With the three core concepts from the book, Built To Last, that I have explored with you in mind during the last two weeks, and after working with clients on strategic planning for many years, I realized one day that I needed a simple way to explain what Collins and Porras were communicating. So, I created the term, the strategic nexus.
From experience, I know that naming something changes that something. I named it because the concept was complicated. And I knew people were not going to invest the time in understanding the depth and nuances involved. I also knew that with a name they would be able to utilize the “idea,” and gain perspective and understanding.
The term, strategic nexus, comes from the Latin word, nectere, to bind. At the core of a successful company, there is a core ideology, i.e the vision, mission, and core values, and there is a strategic plan with goals and metrics. This is the heart beat of the company. One part of the nexus pushes the company to make progress while the other part reminds us about what should not change in the midst of change.
Over time, this new term became very important to many leaders as they explained to others the choices and decisions the company was making. However, I need to point out that the amount of time and energy needed to create clarity about the nexus within a company is an order of magnitude greater than the time and energy it takes to create and maintain the nexus. Working with a healthy and viable nexus is mission critical to the success of the company and to the people in leadership position.
One of the big insights I learned is that in order for people to fully understand the nexus, they have to feel connected to it. The word, connect, has an interesting definition. It is the sum of two things, namely “to establish a relationship” and “to create an understanding.” This is two fundamentally different actions, i.e. building a relationship and building clarity.
What we want as leaders is for people to feel connected to the core ideology, namely the core values and the purpose. We also want them to feel connected to the strategy, strategic intent and/or the strategic direction of the company. We even want them to feel connected to the operational goals, operational priorities and the definition of operational excellence. The precursor to this level of connection is understand the “why”, not just the “what” behind all of these things.
And yet, experience has taught me that in order for this to happen, I first have to feel connected to my supervisor and my team. Remember: people bond with people before they bond with ideas and plans. From my vantage point, what we have to understand as leaders is that clarity, connection, and communication create commitment. It is all interconnected.
In summary, a healthy nexus centers the organization around purpose and progress more than egos or personalities. It is the guidance system for successful companies over time.
This week, build better relationships and focus on creating more clarity about your organization’s strategic nexus. This level of work will pay significant dividends in 2023 - 2025.
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