Insights

Strategic perspectives and practical ideas

Serendipity

Two scientists witness the same surprising result. One dismisses it as irrelevant. The other investigates, eventually discovering the treatment for a debilitating disease. What made the difference? Serendipity.

Homogeneity

Research analysing large institutional failures has identified 23 common cultural factors that contribute to avoidable disasters, ranging from accidents, program failures to corruption.

Adaptive Leadership Systems

To navigate increasing uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, the need for a Dynamic Capabilities Framework that enables organisations to “sense, seize, and reconfigure resources ”(Teece, 2007) is emerging as a key leadership priority.

Purpose as Strategic Architecture

Contemporary organisations face grand challenges such as geopolitics, digital transformation, and climate change that require value-based judgment over technical knowledge (Meynhardt et al., 2024).

Hybrid Leadership Architecture

Hybrid teams face six distinct challenges, according to research by Hincapie and Costa (2024)

Humanising Leadership

The prevailing narrative suggests AI will further mechanise work, however Daugherty and Wilson’s research in “Human + Machine” suggests we aim for the opposite, a humanisation of leadership and work itself.

From Aspiration to Reality

Measuring the effectiveness of identity leadership goes beyond simple performance metrics. It involves examining how well leadership practices align with team identity, values, and culture over time. The following approaches offer practical ways to evaluate and strengthen identity leadership within an organisation.

Building the Culture Engine

Leaders inspire AND architect culture. They understand that without the right design and implementation, even the most compelling vision and narrative crumble under the weight of conflicting processes and misaligned incentives.

Fighting for Us

Leaders, as the collective champion, are advocates who translate their team’s values into language that resonates in boardrooms and budget meetings.

Leading by Being

Identity prototypicality research, as explored by Hogg (2001) and subsequent work by Steffens et al. (2014, 2024), examines how leaders effectively embody group values while maintaining personal authenticity. This balance is an important factor in establishing trust and psychological safety within teams.

Crafting Tomorrow's Team

Studies from across 20 countries are converging on an interesting finding about team identity.

From 'Me' to 'We'

There has been a shift in how effective leadership operates; rather than focusing on the individual, identity leadership centres on cultivating a shared sense of collective purpose among team members.

Randomness in Crisis

Same risks, comparable preparation, similar circumstances. One spirals into a devastating crisis. The other remains stable. What’s the difference? Often, just random timing.

Randomness in Recruitment

A trusted colleague refers an exceptional professional. You have a strong rapport, and they have a perfect background. You craft the ideal role. Six months later, they’re struggling. In consulting, referrals and chemistry aren’t enough, and traditional interview wisdom falls apart entirely.

Randomness in Performance Evaluation

Three consecutive quarters of exceeding targets. A string of successful client engagements. A perfect record of on-time delivery. Are these signs of exceptional performance or partially the result of random chance?

Randomness in Team Dynamics

We love narratives about team chemistry and synergy, but how much team performance is random? More than most leaders care to admit.

Randomness in Project Management

One key area to consider when examining the psychology of project management is how people manage uncertainty. Projects are, by definition, unique and, therefore, riskier and more uncertain than business as usual. Yet, we can sometimes assume higher-than-predictable levels of control or fail to adapt our approach and methods.

Randomness in Strategic Planning

When developing a strategy, it can be challenging to distinguish signal from noise. Is that market uptick a genuine trend or a random fluctuation?

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