Navigate the Swirl

Introduction:The Swirl

“We're failing and we don't know why.”

“We seem to be succeeding, but we have no idea how.”

“Our industry is changing so fast, we don't know how to keep up.”

“We're doing the same things we've always done, but it's not working for us anymore.”

“We're moving quickly, but we're not sure if we're going in the right direction.”

“There are so many competing priorities, we can't seem to make decisions fast enough.”

“Everyone is working hard but we're tripping over each other.”

“We're stuck. We don't seem to be going anywhere.”

Do these sentiments sound familiar? Most people in business are on intimate terms with some—or all—of these frustrating experiences. While they might sound like different, even contradictory, states, in fact they feel quite similar. And nothing captures that common feeling quite so well as one metaphor I hear again and again: the Swirl.

Imagine being lost in a churning river, thrown around by the rushing water. You might feel like you're being tumbled down dangerous rapids; you might feel like you're being spun around in a dizzying whirlpool; you might feel like you're entangled in rocks and roots and are hardly moving at all. There's a vague, uncomfortable feeling that a lot is happening around you, but it's hard to know if any of it is actually useful. The swirl is ongoing, but is anything getting clearer? Amidst all the sound and fury, is the team, the organization, or the business moving forward? And how would you know? A tremendous ...