Reinventing the Organization for Speed in the New Normal Q&A on Breakthrough Leadership

COVID-19 has caused many organizations to remove boundaries and break down silos in ways no one thought was possible. They have streamlined decisions and processes, empowered frontline leaders, and suspended slow-moving hierarchies and bureaucracies.

An organization designed for speed will see powerful outcomes, including greater customer responsiveness, enhanced capabilities, and better performance, in terms of cost-efficiency, revenues, and return on capital. The speedy company might also find it has a higher sense of purpose and improved organizational health. These outcomes are possible, but not inevitable. Organizational successes forged during the crisis need to be hardwired into the new operating model; and leaders must ensure their organizations do not revert to old behaviors and processes. That requires making permanent structural changes that can sustain speed in ways that will inspire and engage employees.
The three areas Lou and Craig discuss are:
Speed up and delegate decision making;
Step up execution excellence; and
Cultivate partnerships.