I remember well when a friend and colleague who worked at one of the big banks told me a story that clearly demonstrates the need for support functions to be visible to leaders and their teams. It is not enough to be data gatherers and reporters! The story was shared over a coffee to catch
Not only are you and your team sometimes operating “outside the tent”, you are also influencing with a lack of authority. This means that although you can get the CEO or Board to require something, there is a big difference between the business complying with a directive and willingly engaging with the requirement because they
I often refer to teams operating outside the tent, most recently in my blog Strategic Influencers. Now it’s time to ask, “Which tent?” In Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works, authors Lafley and Martin preach that the two biggest questions are “Where to play?” and “How to win?” and provide multiple examples from the
Even when your team has earned their place “inside the tent” (see Strategic Influencers) – armed with invaluable advice delivered in the language of the business—they may still find their recommendations falling on deaf ears. Why? Your first instinct might be to blame arrogance, hubris, or even poor judgment. But there’s a more nuanced and
Is Your Team Influencing from Outside the Tent? If your team of strategic influencers is still operating “outside the tent” (as discussed in last week’s blog, their mission is clear: earn the trust of decision makers. Once they’re trusted, they’ll be invited inside, where decisions are made. Simple in theory, but usually harder in practice.