Why Should the Boss Listen to You?: The Seven Disciplines of the Trusted Strategic Advisor

8.10. Lesson 4: Focus Most of Your Work on Nonoperating Scenarios

Ninety-five percent of the problems that affect most organizations come directly from day-to-day operations. These are the areas in which there is significant residesnt expertise. The strategist looks at the other 5 percent, those nonoperating circumstances that present the greatest threat to organizational stability, reputation, and market share and that cause damage that is difficult to repair. Management tends to be at its weakest in responding to nonoperating problems.

The reason nonoperating problems are so difficult for management to cope with is that management schools rarely address them. These situations are often highly emotional and, therefore, irrational, immeasurable, ...