Resolute E-Book

• Herausgeber: WS
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 439

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Resolute is a groundbreaking guide for business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs seeking to lead effectively in the face of continuous disruption. Inspired by agile military tactics from elite forces, this book presents the Waymaker Leadership Curve—a powerful framework designed to help you navigate change, lead with purpose, and build indestructible organizations.

The world is increasingly uncertain, and businesses need a new playbook. Resolute equips leaders with the essential skills to master the inherent tensions in leadership: leading versus managing, values versus character, and skills versus systems. Stuart Leo, founder of Waymaker.io, draws upon both historical insights and modern best practices to create a practical guide that empowers leaders to craft their own management systems and drive sustainable growth.

In Resolute, readers will discover how to:

Lead with Purpose: Learn to steer your organization towards meaningful and resilient goals, establishing a culture that thrives on adaptability and purpose.

Navigate Disruption: Apply agile principles and make decisive choices even amidst chaos, using tools designed to sharpen your strategic focus.

Build Effective Skills & Systems: Develop a leadership operating system that empowers teams and enhances operational efficiency.

Set and Achieve Needle-Shifting Goals: Learn how to focus on strategic initiatives that make the most impact, driving progress and enhancing team alignment.

Resolute doesn’t just offer ideas—it guides you into designing your own leadership and management system that sets your organization or team up for growth. With over 20 ready-to-use worksheets and frameworks, this book provides the practical tools to immediately find clarity, design a management system, and align your team towards success.

Drawing from the latest insights in agile battle-planning and timeless leadership principles, Resolute offers an approach that’s both bold and accessible. Whether you’re an entrepreneur scaling a startup, a manager looking to sharpen your skills, or a business leader aiming to build a resilient organization, this book will provide you with the framework and tools needed to succeed.

Through the 7 Questions of Leadership and 5 Questions of Management, Stuart Leo redefines how businesses grow—transforming them from reactive entities into resilient powerhouses that thrive no matter the challenges ahead. Resolute is an inspiring call to action, urging leaders to create the future they envision, build teams that flourish, and establish organizations that can withstand any disruption.

Leseprobe

Resolute

Lead with purpose, navigate disruption, and build indestructible organizations.

Resolute reveals a powerful leadership and management framework, built on the latest agile battle-planning tactics from elite military forces.

By Stuart Leo

Copyright and Publishing Notes

© 2024 by Stuart Leo. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please contact Waymaker at [email protected] or visit help.waymaker.io

Publisher Information: Published by Waymaker One Pty Ltd, Gold Coast, Australia.

This book is intended to provide general information and is not intended to serve as legal, financial, or other professional advice. The content represents the views and opinions of the author and may not be applicable to all situations. The author and publisher disclaim any liability resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

ISBN: 978-0-6458254-4-2 (Digital eBook Edition)

Image Attribution

This book contains two images licensed under Creative Commons (CC). The image is attributed as follows:

•The Business Model Canvas is designed by Business Model Foundry AG. The makers of Business Model Generation and Strategyzer and is licensed under the Creative Commons.

•Lean Canvas is adapted from Business Model Canvas and is licensed under the Creative Commons.

For more details about the terms of the license, visit https://creativecommons.org

Preface

This book outlines the leadership and management framework that can be used directly with our management platform Waymaker.io. If you adopt the frameworks in the book, you can use them directly with the AI-powered management platform, Waymaker.io, which helps you unify data and hit your targets at every level of the organization.

Creating any kind of new business or organization requires both new skills and the systems to support them. In addition, it demands a certain boldness—a mix of character and values that, as you'll see, can be both positive and negative.

Here is the core idea behind Resolute and the leadership and management framework presented in this book: Growth emerges from navigating the dynamic tensions between leading vs. managing, values vs. character, and skills vs. systems.

A framework or a mental model is simply an objective way to represent an abstract concept. Organizations, businesses, and teams are constantly confronted by abstract concepts that need organizing, refining, adapting, and manipulating. When leaders and managers gain clarity around these abstract concepts, they are far better equipped to manage the execution of their business.

