Adam Horner’s Post

👇 On the importance of clearly defining the problem you want to solve, and differentiating between symptoms and causes.

Why Long-Term Thinking Amidst Short-Term Demands? Senior Leaderships: COO, SVP, VPs in large companies, and CEOs / COOs in mid-small companies encounter this while their journey to #growth. It may seem counterintuitive to focus on long-term thinking when short-term issues constantly demand our attention. However, your team values long-term thinking more than you might realize. Here's why it matters: 1. The prospect of a better future energizes and inspires people. Enhances engagement. Broadens perspectives. 2. Long-term thinking creates more opportunities for innovation to flourish. Stretches peoples' thoughts. 3. Short-term thinking often feels like constant troubleshooting, which can be exhausting. One could argue that most decisions are made with quarterly results in mind. However, by embracing long-term thinking, you can build 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 within your team: Diverse Options: Evaluate various options along with their pros and cons. Risk Management: Identify risks and plan mitigations in advance. Increased Agility: A team that has thought through scenarios in advance can adapt more quickly to changes. All these benefits are attainable if you understand their importance and practice taking a step back. Don't handle tasks your team is capable of managing on their own; they are in their roles for a reason, just as you are in yours. Your 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 is to provide a clear vision, guiding principles, and a roadmap for the journey; hold them accountable, lead by examples. Make it explicitly clear that while achieving results is crucial, the manner in which those results are achieved—through collaboration, team trust, and adherence to company values—is even more important. When unpredictable events occur, remember, this is a test of your leadership. Stepping in too early can undermine your team's ability to manage and reflect on the situation. Focus on what your contribution needs to be to the journey: - Think strategically about the future, articulate the vision, decide on impactful changes - Build a world-class working environment, promote innovation, collaboration - Hire and develop the best talent through challenging programs - Establish a predictable communication mechanism to follow through the changes - Address cultural aspects that may need definition or reinforcement. If you think anyone in your network would benefit from the reflection, please comment or share. Follow ValueInfinity Inc #Leadership #Longterm #innovation

Flat and inefficient? Let’s talk about why shorter, fatter silos aren’t the answer. There is a lot of buzz about “flattening” organizations. People think the best way to solve inefficiency is to reduce levels, but just because the org chart is flatter doesn’t mean you have solved anything. You may have just created shorter, fatter silos. If you’ve still got product, engineering, and program teams all huddling in their silos, the decision-making chasms between those silos are as wide as ever. Basically, flattening the organization without improving collaboration just gives you a wide-angle view of the same old problems. I’ve seen this play out more times than I care to count. You flatten the organization, so you’ve got fewer managers. But, the real question is: Are the teams are actually working better together? The answer is usually no, because the way the teams collaborate hasn’t been addressed at all. Product, engineering, and program still aren’t aligned, so cross-team handoffs still involve enough miscommunication to fill an entire season of “The Office.” The flattening has occurred in vain. So, what’s the real solution? The real solution is breaking down the silos, not just reducing them in height. This means focusing on cross-functional alignment, creating shared goals, and facilitating clear communication across teams. That’s where the real efficiencies are found, not in shaving off a couple of middle management layers. Here’s my challenge to leaders: Before you start flattening, ask yourself: *“*Is this really going to make my teams more effective? Or am I just going to end up with shorter silos that still don’t talk to each other?” What are your thoughts? Has flattening worked for your organization, or do you still find gaps between teams?

Last year, a 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗩𝗔𝗖 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 came to me with a problem that’s all too familiar when scaling: 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗖-𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀. Like many founders: → He had built the business from the ground up → He was used to making quick, instinct-driven decisions BUT now, with a 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗖-𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 and perspectives to the table, he felt like he was juggling a room full of spinning plates. Here’s what we did: I told him that building trust among such a diverse group requires intentionality—it’s not one-size-fits-all. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 to feel heard, valued, and aligned. Here’s the playbook we crafted: 1. 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ↳I had him map out each executive’s personality type: Who values data? Who thrives on storytelling? ↳ Then, 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲𝘀. For instance, his CFO craved numbers, while his CMO wanted vision-driven narratives. 2. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 ↳ We aligned all executives on measurable, cross-functional goals. ↳ This shifted focus from their differences to a 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. 3. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 ↳ During meetings, I suggested he 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 to show he understood. ↳ Example: “So, what I’m hearing, Amanda, is you’re concerned about market timing. Let’s address that.” 4. 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗼𝗻-𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁-𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 ↳ 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗼𝗻-𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 became mandatory. ↳ He used these to not just talk shop but to understand their challenges and motivations personally. 5. 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 ↳ To break down walls, I 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱. ↳ Trust isn’t built through perfection—it’s built through authenticity. Finally, I recommended “𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿” 𝗯𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘇 𝗪𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻, a book that helps leaders bring out the best in diverse talent. Two months later, he told me: “𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.” P.S. 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀? Let's talk!

