As it happened, my grandpa only played one match for them before injury put paid to his rugby career. That was in 1921, but he wore this affiliation like a badge of honor right up until his death at the age of 99.  

The All Blacks were revered a hundred years ago, and they still are. This makes them a perfect case study for Professor Alex Hill, co-founder and director of the Centre for High Performance, a collaboration between Kingston University London, Duke University, London Business School, and the University of Oxford. 

Building Centennial Organizations

For more than a decade, he’s researched organizations that have outperformed their peers for over 100 years. In addition to the New Zealand All Blacks, he’s studied NASA, Eton College and the Royal Shakespeare Company, among other household names. 

Hill has identified 12 habits they share, looking at how they analyze success and failure, recruit great talent, and create new products and ideas. He lays these out in his new book, “Centennials,” and offers advice for others who aspire to such longevity today. 

In this clip from our Expert Interview, Hill reflects on how corporate behavior can embed itself from generation to generation. (You can stream the audio clip below or read a transcript here.)

The How and Why of Centennial Organizations

Hill acknowledges that not all organizations are in it for the long haul. Some don’t want to last 100 years, so for them, a focus on short-term returns is appropriate. 

“A lot of management thinking comes from business, and actually those principles and ideas are great if you want to burn bright, but then disappear,” he says. “But if you don’t want to do that and you want to build something that’s going to last, then you have to think in a very different way.” 

And this is a worthy goal, he believes, as “centennial” organizations deliver benefits for communities and society as a whole, as well as for themselves. 

“They help us solve bigger, more complex questions, things like climate change or poverty or health or education, where actually you’re building a collective knowledge in an institution that is growing over time. And you’re solving a problem which can’t just be solved quickly, where actually it might take many decades or many generations to actually work out how to fix it,” he explains. 

The 12 habits in Hill’s book provide a framework for organizations with such ambitions. The first six help to build a stable core, identifying a strong purpose for the work, developing stewardship, and fostering an open attitude toward the world. The last six focus on what he calls the “disruptive edge.” These habits encourage new ideas that propel organizations forward. 

The Power of Performing in Public

I was particularly struck by habit five, “perform in public,” about harnessing the power of strangers. Within an organization, it’s hard to see what you’re doing well – or not so well. Whereas, if you perform to a trusted stranger, you can learn a lot from their feedback, which may include fresh ideas from the outside, too. And of course, when we’re being watched, we almost always raise our game. 

“They’ve done lots of different studies around this, [and] they found that if you have a stranger present in a group, the group feels that they need to perform better,” says Hill. “So they will often be more rigorous in their discussion or their debates, they will explain things more clearly, they make [fewer] mistakes, and they often perform at a higher level because of that.”  

As a freelance producer, I’ve seen this firsthand. Often, I’m the stranger, going into organizations to record a podcast or interview employees. In these situations, I’ve noticed that people do tend to make an effort to act as professionally as they can. 

A few years ago, I produced a series of educational podcasts for a U.K.-based university. Each episode consisted of a roundtable discussion between academics teaching on a particular degree course. As soon as the microphones were set up, all the participants switched into “performance” mode. 

They listened attentively to one another, articulated their views with clarity and verve, and sometimes asked to redo something if they felt it could have been expressed better. If I hadn’t been there, the discussion may have been a bit more relaxed. But it might not have been as useful for the audience of students. 

Outside Observation Brings Centennial Results

Hill says he’s seen performance work in all sorts of situations. 

“You start to realize that every high-performing organization has a performance, and sometimes it happens very naturally, like an Olympic Games or a World Cup or a moon landing – this moment where they have to really perform,” he says.  

“But other organizations where it doesn’t happen naturally will artificially create it. So, like the Royal College of Art has open studios, where strangers can walk through, or they’ll get students to do shows where people can come.” 

It’s an effective way for organizations to practice the mindset they need to last for 100 years. 

The post The Centennial Mindset: My Expert Interview With Alex Hill appeared first on Mind Tools.

Do you arrive at a straightforward answer, or is it tricky to come to a clear view?