At the time of writing, my day job is as a startup founder. The frameworks and concepts I deal with could change literally any day – and often do.

In the world of tech, we build systems—products designed to solve problems and enhance existing processes or skill sets. The premise of this book is that if you have a system of thinking that helps you make sense of the abstract challenges of business, you'll stay nimble and navigate the world around you much more effectively.

And that is a significant competitive edge. Sensemaking is a skill, and in today's disruptive environment, it’s one of the most valuable skills you can have.

As I’ve been writing this book, I’ve also been leading a small team building a technology platform that helps businesses navigate growth and change. That platform is Waymaker—a management platform that leverages AI to help business owners plan, grow, and scale their organizations.

Think of this book as teaching you the skill of resolute leadership.

Think of Waymaker as the system you can use to execute and scale that skill.

The problem with many of the frameworks that have come before is that they focus solely on the skill—presenting good ideas that were often developed long before technology fundamentally reshaped the world, certainly before AI democratized code, content, and decision-making.

This is a new moment in time.

The content of this book has been built, tested, adapted, and refined by real business owners and leaders over the same number of years the software that works with it has been built, tested, adapted, and refined.

Use this book, Resolute, with Waymaker—the software platform to manage your plans, people, and performance; and through Waymaker Academy—bite-sized courses on how to plan, grow, and scale your business.

I know we stand on the shoulders of giants in assembling this content. While this may be a new way of expressing ideas to build your business, I recognize it will never be the complete set. As this content proves its relevance, I'll update it to reflect any improvements and adaptations learned.

And as you read, you’ll encounter other books or models that are referenced and complement these ideas—that’s the beauty of building an evolving mental framework. There are always more good ideas out there, and they will continue to emerge.

What I can assure you is that if you spend time with the content in this book, you'll cultivate a sense-making framework, a mental model, that will serve you for life—rich soil for the growth and development of new businesses, products, or services.

You'll learn how to lead with purpose, navigate disruption, and build indestructible organizations.

My vision is to equip business owners and managers with both the skills and systems to build amazing, resilient businesses—for their families, their communities, and their investors.

I call that being a Resolute Waymaker.

Part One – From Chaos to Clarity

Chapter 1: On the brink of chaos

The world stands on the brink of chaos. Geo-political tensions are extreme. Russia is facing off against the United States of America.

But it’s not 2024, it is April 1961.

The Bay of Pigs invasion—a disastrous attempt by the United States to overthrow the Cuban government—had ended in failure, nearly sparking World War III. President John F. Kennedy faced not only an international crisis but also the harsh realization of a profound leadership failure. The tragedy lay in a lack of clarity, communication, and an understanding of how to manage complex challenges in a disruptive, rapidly evolving situation.

In response to this crisis, JFK ordered a comprehensive review that uncovered deep flaws in the way different departments—Army, Navy, Intelligence, and others—communicated and collaborated. The review revealed a culture of finger-pointing, blame, and siloed operations where departments failed to share critical information, each blaming the others for the failure. This lack of unity and real-time data flow severely hampered the mission's chances of success, resulting in almost catastrophic failure.

From this review, the Kennedy Administration recognized the need for a central hub that would facilitate collaboration, real-time data, and informed decision-making. Thus, the Situation Room was born—a facility literally dug into the basement beneath the West Wing of the White House. Formally called the JFK Conference Room but widely known as the White House Situation Room, it was designed to ensure seamless communication across departments, allowing those in power to have all relevant data at their fingertips at the right time.

We've all seen it in movies and real life—the White House Situation Room became an iconic symbol when President Obama allowed photographers to capture the tense moments as US Seal Team Six carried out the mission to capture Osama bin Laden. It remains a cornerstone of real-time leadership, emphasizing clarity, management excellence, and swift execution in the face of crisis.

