Challenge
Strategic thinkers question the status quo.
They challenge their own and others’ assumptions
and encourage divergent points
of view. Only after careful reflection and
examination of a problem through many
lenses do they take decisive action. This requires
patience, courage, and an open mind.
Consider Bob, a division president in
an energy company we worked with, who
was set in his ways and avoided risky
or messy situations. When faced with
a tough problem—for example, how to
consolidate business units to streamline
costs—he would gather all available information
and retreat alone into his office.
His solutions, although well thought out,
were predictable and rarely innovative. In
the consolidation case he focused entirely
on two similar and underperforming businesses
rather than considering a bolder
reorganization that would streamline
activities across the entire division. When
he needed outside advice, he turned to a
few seasoned consultants in one trusted
firm who suggested tried-and-true solutions
instead of questioning basic industry
assumptions.
Through coaching, we helped Bob
learn how to invite different (even opposing)
views to challenge his own thinking
and that of his advisers. This was uncomfortable
for him at first, but then he
began to see that he could generate fresh
solutions to stale problems and improve
his strategic decision making. For the organizational
streamlining he even assigned
a colleague to play devil’s advocate—an
approach that yielded a hybrid solution:
Certain emerging market teams were
allowed to keep their local HR and finance
support for a transitional period while tapping
the fully centralized model for IT and
legal support.
To improve your ability to challenge:
Focus on the root causes of a problem rather
than the symptoms. Apply the “five whys” of
Sakichi Toyoda, Toyota’s founder. (“Product
returns increased 5% this month.” “Why?”
“Because the product intermittently malfunctions.”
“Why?” And so on.)
List long-standing assumptions about an
aspect of your business (“High switching
costs prevent our customers from defecting”)
and ask a diverse group if they hold
true.
Encourage debate by holding “safe zone”
meetings where open dialogue and conflict
are expected and welcomed.
Create a rotating position for the express
purpose of questioning the status quo.
Include naysayers in a decision process to
surface challenges early.
Capture input from people not directly
affected by a decision who may have a good
perspective on the repercussions.