The Theory of Intent

Strategy, Policy and Management

The Theory Of Intent

Evolving Organization

It is often said, as words to the wise, that “culture eats strategy”…

That is, without close attention to cultural issues, the danger of having a failed implementation of strategy is a predictably high risk.

Culture is a set of accepted values. The most basic thing about culture is that it is strong because it is continually defended and rehearsed. Consequently, unless it is weakened by obsolescence, it is always both setting expectations and confirming them.

As an explicitly defensible environmental characteristic, culture is represented by policy. Thus, if a strategy arrives that challenges culture, policy is the primary counterforce, and strategy requires policy to adapt.

Unfortunately, changing policy can threaten to interrupt or undermine established management.

And without stable management, a strategy cannot be operated.

The ability to re-organize for a newly stable management (i.e., management agility) therefore becomes a prerequisite of adapting policy.

Policy adaptations are then able to provide a hospitable circumstance for strategy.

To align the above, key players in strategy, policy and management must agree with each other on overall intent.

The model of IntentIntent is the central and most singular evidence that an organization is not just an arrangement but is a firm.

All other key characteristics (forms, behaviors, effects) pertain to intent.

control

planguide

management

strategy

policy

intent

knowledge resource

authority

leaders & partners

(Capability) (Opportunity)

(Execution)

©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research

Expressions and Tools of IntentGuide, Plan, Control

Strategy, Management, Policy

control

planguide

management

strategy

policy

intent


Success factorsCapability, Opportunity, Execution

as dimensions and measures of Intent

intent


(Execution)


control

planguide

management

strategy

policy

intent


(Execution)


Responsible roles & affected partiesRoles: Leaders, Directors, Experts

Parties: Partners, Owners, Culture

management

strategy

policy

intent

leaders & partners


control

planguide

management

strategy

policy

intent

leaders & partners


Primary influencesKnowledge, Resource, Authority

Identified, and applied or denied, by responsible parties

“Firms represent a division of labor and production costs…. although the external environment of a firm is uncontrollable, the entrepreneur's internal allocation of production is preferable.” – ask.com

intent

knowledge resource

authority

leaders & partners


control

planguide

intent

knowledge resource

authority

leaders & partners


Equilibrium over TimeContinual rebalancing and realignment of Guidance, Plans and Controls

to evolve the organization versus prior relevance, investment and standards

Changing guidance vs. standard control

Distributed controlvs. invested plan

Limited planvs. relevant guidance


Inspired by Koyaanisqatsi

See also Archestra notebooks on Governance.

The Theory of Intent

Leadership & Management

Transcript of The Theory of Intent