A key responsibility of leaders – especially in uncertain times – is to reduce ambiguity for their followers. Andrew shares ways to do it:

1. Increase tolerance of ambiguity
2. Help people to understand the difference between perfect and good enough
3. Be prepared to tolerate some kinds of mistakes
4. Either find a purpose or make one
5. Cultivate a bias for finding answers out in the world

Andrew explains how finding key maneuvers to nudge things in the right direction can be more beneficial than pursuing grand all-at-once change efforts.

Experts in every sector have the tendency to push the ‘best’ solution onto clients. As a consequence, they often end up working hard to nearly-but-not-quite satisfy them. They also tend to converge on the same technical solutions, so failing to differentiate themselves. Better to let the customer or client pull the solution they really need from you.

Andy discusses a number of examples, from professional services, manufacturing and even local government, and invites you to consider how you can use this idea to stand out against the competition.

What can a High St optician, an old Disney cartoon and the Duke of Edinburgh teach us about creating the kind of remarkable customer experience that leads to stand-out results?

Thinking about using consultants? Is it a good idea? Can’t you just do it yourself?

Here’s my take, including reasons why sometimes there is no substitute for going outside, what to watch out for if you do so, as well as perspectives on how to get the benefits a good consultant will bring.

Providing greater value, and therefore getting more, and more profitable sales, depends crucially on how well you understand and fit your offerings to client/customer needs.

Andrew uses an example from professional services to show how you can use some well-targeted questions to build your understanding and tailor more valuable solutions, for which you can then charge a premium.

However well you formulate your strategy, its success or failure is going to depend on how well you translate it for the needs of those who must support it. Andrew discusses some thought experiments to help convey the concept of The Three Stories You Need To Tell About Your Strategy, from his book The Performance Papers.

Read more about the Three Stories here.

Andrew continues his discussion of keys to foster innovation:

1. Allot and protect time and space away from your routine
2. Improvise the before and after of using your product or service
3. Pay attention to packaging and ease of use
4. Run time-limited experiments
5. Emphasize improvement  over mere problem solving