Consensus is not acquiescence or unanimity. It’s not giving up what we believe in. It’s about coming to better beliefs, about understanding the corporate purpose in deeper and more intimate ways. It’s about the courage to come out of our particular silo and to quit protecting our little piece of turf. It’s about transparency across the board. That won’t happen too often if a competitive spirit prevails. So consensus gets built when the organization becomes a safe and happy place to live. That only happens when the strategist embodies the truest kind of leadership. That leadership has the deepest respect and desire for the welfare of every member of the organization, and just as importantly, the same respect and desire for the people they market to and serve.
Strategic innovation is about us living the dream personally, identifying our common purpose, and leading everyone together into the unknown future. The future is about a better life for those we serve. That’s why we innovate. The present is about delivering our best. The future is about delivering much better than that. That’s why we have to build future S-Curves while the current S-Curve is still vibrant. That’s why we have to stay the course while reinventing ourselves.