4 modes of strategic change

Cautiously inspired by the anthropological examples of the flexible social dynamics mentioned previously, as well as ideas from psychology, Buddhism and philosophy about the fluid and multiple nature of the self, we've developed a model that identifies some of the common "modes" of working on strategic changes.

Our thesis is that each of these modes is an appropriate response to a specific context, and the ability to understand what is needed in a specific situation, and fluently switch between modes is a formidable strength of a confident team.

We think that teams should maintain a conversation, outside of their day-to-day work, focused on noticing the context they're working in and consider the best mode to help them in that moment. This context should include the flow, velocity and direction of the work, as Melissa Rosenthal has discussed in a series of recent articles.

Our model identifies 4 "modes" or approaches to strategic work: Builder; Strategist; Facilitator and Catalyst.

• The Builder turns the intangible into the concrete
• The Strategist diagnoses and shapes a theory of change
• The Facilitator brings everyone together with shared understanding
• The Catalyst creates energy and momentum

Read more in this introductory post or try our quiz to discover your own default mode