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Cognitive Edge Guest Blog
Our 'Free for all' Blogging stint is offered once a year and only during the festive season when both visitors to our site and our invited bloggers are reflecting on what has gone on in the current year and are planning of what is to come for the Year New. If you would like to blog on our site from 21 December 2011 to 23 January 2012, please email Dawn Lincoln your blogs and she will post it for you on the Cognitive Edge site.
6 February 2012
Extracting value from Fear and Loathing
About 12 months ago, I attended an early morning meeting whose sole purpose was to approve a short list of strategic options. Based on bravado over the bacon and eggs and the strong opinions regarding the ‘follies’ of certain investments, I was looking forward to a hearty debate prior to exultant agreement. However, within minutes it became clear that the dawn bluster was all wind. I think the phrase from the home state is, “big hat, no cattle.”
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24 January 2012
Management vs Tonga
I had a fantastic day Sunday last; good lunch, stimulating diverse conversation, rugby in Wales, and all in the company of Dave Snowden.
The conversation covered philosophy, literature, the strength and frailties of human nature, the needs of (all of us in) management to have a degree of certainty in decision outcomes.
Now, in certain contexts, exclusively quantitative measurements are powerful decision aids, but we fall into trouble when we extend the context inappropriately, yet still maintain our absolute belief in the power of quantitative measurement.
10 January 2012
This above all: to thine own self be true
It is very important to have a clear picture of your starting point, particularly when solving complex problems, but it is activity in which we underinvest, particularly in strategy generation. But while we are waiting for a home-grown Complex-domain diagnostic, there are other tools which can give us actionable insight, and provide a triangulation point so the journey forward can begin.
When I start a strategy project I usually work with the senior team to establish a clear (coherent and cohesive?) picture of the current external and internal business environments. I employ a number of tools including narrative research and, for probing the senior team, the Kirton Adaptor-Innovator (KAI) theory and supporting instrument.
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9 January 2012
Where are we?
In a recent conversation during the diagnosis stage of a strategy project, I was asked whether I would, “put my money where my mouth is,” and price my engagement on a contingency basis. Given the large potential value generation in this project, I might have been tempted but for a lesson learnt earlier in my consulting career.
David Griffiths indulged in a 
I have a semi-allergic reaction to sounds bites that appear to lack thought before propagation. Its a part of my general complaint about modern politics. It used to be the case the politicians had to be able to hold an audience for a substantial period of time and deal with hecklers. Now they carefully craft the soundbite, avoid exposure and questioning. So as in politics so in the world of consultancy and I afraid the allergy clicked in when I picked up this tweet from Jurgen Appelo. He said Nobody _is_ a professional. But any person at any time can choose to behave like one. I responded The implication being that one should choose one's Doctor on behaviour rather than qualification. I'm afraid that upset Jurgen a little and I was accused of unsubstantiated criticism.
No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
I've always argued that that Margaret Attwood's