CORPORATE AMERICA EA NS GHTS I I BEHIND THE WALLS OF
rewrite the code
strategic debt continued
Reversing the cycle begins with insightful questions:
What is the operating system of the leadership model? Is it intentional or inherited? Who owns the master narrative for strategy? Or is it fragmented? Which decisions are made twice due to unclear roles? What is the exit plan for redundancy? Or has exhaustion become normalized?
These questions will reveal whether the system has been designed for performance or is running on human overextension. And start to shift the narrative from vulnerability to structural insight. Here's areas to consider in rewriting the code to strategic alignment: schedule alignment sessions the first Monday of each month for leaders to commit to agenda and executive outcomes capture areas where there was friction or bottlenecks block 'headspace' in calendars to have time for deep think and work
Organizations that aim to build resilient executive operations and efficiency should position the EA function as a strategic integrator in the approach. This may include: defining shared priorities and decision rights establishing operational balance between leaders building recovery cycles for roles with high cognitive demand recognizing when strategic debt is being offloaded onto the workforce
The best leaders and companies are ambidextrous: prudent about managing the downside while aggressively pursuing the upside.
Source: Organizational Ambidexterity in the Age of Volatility by McKinsey
Pushing through is not the same as leading well. Sustainable performance requires structural alignment, not constant endurance. When one brain carries the load of two or more, it is not a competitive advantage. It is the beginning of system failure. That failure does not start with a missed meeting. It starts the moment the leader's inability to align strategically and the structure reveals it is now taxing on the people and long-term impact on organizational health. The workforce performs diligently to maintain alignment across strategy, personalities, time zones, and power dynamics often without recognition for the effort it requires.
To scale in the AI era, the mindset needs to shift. Build to empower people. Replace survival with strategy. And ultimately lead with intention.
built to empower
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