Preparing For the New Normal

A couple of weeks ago we had the privilege of hosting a group of clients and other HR professionals for an exclusive preview of Nilofer Merchant’s upcoming book “The New How.”   Attendees enjoyed great dialogue, intriguing thoughts and the chance to rise above the day to day details and take a bigger picture view of what looms on the business horizon.

The New How by Nilofer Merchant

The New How by Nilofer Merchant

What struck me in Nilofer’s visionary presentation is the hypothesis that yesterday is gonenormal is anything but;  and tomorrow will bring a “new normal” that many of us aren’t expecting.   Over the next couple of posts, I’ll outline more of the key takeaways, but here are two I’d like to touch on now:

  1. Most of us think of the word “strategy” as a noun.  We need to instead think of “strategy” as a verb.  When we “strategize,” we create a new reality, a new future.
  2. In your company, department, business unit or division, are the following questions answered differently:
         a. Am I doing my job?
         b. Am I helping the company win?
    If they are, think about the detrimental effect that is having on the organization’s results and impact.

In most matters of strategy – strategizing (noun vs. verb, remember) there is no ONE right answer.   Some answers are better than others, and our job as leaders is to ensure we execute competently on the better answers.  Deliver on the better strategies.  Have the courage to only execute on the things that matter most.… and constantly and consistently remind everyone why.  This is how we can come close to achieving not only our ambitions, but our potential.

I’d love your thoughts on this subject.  Leave your comments and you’ll receive a sneak peek of one of the chapters from the book  as well as a copy of “The New How” signed by Nilofer Merchant.  And stay tuned for more takeaways in my next blog post.


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