The creation of the Situation Room marked a pivotal transformation—a nerve center that symbolizes the central hub of real-time strategic decision-making. Built to bring all departments across the U.S. Government into one unified command center, the Situation Room ensures that those in power have the information they need, when they need it. It became a symbol of clear, effective leadership and management in the face of disruption, embodying what JFK did next—transforming chaos into actionable clarity.

It was President Kennedy, from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, who faced the reality of failure and turned it into a moment of transformation. The Resolute Desk, a gift from Queen Victoria, was crafted from the timbers of HMS Resolute—a British ship that became icebound while on a search and rescue mission and was subsequently abandoned in 1854. Two years later, an American whaler discovered the ship, and it was returned to Queen Victoria in 1856 as an act of goodwill. The timbers from this ship were later used to craft the Resolute Desk. This desk represents resilience, leadership, and transformation—qualities that Kennedy embodied in the wake of the Bay of Pigs failure.

The desk that now sits in the White House Oval Office symbolizes not only a steadfast spirit but also a commitment to leading through challenges, finding clarity in uncertainty, and taking decisive action. JFK was the first to bring the Resolute Desk into the Oval Office, and I believe his kind of leadership—bold, visionary, and unafraid to face the reality of failure—was inspired by the Resolute itself.

For that’s the ultimate solution to the problem of failure.

Here’s the great secret of Leadership: leadership doesn’t prevent failure; it nullifies its power.

Good leadership destroys the power of failure by converting it from a negative to a positive. Good leaders fail just as often as bad ones. But they learn from their failures and apply the insights to their next situation.

Good leaders know that the more, and faster, we fail, the more and faster we learn, which means failure is no longer an option, it is a necessity. The difference, however, is that if we fail more, and faster, we have smaller failures, and this leads to smaller wins, and when we stack those wins up over time, we have continuous improvement. Continuous improvement always outperforms irregular bursts of improvement interspersed with periods of stagnation.

JFK learned from the Bay of Pigs disaster that effective leadership required more than power; it required the courage to question, to challenge assumptions, and to seek clarity amid chaos. He transformed his leadership approach by asking the right questions—questions that would ensure informed decisions, unify disparate voices, and align his administration towards shared goals.

This brings us to the first central theme of this book: Questions are more powerful than answers.

In times of disruption, leaders often feel the pressure to have all the answers, to be the expert in the room. However, the most effective leaders are not those with all the answers but those who ask the right questions—questions that prompt deeper understanding, challenge assumptions, and align teams towards a common purpose. The power of a question lies in its ability to open minds, unlock creativity, and bring clarity to complex situations.

Twenty years after the Bay of Pigs, the British Military had their own moment of transformation. During the Second World War, the British Army's approach centered on concentrating significant resources to overpower smaller enemy forces, relying on attrition as a primary tactic. These battles were often characterized by their static nature, with an emphasis on numerical superiority to wear down the opposition. The leadership style was hierarchical and rigid, with each person understanding their specific role within a strictly controlled framework. Field Marshal Montgomery famously called this 'a tidy battlefield,' likening it to an orchestra where one conductor directed every instrument, each playing precisely as instructed.1

By the 1960s and '70s, the British Army had reduced in size, leaving it at a numerical disadvantage during the Cold War. Despite this shift, the culture of top-down command remained prevalent. During the Falklands War in 1982, the limitations of this approach became apparent—soldiers frequently hesitated, waiting for explicit orders, even in situations where acting independently could have avoided casualties. This led to a crucial reflection: why did capable soldiers refrain from acting on their own initiative? Why were they waiting for orders instead of taking proactive measures?

Faced with the complex challenges of modern warfare and the need to adapt faster than ever before, the British Military developed a new system called Mission Command. This approach was designed to empower leaders at every level to make decisions quickly, based on real-time information, and operate autonomously. The guiding principle was to plan and execute faster than the enemy—to get inside the decision-making cycle of their adversaries and beat them in any environment.

