Watch out for the rock when focused on the forest

Everyone has heard the saying - can’t see the forest for the trees right? Certainly the ability to see the big picture when setting the business strategy is critical for any business to succeed. This is also a critical success factor during turbulent times. A crisis requires the leadership to step back and understand the internal and the external environment in the face of significant white noise and high tempo activity. They can’t do that if they are into the detail. This results in tunnel vision and target fixation.

What they do need however, is supporting teams, people who can focus on the detail, understand the mission and understand where they fit into that. This is powerful because it allows those staff to pick up on the leading indicators on something that could go wrong, often being able to take the initiative and prevent escalation.

Likewise, when already in crisis, the people on the ground are vital to success as they feed up information on how well the strategy is being executed and, if it is not working, where it needs to be adjusted. The value of such synchronicity needs to be identified and fostered as a critical success factor in the resilient organisation. This is also a part of good risk management and ultimately risk intelligence and success.

Leaders need to be careful that not everyone in a crisis is focused on the forest. Tactical sentinels are needed, constantly scanning, not the horizon, but the forest floor. They need to make sure the crisis leadership team doesn’t trip over the partially buried rock at their feet.

Business Resilience relies on a shared vision, mission and values but devolved execution with synchronised focus on the forest, the trees and the ground.