I confess, I have been pondering this for some time and have come to the conclusion that assigning the responsibility of strategy is more complex than I first thought. I started by considering what strategic leadership involves.

What Is Strategic Leadership?

A strategic leader is an individual within an organization who possesses the vision, foresight, and capability to guide the organization toward its long-term goals. This type of leader not only focuses on the day-to-day operations, but also on the larger picture and future direction of the organization. They're responsible for shaping and implementing strategies that help the organization to adapt to change and to excel in a dynamic and competitive business environment.

If that wasn't enough, strategic leaders need a clear vision of where they want the organization to be in the future. They must anticipate market trends, technological advancements, and other relevant changes, enabling them to prepare the organization for the future. Effective strategic thinkers conduct thorough risk assessments, and then focus on long-term planning and are able to set realistic and achievable goals that align with the organization's mission and vision. However, these plans can’t be set in stone: strategic leaders are open to change and can adjust strategies and plans to respond to evolving circumstances, whether within the organization or in the external environment.

Considering all that’s involved with being a strategic leader, it is clear that they play a crucial role in setting direction, inspiring teams, and ensuring the organization remains relevant and competitive in a rapidly changing business environment.

Strategy as a Collaborative Journey

These days, good strategic leaders take people on a journey rather than telling them where to go. It's about fostering a shared understanding of an organization's vision and purpose. Leaders must communicate the "why" behind strategic decisions, making it easier for team members to align their efforts.

In today's fast-paced and ever-changing business landscape, the concept of "being strategic" has arguably gone through a bit of a make-over. The global pandemic forced organizations to re-evaluate their strategies, and as we emerge from this crisis, the question arises: whose job is strategy now?

Pre-Pandemic vs. Today: the Evolution of Strategy

Before the pandemic, many of us would have experienced strategy largely at the hands of top-level executives and managers. They would craft long-term plans and communicate them down the hierarchy. However, today's dynamic environment demands a more inclusive approach. Strategic leadership is no longer a top-down process but a collective effort involving individuals at all levels.

Empowered Team Members

To make strategy a collective effort, team members need to provide their input. They are the ones on the front lines, interacting with customers and experiencing market shifts first-hand. Their insights can be invaluable in shaping and refining strategies. To achieve this collective effort, creating an environment where ideas are welcomed and valued is absolutely crucial.

Influencing Strategy Without Being a Leader

Not everyone holds a formal leadership position, but everyone can influence strategy. Regardless of your role, you can contribute by staying informed and interested in where the company is heading, being proactive in problem-solving, and sharing your insights. Take the initiative to propose innovative solutions and collaborate with colleagues to implement them. Your contributions can make a significant impact on shaping the organization's direction.

So, Whose Job Is Strategy?

My conclusion is that strategy works best when it’s a shared responsibility. No longer confined to the boardroom, strategy happens at every level of the organization. It shouldn’t happen to you; it should happen with you. By empowering team members to provide input and encouraging a collaborative approach to strategy, organizations can adapt more effectively to the ever-changing challenges of our times. Whether you hold a leadership position or not, you have the power to influence and shape the strategic direction of your organization. Embrace this opportunity, and together, we can navigate the complexities of the post-pandemic world.

Strategy Resources

You may like to take a look at the following Mind Tools resources, then join the coaches’ events to share your thoughts, ask questions and learn more.

The Line Manager's Role in Strategy Video
What Is Strategy?
Strategic Leadership, With John Adair
Creating Successful Strategic Plans
Creating a Culture of Collaboration Infographic

About the Author:

Sarah is an experienced and qualified leadership, culture and conflict coach. An author, skilled trainer, facilitator, manager mentor, and workplace mediator, Sarah has over 30 years’ experience to draw on. Following a career as an HR leader and consultant, she now loves coaching leaders and teams to improve their results through developing better workplace relationships and creating savvy conversational cultures. Away from work, Sarah can be found in her garden or perhaps writing her next book.

The post Whose Job Is Strategy? appeared first on Mind Tools.