scenario planning
... doing things and perhaps to adjust their mental models. Different stakeholders in the firm can then compare and share their new emerging view of, for example, how to prepare for major change. The huge global conglomerate has emerged as the dominant way of organizing work. [18] These keiretsu-style alliances, each with operating companies in almost every industry, have minimal national allegiance. Members of the same family work for Sony/Microsoft or General Electric/Toyota, and feel little loyalty to the United States or Japan. It would be considered disloyal and unusual for members of the same family to work at competing keiretsu. The alliances meet all our needs on a cradle-to-grave basis by providing income and job security, health care, education, social networking, and a sense of self-identity. Our organizations are as powerful and influential as nations, and we owe allegiance to them. They have no dominion over our land, but they control our much more significant assets-access to knowledge, the networks, and our livelihood. They even wage war on each other-using lawyers instead of armies, valiantly protecting the trademarks of our company. These days, if you want to define me, you can ignore my geographic location; I can be stereotyped according to the company I work for, in whose service I expect to retire. My friends and family members from around the world all work for the same organization. Occasionally, although I work for Shell/Daewoo, I must ride a nonaligned airline, and I run across someone from Exxushita. We always converse, full of curiosity, but guarded-taking advantage of a rare opportunity to see ourselves as others see us. Employees own the firms in which they work, through pension plans, stock options, employee participation contracts, and other vehicles. And just as the modern nation states ultimately turned to democracy, many of the corporations of the twenty-first century have moved to representative governance. Our firm is one-employee-shareholders have the right to elect the management of the company, not just the board of directors, but managers at almost every level throughout the organization. Decisions are made hierarchically, but every year, on election day, we choose from slates of managers who vow to do the best job for the company as a whole. Since our livelihoods depend on the choice, nearly all of us take advantage of the keiretsu's "open-books" financial reports, which provide a constantly-updated overview of the business's priorities and assets. Some people think of this system as paternalistic and bureaucratic. But actually, there is very little "fat" in the system. Nepotism, ossified command structures, and sinecures don't last long, since everyone benefits from improved performance. Specialist "organization designers" travel through the massive alliances, brokering partnerships and helping make sure that people communicate effectively across boundaries. All of us tend to get along, because our companies attract people who agree with the prevailing attitudes. We all know the "Shell/Daewoo way," and we live and die according to it. The High Cost of Old Perceptions The Scenario: A major financial services company wanted to expand its market by introducing a new credit card. The organization's leadership was heatedly split--introduce the card to current card users or to new customers only. Traditional research and analysis methods had provided inconclusive data. Our Assignment: Discover the best course of action. Using our advanced research and polling methodology, with a unique prescriptive feature, the 'collective wisdom' of the marketplace was probed and intelligence uncovered that had remained hidden to other research methods. These findings were conclusive. Do not to introduce the card to current customers. Negative consequences will result. The Results: Despite these findings, a decision was made to introduce the card to current customers. This164 SRC="./673056.jpg" BORDER=0 ALT="A Changing Aerospace Market"> A Changing Aerospace Market The Scenario: A leading aerospace company was experiencing both the benefits and challenges of substantial growth. The dramatic shift in the business from a high cost, low volume, handcrafted production to a high volume, low cost, common products scenario was taxing the organization's methods and procedures. A major re-engineering and associated downsizing of the work force had also reduced trust to an all-time low and senior leadership was divided into factions, resulting in stove piping at all levels of the organization. Our Assignment: Revitalize the work force, rebuild confidence, and put in place trust-based teaming and collaborative norms of behavior. Our program was rolled out to 23 separate matrix and program organizations, involving 2,300 people. It included team development and strategic planning, on-site coaching, 360-degree feedback, follow-up sessions, productivity training, workbooks and computer support programs, and the application of special survey methodologies. Sessions included customers, suppliers and strategic partners. The Results: The company's executive vice president reported that was the first intervention that actually produced recognizable and measurable change and, three years after its initiation, the program continues to assist the company in maintaining its leadership in this competitive industry. Creating a Single Culture After Merger The Scenario: Twelve years after the merger of two multinationals, the leadership realized that two divisions were still operating as independent companies. The problem was magnified by a separation of some 3,000 miles and different corporate styles. Misunderstandings, turf issues, redundant services, overlapping of responsibilities, a lack of equitable resource sharing, and resistance to change were present. A High Tech Transition--Start-up to Mature Phase The Scenario: New leadership, the absence of a common vision, lack of clear decision making, 7 widely dispersed geographies run by 7 very talented, but independent leaders, a highly competitive international marketplace, a parent organization that fosters internal competition as a means of stimulating business, and a fledgling headquarters staff. A recipe for disaster? It was for this division of one of the world's leading software companies. The Challenge: Assist the new leadership in forming a cohesive team and turn this fledgling division into a significant profit center. We looked at it holistically. Diagnosis and research was followed by extensive work with the senior team to gain alignment on vision and implement an operating structure and norms of behavior to support it. Practical strategic planning, on-site coaching of leadership and the execution of specific action plans rounded out the first part of this intervention. The work was complemented by shorter sessions for next level personnel in each of the global regions. The Results...