To address these challenges, the British Military developed 7 Questions—a framework to guide their battle planning and create a clear course of action. This approach was specifically designed to bring structure and clarity to complex, chaotic environments. These questions empowered leaders to navigate uncertainty, enabling effective planning, decisive execution, and the ability to adapt swiftly to changing circumstances.

What makes this 'Socratic' method of agile planning effective is that everyone can learn and apply the same questions, at every level, making it easy and quick to think constructively together. By getting the questions right, the answers can be different each time, yet the planning framework remains consistently successful. This universal approach to questioning empowers individuals throughout the organization, ensuring that they can collaborate seamlessly and adapt to dynamic situations.

The challenges faced by military leaders in the past—chaos, disruption, the need for rapid decision-making, and systems thinking—are the same challenges that business leaders face today.

Business environments are becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable, and leaders must be equipped with the right mental models to navigate this landscape effectively. Just as military leaders learned to work within structured frameworks to think faster and make better decisions, modern business leaders can adopt similar approaches to thrive amidst uncertainty.

This brings us to the second central theme of this book: a framework or mental model can simplify complex environments.

US President John F. Kennedy learned the power of unified, unbiased data. The British Military learned the power of a mental model to accelerate smart thinking.

This book weaves these lessons into a mental model called The Leadership Curve, which introduces 12 Questions—a set of guiding principles designed to help you lead and grow your business effectively in an unpredictable world.

These 12 Questions are divided into two sets:

The 5 Questions of Management

Five Management Questions help you to establish structured alignment and accountability within your organization, providing the foundation for effective execution.

The 7 Questions of Leadership

Seven Leadership Questions help you find strategic clarity, align your vision with your market, and lead your business through growth and transformation.

This brings us to the third central theme of this book: businesses constantly balance managing the present while leading change toward a future state.

This book is not just about surviving disruption; it is about thriving in it. Today, the world is more complex and volatile than ever before. We face rapid technological advances, market shifts, and unpredictable global events that redefine the rules of business overnight. To lead in this environment requires a new kind of clarity—a resolute focus on what matters most, coupled with the flexibility to adapt as circumstances change.

The journey of leadership, especially in times of change, is filled with ambiguity. What makes the difference is the leader's ability to stay grounded, to remain resolute in their purpose while remaining agile in their tactics.

In Resolute, we delve into how to cultivate that mindset—how to find clarity in the fog, lead with courage and empathy, and scale your organization even when the ground beneath you is shifting.

You will learn from the stories of others who have faced disruption head-on and emerged stronger. We will examine case studies from businesses that have thrived despite unpredictability—from startups that redefined their industries to established companies that reinvented themselves in the face of adversity. Each story illustrates how powerful questions can guide leaders through complexity and turn challenges into opportunities.

Resolute is divided into three parts:

Part 1: From Chaos to Clarity. This section will help you understand the journey of leadership development and the stages an organization must navigate as it grows. From identity formation to market fit, skills alignment, and eventually scaling, this part will lay out the phases of leadership and how your approach must evolve through each stage. You will also learn about the character traits—such as courage, empathy, and authenticity—that form the bedrock of effective leadership.

Part 2: The 5 Questions of Management. Once a leader has clarity of purpose, they must translate that vision into practical action. This part will introduce five fundamental management questions—covering planning, role clarity, goal setting, meeting structure, and data. These questions will help you create a resilient operational framework, ensuring your team works cohesively and can respond effectively to the demands of a fast-changing world.

Part 3: The 7 Questions of Leadership. Effective leadership is about more than managing day-to-day operations—it’s about setting a strategic direction that inspires others and drives long-term success. In this part, we explore the seven questions that challenge you to think strategically—to define a vision, understand your market, craft a winning strategy, and create a culture that supports innovation and growth. These questions will equip you to lead transformation and growth, scaling your organization to new heights.

