period, you need the total value of purchases for the year and the average of accounts payable (creditors).

Accounts payable period = 365 / (Total Purchases / Average Accounts Payable) 

The shorter you can make the cycle, the less free cash flow you need. 

This diagram should make it absolutely clear:

I hope this was helpful and should you have any questions…..remember AMA – Ask Manny Anything 

The continual search for discovering one’s passions, exploration and ultimately living a life of complete happiness, can mean very different things for everyone. But if one can laugh and feel joy, then why can’t they feel like this all the time? Why do they fall victim to distractions which numb the pain of fear and uncertainty? The answer people often provide when asking how to be happy in life, is usually, “I don’t know”. Self-awareness is knowing who you are, what triggers certain emotions, how those emotions are handled, having and identifying desires, and ultimately, what makes you feel happy and truly yourself.

According to a study by Dr Tasha Eurich, only 10%-15% of the 5000 people she studied are in fact, self-aware. After looking at this study, Dr Eurich discovered that self-awareness was made up of two main categories; internal and external self-awareness. She describes internal self-awareness as to how one sees themselves comprising their values, thoughts and feelings. It is associated with passions, relationships and personal life goals. External self-awareness is how others see that person around the same points.

To live a fulfilled life, one also needs to understand how others see them. So they may develop stronger relationships and feel more connected to those around them. I believe there is a necessary and delicate balance between internal and external self-awareness. Differing personalities might find one of these categories difficult to discover, or worse, handle. Nonetheless, it is vital to reflect on and be curious and insightful about. In order to cultivate a sense of strong and complete self-awareness.

In business, all members of the organisation need to practice good self-awareness techniques. To ensure that skills and passions are maximised while enjoying good teamwork and communication. As a life-long entrepreneur, I have always explored many passions. Which is often daunting in the early phases and have sometimes led to feelings of stress and anxiety. To ensure success and a winning outcome is not easy. However, it is vital that I stayed true to myself and remained in control of my emotions.

By being self-aware of my emotional triggers as well as my core skills and abilities, I could focus and return to a state of peace. Ongoing reflection after all actions and decisions throughout the day can help in the continuous evaluation and control of oneself. It is the secret to ensuring the pursuit of a happy life and not someone else’s life. Each day we should make time to reflect and reconnect with ourselves. Be mindful of our actions and emotions, listen before speaking and be open to new ideas and perspectives.

Today, a job is not just something that people do to make money for their family’s survival. Employees need a job which gives them a sense of purpose, is in line with their passions and utilises their talents. Cultivating an innovative organisation requires leaders to know their employees so deeply, that they are able to meet their career needs and feel connected to them through honesty, loyalty and trust (Marsh, 2019). A connected leader knows how to engage on a personal level, can foster innovation and collaboration, is proactive and calm-under pressure possesses strong self and social awareness and welcomes change (Dewan, 2018).

Employees who feel connected to their leaders are more engaged, more productive and less likely to leave for a competitor (Stallard, 2017). The need for an engaged and participative workforce has never been so strong as it is today. Companies require a labour force which learns together and practices active curiosity. This is only achievable when leaders cultivate connection and engagement as part of the culture and daily practices of their organisation (Jarche, 2016). To ensure success, it is vital that leaders embrace their human side and are not afraid of being vulnerable. Being open about any personal and professional challenges, passions and opinions can help build more connected and real relationships.

When consulting with managers within struggling organisations, I often find them employing the infamous autocratic approach to leadership. This method is designed to be commanding and controlling and to them, seems like the only method to achieve results and hit targets. Unfortunately, in the process, they lose out on open and honest communication from their team. Employees begin to hold back potentially valuable ideas, focus on their own interests, lose sight of the vision of the organisation and stop being of service to others unless they are forced to be reactive in times of crisis.

The most successful companies can become less impressive after a harmful change in leadership. Leaders shouldn’t only develop their technical competencies (horizontal development), but their self-awareness, empathy, vulnerabilities, honesty, listening and motivational skills (Petrie, 2011). This vertical development can help in creating an organisation who trusts their leader and one that will support them in their vision, strategies and decisions. These are the things that will create teams who take initiative, rise to the challenge, seize ownership and responsibility of any necessary tasks and are more interested and connected with others in the organisation.

References

Dewan, M. (2018, June 25). 5 Characteristics of a Connected Leader. Retrieved from Medium: https://medium.com/the-looking-glass/5-characteristics-of-a-connected-leader-a4ff71ef92e

Jarche, H. (2016, March 9). What is connected leadership? Retrieved from Harold Jarche: https://jarche.com/2016/03/what-is-connected-leadership/

Marsh, E. (2019, July 9). The psychology of connected leadership. Retrieved from T-Three: https://www.t-three.com/soak/insights/the-psychology-of-connected-leadership

Petrie, N. (2011). Future Trends in Leadership Development. Greensboro: Center for Creative Leadership.

Stallard, M. (2017). Connection Culture. Alexandria: ATD Press.

Value creation should be the focus and starting point for all organisations (Jorgenson, 2015). The idea is simple, people do not buy ideas, they buy value. The question in the minds of the consumers is, “Does this product or service benefit me?” and most importantly, “Is the company I’m purchasing from providing me with good value?”. As an organisation, to ensure success, sustainability and of course maintaining relevance in volatile and uncertain environments, the ability to keep providing value to your customers, will warrant loyalty and ultimately keep you in business.

