and digital transformation, which relates to a business' ability to respond in today's expectation economy. This is a world where customers are increasingly digitally savvy. They have choice. They are informed. They can and do vote with their feet (increasingly with their smartphones!). They expect service. They want quality. They are vocal when they don't get it.
If you are one of the many businesses that is transforming across multiple areas to make up lost ground, then this idea of building a business that can turn motion into meaningful progress will be very topical for you.
In our current work for Merkle and dentsu's Customer Experience Management service line, Rich as Chief Strategy Officer, EMEA, and Az as Chief Marketing Officer, EMEA, this is a topic we've tackled time and again with our clients. Over many years, we have seen and been part of extraordinary transformational efforts as well as attempts to transform businesses that did not gain sufficient traction.
What we are sharing in this book is a set of themes that any organisation can follow on its journey to becoming an adaptive organisation. Turning motion into progress is a key part of that journey. After all, how else are you going to get off the starting grid? However, as we're sure you know, making progress requires far more than simply turning on the engine and putting your foot to the floor.
The principles we share in each chapter are based on our experiences where we pull together examples and analogies to illustrate what we have found to be most important to a business' ability to become an adaptive organisation, and will hopefully provide you the guidance you need to harness that adaptive behaviour and turn it into meaningful progress. It is highly likely you already embrace at least some of them. However, if you are reading this book, there are also likely some obstacles in your path, some of which you may not even be aware of. Our hope is that you will find some ideas that can help you navigate those obstacles and continue your journey toward adaptiveness in the most efficient way possible.
If we help you overcome even one obstacle on your journey, we have achieved our goal. If you're ready, let's join the principal; it's race day.
Part One Principal
Day is breaking over Silverstone race track on this July morning. It's the day of the British Grand Prix. The sun is shining and there are no clouds in sight, just as forecast. There is already a shimmer of a heat wave over the parts of the track that are being warmed by the sun's rays.
As the principal arrives at the track, they smile. They can go with their Plan A now that the conditions look fair.
Ahead of the race, the principal gathers their crew around them and gives them a final brief for the race. They explain the strategy, share any further information that they have gleaned from the reams of data generated during qualifying, and make sure everyone in their crew knows exactly what to do and when.
The principal talks with the lead race engineer and the driver separately. They are clear, concise, and focused. The goal is that chequered flag coming down on their driver. Everything they have done so far this weekend, and in the months leading up to this race, has been with this goal in mind. Throughout the season their strategy has evolved, taking each race as it comes, but there is always clarity over what the team is aiming for.
As the driver returns, suited up and ready to climb into their car, the principal takes a moment to soak up the scene. Everyone is in their place; everything is ready. The engine roars into life, the vibrations ripple through the air, and the smell of engine oil and fuel hangs heavy around the pit lane. The drivers start their slow procession to take up their positions on the grid, and the principal watches their car as it snakes along the track, warming up the tyres. A final glance around and a quick nod to the lead engineer shows the principal all they need to know: they're ready.
Every Formula 1 race team has a principal. This is the person who is responsible for communicating the team's vision and goals to the rest of the crew and leading for their constructor over the course of the race weekend, and indeed over the course of the entire Formula 1 season.
Principals set the direction for their respective team and clearly articulate the team's purpose, not only for each race, but across the season and indeed future seasons. They make sure that changes are made to the car to give the team the best chance of succeeding on race day. They oversee everything from the qualifiers that determine their starting position on the grid to the race itself. They set the strategy and make sure that this is communicated and executed by their crew, taking into account the external factors such as the track and conditions on race day. When there is an issue that affects operations, it is the principal who empowers the team, which will work to find the solution and chart a course out of any difficulties.
Being the team principal in Formula 1 is also an outward-facing role. Team principals will field many of the media's questions; they will take the criticism when the team doesn't perform as hoped; and they will also take the praise, although the best team principals make sure this is equally shared with the rest of the crew.
In addition to leading the way on race day, the principal is also the person who liaises with sponsors, hospitality, marketing, and many more. The principal joins all the dots to makes sure that the race crew can do its job to the best of its ability and present the team in the most positive light to the rest of the world.
There are clear parallels between being a principal and being a leader in any business. Within business, the principal is not just one person; a business can have multiple leaders at different levels in an organisation. In our context, the principal is any leader who defines direction or strategy. In the coming chapters, we're going to explore three key concepts that allow the leaders in any organisation to set the direction that the business will move in.
In Chapter 1, we look at the importance of selling the dream and vision, of clearly defining the purpose, and the importance of embedding that into a business' DNA from the start. Chapter 2 is all about measurement because creating the right measures is essential for driving the right behaviours and communicating the purpose that you're trying to achieve. You get what you measure, so you have to make sure that you're putting your focus in the right place. The final chapter in Part One is about prioritising your actions and making sure that you do the important things first. Don't try to boil the ocean.
All of these elements are a leader's responsibility, but we also want to be clear that when we talk about a leader, this doesn't have to just mean the leader of a company. It can be anyone who leads teams, leads on strategies, or provides thought leadership. Understanding the concepts we're exploring in Part One is important for leaders on every level within an organisation.
Leaders set the targets, but many businesses shoot for short-term targets because it is generally what shareholders want to see; however, this needs to be balanced with strategic focus on the bigger picture for longevity. This is all part of your culture; if you set short-term targets, people will have a short-term mindset. If you are only looking one step ahead of you as you walk, it's highly likely that you will walk towards a wall.
Focusing on the long-term goal, without breaking the journey into clear milestones to get there, is also far from ideal. If you are only focusing on the horizon, it's highly likely that you will fall down a hole. The key here is balance. Short-term targets are important to gain momentum and start to see progress. However, as we discuss in Chapter 1, you need to be able to keep one eye on this bigger picture to ensure your business and its programmes continuously evolve and adapt.
Chapter