The Resolute Desk in the Oval Office is a symbol of resilience—it represents a steadfast commitment to face challenges head-on. In much the same way, this book is an invitation for you to sit at your own figurative Resolute Desk, embrace the uncertainties, and lead with unwavering focus and courage.

The Situation Room stands as a symbol of management excellence—a system designed to unify plans, people, and performance - to foster informed decision-making under pressure. This book can be read on its own, but it also complements Waymaker.io—our management platform built to help you plan, grow, and scale your business. Everything you’re going to learn as a skill by reading this book, you will be able to apply in the system that is Waymaker.io

Whether you are a seasoned executive leading a large enterprise, an entrepreneur building a startup, or a manager aiming to inspire your team, Resolute will provide you with the tools, insights, and frameworks you need to lead effectively in the most challenging of times. It will challenge you to ask hard questions—not just of your business, but of yourself—to create a vision worth striving for, to build a culture that fosters growth, and to navigate your team through the toughest storms.

Leadership today is not just about having the right answers; it’s about knowing which questions to ask, creating an environment that encourages others to contribute, and being resolute in your commitment to your vision even when circumstances make it difficult. This is your journey to becoming the kind of leader who remains strong, adaptable, and unyielding—a leader who turns disruption into opportunity and leads their organization to enduring success.

Welcome to Resolute. Let’s begin.

Chapter 2: A different world

We’re not becoming a different world. We are a different world.

I don’t need to convince you the world is more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) but it might help to step back and get the perspective on why it is.

VUCA stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. The term was first introduced by the U.S. military to describe the challenging conditions of the post-Cold War era. Today, VUCA is used in business and organizational contexts to describe the rapidly changing and unpredictable environment in which many organizations operate.

VUCA is a useful framework for developing strategies to navigate uncertainty and complexity. But what is really VUCA for business owners and leaders?

What is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous?

It is crucial to understand each element of VUCA, as they each shape the environment in which businesses must operate. These forces can make running a company feel like sailing in stormy seas, but understanding what you’re dealing with can help you prepare and navigate.

Let’s break down VUCA.

Volatile

Volatility refers to the rate and magnitude of change. It describes a world where everything can shift rapidly and sometimes without warning. In a volatile environment, business conditions can change overnight, driven by new technologies, economic or geo-political shifts, or sudden changes in consumer behavior.

Consider the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought unprecedented volatility. Almost overnight, entire industries saw disruptions—hospitality, retail, and travel were upended. Businesses had to quickly adapt to remote work, changing customer needs, and supply chain shortages. For a small business owner, this volatility meant being prepared for rapid changes and crises, from sudden shortages in materials to drastic changes in consumer demand.

Key takeaway: Volatility demands rapid adaptability. The ability and willingness to adjust quickly when conditions change is crucial for navigating a volatile world.

Uncertain

Uncertainty is about not knowing what is coming next. In an uncertain environment, leaders may not have enough information to make predictions or plan effectively. The future is clouded with unknown variables that create risk, making it challenging to form long-term strategies.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in business is an area full of uncertainty. New developments can rapidly disrupt an industry and change the rules overnight. A small retailer may suddenly find themselves competing with a new AI-driven competitor that can deliver products faster and cheaper. The level of uncertainty creates challenges in decision-making, as the risk associated with each decision is harder to evaluate.

Key takeaway: In uncertain environments, businesses need to embrace experimentation, gather intelligence, and make flexible plans that can evolve as new information becomes available.

Complex

Complexity refers to the multitude of interconnected parts in complex environments in which a single change can affect the entire system. In a complex environment, a single decision can have cascading effects across multiple areas, making outcomes harder to predict and manage.

Owner-managing a business is a prime example of complexity. Imagine running a small retail store that sells products both online and in-store. You have suppliers providing goods, logistics partners for deliveries, marketing campaigns running across different platforms, and employees managing both customer service and inventory. Each of these parts is interconnected—if there is an issue with a supplier, you might not have enough inventory, which impacts both sales and customer satisfaction. At the same time, changes in customer preferences, supply chain delays, or a new competitor entering the market can have unforeseen impacts on multiple areas of your business. The complex relationships between all these factors make running a business anything but straightforward.