INDISPENSABLE BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY LEADERS TRAIT - PASSIONATE Work with Leaders who really care about what they’re working on, who are truly engaged and passionate about their work and continue to exhibit the initiative required to stand out. From your initial meeting with your Business Technology Leader you can tell how our consultants will bring energy to the job. Without passion, an IT pro is just another cog in the machine but with it, they have the potential to be truly indispensable. It's critical to have IT pros who understand the problems of the person who’ll eventually be using the technology rather than simply focus on designing an elegant product. For a Business Technology Leader it is about solving problems, delivering unique value, who realises that no task is too big or too small. Clients say they love working with us because: Unlike typical consultants we work fast with small teams, taking you every step of the way. We come from the world of small and medium sizes organisations, so we are used to getting stuff done from day 1! You get the technology leader you've always wanted. We're part of the team, sharing ideas and adding value from our initial conversation. You can trust us to always have your best interests at heart. We connect the dots, talking to all stakeholders, investors, board members and suppliers, to ensure everyone is aligned to maximise speed of improvements. We can then be held to account by everyone in the chain. You KNOW of us, but to work with us you will LIKE our consultants, who will become your TRUSTED advisor whose opinion you VALUE. For more of an insight to our approach visit https://lnkd.in/eGJgCBu9 or contact me (simon.lascelles@businesstechnologyleaders.com) today for a confidential and impartial discussion on how we can add value to your business. #PortfolioLeader, #BoardAdvisor, #BusinessImprovementAdvice, #NonExecutiveDirector, #NED, #PartTimeBusinessLeader, #TechnologyAdvice, #PartTimeBusinessTechnologyLeader, #PartTimeTechnologyLeader, #PortfolioTechLeader #PortfolioTechnologyLeader, #InterimTechnologyLeader, #CIO, #CTO, #CISO, #ITDirector,

Having led technology transformations across Fortune 500 enterprises for over 25 years, I've learned that the most powerful results don't come from authority – they come from influence built through authentic relationships. The secret? It's deceptively simple yet profound: Listen first, deliver consistently, and communicate openly. Listen with genuine empathy: Throughout my career, from managing $150M portfolios to leading 125+ member delivery organizations, I've found that true understanding begins with shutting down our solution-mode and truly hearing others' perspectives. When transforming mission-critical infrastructure or implementing enterprise-wide SAFe practices, the best insights often came from partners and team members who felt truly heard. Build trust through consistent delivery: Trust isn't declared – it's earned through a track record of following through. Whether maintaining 99.99% uptime during major infrastructure transformations or achieving perfect compliance across 30+ FDA audits, each delivered promise becomes a building block of credibility. Your team needs to know that your word is your bond. Maintain radical transparency: Open communication isn't just about sharing successes. During my time scaling startups and leading Fortune 500 transformations, I've learned that sharing challenges early and often creates an environment where problems become opportunities for collaboration rather than sources of conflict. The result? When these three elements align, you create an environment where influence flows naturally from relationships rather than roles. I've seen this approach drive 25% improvements in value delivery, support successful M&A integrations, and enable dramatic operational efficiencies – all through the power of influence rather than authority. Remember: Authority can demand compliance, but only influence can inspire commitment. What's your experience with building influence in your organization? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments. #Leadership #ProfessionalDevelopment #ChangeManagement #Influence #TeamBuilding

18 Essential Checklists Questions to be a good #CEO. Share with your #CEO. Worth reading if you also aspire to be one. 1. Vision: Do we have a clear and compelling vision that reframes what winning looks like, and is it owned by the whole enterprise? 2. #Strategy: Have we created a short list of clearly defined big moves at the enterprise level that will distance us from our competitors? 3. Resource allocation: Are we ‘thinking like an outsider’ to actively reallocate resources (such as dollars, people, and management attention) to our highest priorities, even when it’s hard to do? 4. Culture: Are we targeting and systematically pursuing specific areas of cultural change to further execute our strategy? 5. Organizational design: Is our organization characterized by a balance of stability and agility that maximizes the speed and effectiveness of execution? 6. Talent: Are the most value-creating roles in our organization filled with the right talent, and do they have a strong leadership pipeline? 7. Team composition: Is my senior team the right size, comprising people with complementary skills and characterized by an ‘enterprise first’ mindset? 8. Teamwork: Does my senior team effectively use data and dialogue to make timely decisions on topics that only they can take on? 9. Operating rhythm: Does my senior team have an effective annual operating rhythm and business review cadence that drives execution and minimizes surprises? 10. Relationships: Have I built trust with my board members by being ‘radically transparent’ and showing an interest in their views? 11. Capabilities: Do we have the right profiles on the board, and are we sufficiently educating directors and pulling them in to help where they can? 12. Board meetings: Are board sessions well prepped, effectively run, and focused on the future (going well beyond fiduciary topics)? 13 Purpose: Are we clear on the holistic impact we aspire to (our ‘why?’), and have we embedded that into the core of how we run our business? 14 Interactions: Do we fully understand our stakeholders’ needs (their ‘why?’) and find constructive common ground with them? 15 Moments of truth: Have we built resilience ahead of any potential crises so that we’ll be able to mitigate their impact and use them to unlock opportunities? C further n comment https://lnkd.in/dpT5MfxP Sent from McKinsey Insights, available in App Store: https://lnkd.in/drWiec3Z and Play Store: https://lnkd.in/dxQudNpu