The definition of what value means can vary greatly from organisation to organisation, but essentially it all comes down to one core element; offer a product/service which solves a need and is uniquely distinct from competitors (Jorgenson, 2015). In the future, value will be based on creativity and customisation and less on mechanical production (Hughes, 2013). In my opinion, I believe value can be measured by total revenue. The price a customer is willing to pay is the exchange value he/she has decided is worth for the use of that product/service (Fabozzi & Grant, 2000).

As a management consultant, when I am asked to help a struggling organisation improve which, was previously successful 30 years ago, it is often because they have noticed a decline in their revenue. Why, after years of success is turnover declining? One of the attributable reasons is the lack of value, and that lost customers feel they are not getting it. Oftentimes, leaders of these organisations get comfortable in their dominant logic and refuse to explore the unknown. They lack the courage and curiosity and sadly only realise they are no longer relevant when revenue starts dropping and they start experiencing a cash flow crisis.

In order to win in these rapidly changing environments, leaders need to focus on value creation and embrace the fact that machines are the future. Leaders should use new technologies to unlock more time to be creative about the business and understanding value from their customers perspective (Hughes, 2013). It is also important to make value creation and innovation part of company culture. Define what value means to the organisation and how it will be measured, then create new ways to enhance customer perceived value as well as producing products and services that enhance their lives. The world is in desperate need of leveraging modern technology to develop innovative solutions, appreciated today and relevant in the future while providing value to all stakeholders as its core purpose.

References

Fabozzi, F. J., & Grant, J. L. (2000). Value-Based Metrics: Foundations and Practice. Bridgewater: John Wiley & Sons.

Govindarajan, V. (2016). The Three-Box Solution: A Strategy for Leading Innovation. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.

Hughes, J. (2013, May 17). What Value Creation Will Look Like in the Future. Retrieved from Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2013/05/what-value-creation-will-look-like-in-the-future

Jorgenson, E. (2015, September 14). Why Value Creation is the Foundation of Business: How to define it, measure it, and manage it. Retrieved from Medium – Evergreen Business Weekly: https://medium.com/evergreen-business-weekly/why-value-creation-is-the-foundation-of-business-how-to-define-it-measure-it-and-manage-it-147c92b87aca

The environments today are constantly and rapidly changing. Life today is vastly different from the 1900s. So why are leaders still using many of the management and strategic thinking techniques developed during the 2^nd industrial revolution? Instead of finding ideas which, are not useful nor relevant to today’s environment, leaders should instead create new ones. After all, the ideas which were ‘found’, belong to someone else and were fit for a purpose in the past. The secret is in learning about the future and developing a new logic through new ideas to maintain relevance (Obeng, 2012). By applying foresight when developing a strategy, a leader can ensure than an organisation can continuously find new and unexpected ways of creating value (Zenger, 2013).

Leaders are always juggling the past, present and future (Govindarajan, 2016). The risk of opting for ways to solve problems, based on solutions brought forward from ideas of the past and present is that they are likely not to work in the new environment of the future as it will change faster than our rate of learning (Obeng, 2012). A leader with foresight is able to use available insight from the world today, pair it with past experiences using their hindsight, and ultimately make a calculated guess about where to create value, essentially pulling the future towards the present (Zenger, 2013). I completely agree with this statement because the only way to know where we are headed is to fully understand where we have come from and the situation we are in today. That way we can create unique and immense value to help people in a relevant way in the future.

Oftentimes as a consultant at MDR Solutions, I encounter owners of companies which have paused in this way of thinking. Initially, as entrepreneurs, they used this approach to find a gap in the market and start a business based on value and competitive advantage. However, over the years those successes became comfortable and led them to believe that what worked before will work again. Unfortunately, their customers have moved past that and now perceive value differently.

I was inspired by an image depicting Walt Disney’s corporate strategy in 1957 (Walt Disney Productions, 2015). It illustrates perfectly how a leader should tackle strategizing for success. Walt uses the power of foresight to fully understand the environments around him, how they came about, and what consumers of his creations would perceive as valuable in the future. I believe winning is built on being able to predict the unknown and the capacity to change. To achieve this, a leader must use their foresight and at the right time, switch swiftly to the new logic to win.

References

Govindarajan, V. (2016). The Three-Box Solution: A Strategy for Leading Innovation. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.

Obeng, E. (2012, June). Smart failure for a fast-changing world. Retrieved from TED: https://www.ted.com/talks/eddie_obeng_smart_failure_for_a_fast_changing_world?language=en#t-726096

Petrie, N. (2011). Future Trends in Leadership Development. Greensboro: Center for Creative Leadership.

Walt Disney Productions. (2015, July 17). This 1957 drawing reveals the brilliant strategy behind Disney’s lasting success. Retrieved from Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/1957-drawing-walt-disney-brilliant-strategy-2015-7?IR=T

Zenger, T. (2013, June). What Is the Theory of Your Firm? Retrieved from Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2013/06/what-is-the-theory-of-your-firm Zhu, J. (2020, March 6). What is Self-Awareness and Why is it Important? Retrieved from Positive Psychology: https://positivepsychology.com/self-awareness-matters-how-you-can-be-more-self-aware/