tl;dr:“Strategy is often set by the person with the loudest voice. One of the aims of this course was to teach techniques and models to allow robust discussion, surface ideas and allow everyone to be heard.” Anna discusses steps to do this: (1) Strategic analysis: Make a diagnosis of your current situation, external and internal. (2) Strategic choice: make a decision about what you want to do. (3) Implement.
tl;dr:Anna presents PESTLE and VUCA frameworks for tackling issues subject to external influences and unpredictability. “The value is in bringing the issues into the open and discussing them, as much as the end result. People are often making unconscious assumptions about the future, or the current situation, and these models help surface them.”
tl;dr:“A format I have found useful for making proposals is 1-measure-3-1. This is a variation on the 1-3-1 problem-solving method, focused specifically on proposals: (1) The problem to solve or opportunity to grasp. (2) Measure: how will we know it’s solved / the opportunity is met. What metrics are we looking to shift, or outcomes are we looking to achieve? (3) What are the three options we have considered (4) Our one recommendation.”
tl;dr:“I was leading one of a number of engineering groups within a larger organization; each group had its own priorities, but most of them required delivery through my team; and we had our own priorities. So we ended up slowing each other down.” Anna looked to her managers to solve this before deciding to create the strategy herself. Here’s are some of the things she learned: (1) Even if you think you know the desired end state, take a smaller chunk and make some tangible steps. (2) Overcommunicate the goal and your progress towards it. (3) Focus more on bringing people with you than on getting a perfect answer.
tl;dr:When Anna joined the FT as Technical Director, she inherited a team of 50 engineers and decided to meet with each. The objective was to gather intelligence for what needed to change and build relationships. Anna discusses her approach, the format of the meetings, and the value gained from it.