There is a human instinct to seek order. To order events and activities into predictable and manageable schemas. Humans are uniquely qualified to apply intelligence to the establishment of order. A qualification that contributes mightily to man’s position at the top of the food chain and leads to the competencies that put a man on the moon and Captain Crunch in breakfast bowls.
Ironically the human instinct to create order out of disorder can also lead to extinguishing man’s unique competitive advantage. The ability to adapt, to be agile and evolve in order to survive and thrive during periods of uncertainty is at odds with the need to wear matching socks. No place is this need for order more apparent than business where predictability continues to be the driving force behind enterprise strategy.
The problem with predictability as organizational doctrine is that it eliminates or minimizes man’s ability to improvise and exploit change. I’ve talked at length about the need to embrace uncertainty, about organic command and control formations that generate trust, empower localized decisions and enable rapid decision cycles in order to exploit immediate threat and opportunity.
As experienced campaigners we have learned that there is an inverse relationship between predictability and effectiveness. The greater the degree of predictability the smaller the resulting gain or campaign effectiveness. Which makes sense when you think about traditional means and mechanisms used to manage enterprise activities. Enterprise employees today continue to be judged primarily on how well they forecast and budget. On absolute measurements as opposed to relative gains.
Campaigning is a form of competition. With many of the same dynamics you find in a football game, soccer match, military conflict or political runoff. Including the ability to predict the outcome. As Las Vegas bookies and Winston Churchill can attest the ability to predict the outcomes of these events favors those taking the bets - and disfavors those making the bets.
Subscribe ARMORY | Book MOBILIZATION | Engage CAMPAIGN
Comments