Strategic Thinking 6: Synthesis and Evaluation in Theory
Synthesis and evaluation are already going on in most organizations. They must. Otherwise, no products would be made, tested, analyzed, recommended for change, or recalled. The problem around synthesis and evaluation as it is currently done is that it tends to be reserved to a chosen few, a body of shareholders too small to stay unbiased.
In the new knowledge enterprises I’ve been describing since Strategic Thinking 1, this core group is larger, more heterogenous, and enjoys a deeper, common knowledge and base of understanding. So, when this group reaches synthesis and evaluation, their ability to strategize will have more,if not all, of the skills I describe in 10 Critical Skills for the Future.
What this means is that the group will be able to
- create a new product from an old one, adjusting to remove flaws.
- fluently describe and share a plan with specialists and non-specialists in their field.
- devise ways to use what they have to benefit others in unique and trying situations.
- evaluation of the plan or product success and that of competitng products or plans in great detail.
- synthesize their understanding of all of the above and report back in simple terms the main options for serving the production or plan in the context of serving the customer and the enterprise.
In other words, the initial team that was part of the development blog becomes a defacto in-house board of directors. They have by nature of their ability to think through issues regarding the plan or the product.
The knowledge enterprise loses the fear of territoriality and hidden agendas that come from the isolation of departments and the silo-ing of knowledge. Now all knowledge is in the same universe and all shareholders are working from the same experience.
How could this not bring a more productive, positive, and innovative outcome–for both the enterprise and the customers who rely on it?
Liz Strauss