Running downhill refers to what happens in the NFL after a team’s running back repeatedly pushes through a defense later in the third and fourth quarters of the game. It’s at this point that the running back often finds there is a seemingly lowered resistance level because they’ve “softened up” the defense and players have gotten fatigued trying to slow him down. This allows big chunk plays where he can put all his effort into running straight at the goal line.
Firms that have decided to pursue a strategy of new growth, through no fault of their own, set up their own resistance. Initially, there is a honeymoon period, when the new strategic move receives considerable support from the current leadership. When implementation planning is done, and the reality that this will require much investment from the current businesses sets in – either in talent, equipment or budget – things begin to cool.
Everyone is for growth, they just want someone else to fund it.
This sets up a subtle undertow in the firm. While the top leadership voice strong support, typically the pull of the existing business makes it challenging to keep the new work on track.
The solution? We’ve found through many engagements that the cure for this nearly universal situation is acceleration.
How the Resistance Works
Resistance in firms is usually characterized in the business press as leaders in the firm that are wedded to history and unable to change. While that may be true in a few cases, what we have noted is that more typically, resistance comes from some of the strongest contributors to the core value proposition. These internal experts have a great deal of sweat equity and expertise in the current business model of the firm, and even if they are bought in intellectually, have a hard time letting go.
The second most powerful source is “shared services” support like marketing, legal and IT. In most firms those tensions are unseen, yet contribute to the deceleration of the internal projects.
The challenge usually shows up in resource decisions that need to be made in unknown, but potentially quite valuable, spaces. In most cases as firms evolve, they have come to be quite effective at managing risks in their core market, and understandably want to apply the same level of rigor to the new opportunity. The rub is this: rarely is the data available for these new opportunities – and this locks up the subject matter experts risk mitigation engine.
What Covid Did
Covid gave us a double “whammy,” as they say.
First, it created the most significant supply chain disruption in decades, causing the operations team in organizations to be incredibly taxed in all regards – including the ability to work with new products teams. Second, it created a massive life reevaluation of our talented team members who are leaving firms and contributing to a worsening talent shortage – creating a double bind for firms.
As I completed dozens of senior leader interviews, I found that numerous leaders during COVID began asking teams for multiple layers of validation for their projects. One executive termed the effect “concept hell,” describing a circular swirl of questions and responses that he couldn’t escape.
Four Keys to Acceleration: Inclusion, Tranche, Scenario & Sponsorship
Let’s be clear: resistance can be a gift. Resistance that improves the new product, solution, services or business is a good thing. So how then can we use the principle of running downhill to build a plan that’s good for both the firm and those who need to do the hard work of establishing new?
Here are four places to start:
#1: Inclusion
What is it? A team design to be sure that you have not only the subject matter expertise, but participants with the diversity of thinking styles that produce top results.
How does it help with acceleration? Acceleration requires creative and critical thinking. Lateral thinking, that is bringing multiple views to the challenge from unique contexts, is known to be a gridlock buster. By stacking the deck in your favor, you’ll have a much higher chance of achieving great results.
#2: Tranche
What is it? It’s a financial term that refers to phasing the release of funds.
How does it help with acceleration? Senior management can confidently release resources to your team when they know there is an affordable guard rail for that work. By committing to reviewing results for more funding, you build trust.
#3: Scenario
What is it? It’s hard, and frankly not advisable, to have considered only one path forward. Skilled teams develop two or more paths to create a base of trust and positive tension in their plan.
How does it help with acceleration? By starting with scenarios, it helps the team make the inevitable pivots – instead of facing political pressure to stay with the “committed plan.”
#4: Sponsorship
What is it? Securing sponsorship is critical to moving the ball in large and complex firms.
How does it help with acceleration? A strong sponsor can cross functional boundaries and secure assistance and resources as needed. The number one reason projects get sidetracked is lack of support from the firm at large.
These four tools, well implemented, will create a robust, clear and informed plan. By taking advantage of these opportunities, you can anticipate and use resistance to create the best potential outcome of your team and your firm.
The consequences of not doing this level of planning is to get bogged down at the worst moment and many times to lose momentum all together.
How I Can Help
There are three things I can help you with as you tee up these fresh projects. The first is a deep background on product and specific product acceleration, both as a practitioner and advisor. The second is an objective perspective at having helped with a wide variety of projects across industry verticals. The third is support to assure that you have the best possible group dynamic as you do this work. That includes support with the curation of the group, support planning the interaction, and support in executing the event.
The best way to connect is to use this link to put a 20-minute call on the calendar.
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