The article discusses principles for designing rituals, artifacts, frameworks, and cycles for teams or organizations to go beyond standard language like strategy and execution.
It presents a simple example of an 'operating system' involving setting weekly intentions, engaging with goals, tasks, and reflections.
The four core building blocks of the operating system are described as Possibility, Intent, Action, and Context, with Control and Integration tying them together.
The article explores the nuances of intent, categorizing it by short-term vs. long-term, procedural vs. outcome-oriented, concrete vs. abstract, and linear vs. high-leverage.
It emphasizes the importance of finding the right mix of intent signifiers in high-performing companies to achieve coherence without excessive process overhead.
Challenges in strategy, planning, and execution are discussed, highlighting issues like the disconnect between strategy and execution, and the lack of alignment in planning.
The article then delves into the impact of growth and scale on context, intent alignment, possibility exploration, action execution, and control and integration mechanisms.
It addresses the importance of maintaining context sharing and alignment, avoiding overwhelming people with information, and balancing present needs with future growth.
The article concludes by stressing the need for companies to focus on connecting people with critical context dots, aligning intent across teams, and balancing short-term execution with long-term strategic objectives.
By understanding the building blocks of a functioning system including Possibility, Intent, Action, Context, and Control and Integration, organizations can better address gaps and improve coherence.
The article provides insights into how different intent types can guide decision-making and how companies of varying sizes can adapt their operating systems to scale effectively.