💡How To Avoid Premature Decision Making? In the fast-paced world of business, the pressure to make quick decisions can often lead to choices that may not serve our long-term goals. While speed is important, it should never come at the cost of careful consideration & analysis. Premature decision making can result in: ❌ Bandaid Solutions: Quick fixes may address immediate challenges but often lack the sustainability & strategic vision needed to achieve lasting success. Thus, limiting the proper potential for growth & innovation. ❌ Costly Mistakes: Without thoroughly gathering sufficient information, the risk of making costly errors increases and can set back any progress made, as well as damage our reputation. ❌ Employee Impact: It is crucial to foster inclusive decision-making, transparency & effective communication. Employees may loose trust in leadership if they perceive decisions as impulsive, ill-considered, or damaging to their workload. 💡 To avoid the pitfalls of premature decision-making, consider: ✅ Gathering Information: Take the time to thoroughly understand & collect relevant data, consult with experts, partners & consider multiple perspectives before reaching a conclusion. ✅ Evaluate potential outcomes & risks: With each decision, it is important to weigh the short-term benefits against the long-term consequences. ✅ Seek Feedback: Encourage input from colleagues, partners or trusted advisors to gain valuable insights & challenge your assumptions. ✅ Embrace Flexibility: Remain open to adjusting your course of action based on new information or changing circumstances, allowing for agile decision making. By prioritizing thoughtful deliberation over haste, we can make more informed decisions that align with our strategic objectives and lead to sustainable success. Let's strive for excellence by embracing patience & foresight in our decision-making process. #strategicthinking #decisionmaking #collaboration #businessprocessimprovement #continuousimprovement

INDISPENSABLE BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY LEADERS TRAIT - PASSIONATE Work with Leaders who really care about what they’re working on, who are truly engaged and passionate about their work and continue to exhibit the initiative required to stand out. From your initial meeting with your Business Technology Leader you can tell how our consultants will bring energy to the job. Without passion, an IT pro is just another cog in the machine but with it, they have the potential to be truly indispensable. It's critical to have IT pros who understand the problems of the person who’ll eventually be using the technology rather than simply focus on designing an elegant product. For a Business Technology Leader it is about solving problems, delivering unique value, who realises that no task is too big or too small. Clients say they love working with us because: Unlike typical consultants we work fast with small teams, taking you every step of the way. We come from the world of small and medium sizes organisations, so we are used to getting stuff done from day 1! You get the technology leader you've always wanted. We're part of the team, sharing ideas and adding value from our initial conversation. You can trust us to always have your best interests at heart. We connect the dots, talking to all stakeholders, investors, board members and suppliers, to ensure everyone is aligned to maximise speed of improvements. We can then be held to account by everyone in the chain. You KNOW of us, but to work with us you will LIKE our consultants, who will become your TRUSTED advisor whose opinion you VALUE. For more of an insight to our approach visit https://lnkd.in/eGJgCBu9 or contact me (simon.lascelles@businesstechnologyleaders.com) today for a confidential and impartial discussion on how we can add value to your business. #PortfolioLeader, #BoardAdvisor, #BusinessImprovementAdvice, #NonExecutiveDirector, #NED, #PartTimeBusinessLeader, #TechnologyAdvice, #PartTimeBusinessTechnologyLeader, #PartTimeTechnologyLeader, #PortfolioTechLeader #PortfolioTechnologyLeader, #InterimTechnologyLeader, #CIO, #CTO, #CISO, #ITDirector,

Some great tips from Ann Quinn on collaborative decision-making. I love the idea of a decision matrix and agree that involving stakeholders in decisions that impact their day-to-day will lead to more sustainable improvements. Thanks for sharing these, Ann!