Key takeaway: Managing complexity requires flexible systems to keep track of interconnected elements and anticipate ripple effects. It means breaking down challenges into manageable parts while maintaining an overall view of how each element affects the bigger picture.

Ambiguous

Ambiguity means not having clarity about what a particular event or trend means. Most situations present multiple interpretations, and it's often unclear which interpretation is correct or how best to respond. Ambiguity is about a lack of precise questions and clear answers.

Think about the shift towards remote work. In the early stages, it was unclear whether remote work would become a lasting trend or if things would revert to pre-pandemic office norms. Small business owners faced ambiguity in making decisions around office leases, staffing needs, and technology investments. Even now, with some businesses embracing hybrid models, there is ambiguity around which model works best for productivity and employee engagement.

Key takeaway: In ambiguous situations, leaders need to develop agility. Experimentation while maintaining open communication with their teams is critical for leaders.

Navigating VUCA as a Business Owner

Understanding VUCA isn’t just about recognizing the challenges—it’s about developing a leadership mindset that thrives amid these conditions.

Each element requires a different kind of response:

1.Volatility demands rapid adaptability.

2.Uncertainty requires a willingness to experiment and gather new information.

3.Complexity involves taking a systems-thinking approach to understand interdependencies.

4.Ambiguity calls for tolerance for risk and the agility to act despite a lack of clarity.

Successful business owners learn to read the currents of change, respond quickly, and make informed decisions in an unpredictable landscape. They embrace failure as a form of learning and use that knowledge to refine their strategy. It is the leaders who learn how to adapt within these conditions who will create opportunities and succeed.

The macro-political lens

Over the last 25 years, Western society has experienced tectonic political changes.

The most famous and important shifts is the rise of populist movements and leaders. This has been fueled in part by economic inequalities (especially the rise of the super-rich celebrity influencer), the ‘climate crisis’, immigration concerns, the decline of traditional Western religious institutions, religious terrorism, the emergence of identity politics, distrust of traditional power elites (‘drain the swamp’), and a perceived disconnect between political elites and ordinary citizens.

The distance between the traditional positions of left and right has expanded dramatically to a dangerous chasm, especially in the United States and Europe.

The traditional positions of the ‘left’ were centered around workers' rights, income inequality, and the redistribution of wealth through socialism and communism ideals. These have been overshadowed by radical positions on immigration, globalization, and identity politics, especially the DEI mantra – Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity.

Identity politics have shifted the focus of the left towards issues of identity, such as race, gender, and sexual orientation. This has led to a redefinition of the left, which now prioritizes issues of representation, diversity, and inclusion. Although economic issues are still a concern for the left, they are often viewed through the lens of identity, with a focus on how economic policies impact the needs of a specific set of groups and communities.

The traditional positions of the ‘right’ were centered around retention of traditional values, limited government control, preservation of individual rights, and wealth creation through free markets and capitalism.

A major shift on the right has been the growing distrust of global institutions and organizations such as the European Union and the United Nations. This has been fueled by growing nationalism and security concerns perhaps in part because of global terrorism. This distrust in global organizations has led to distinctly different views to the left on climate, health, economics, and civil structures.

As the left has rapidly moved to progressive positions distinctively opposed to the traditional right, a significant chasm has emerged in politics. This chasm is reflected in the strident positions adopted on both left and right by mega-corporations.

Organizations are responding differently around the world. What does it mean for your organization? Do you have to ‘pick sides’? Wise leaders often set clear boundaries and expectations through values, principles, and policies, while avoiding the appearance of taking sides. They focus on core customer concerns, rather than political or social justice concerns.

With clarity on your own core values and clear expectations on principles and behaviors leaders can navigate the cultural challenges emerging as society fragments. You will learn later in this book how to develop a set of common values within which people of diverse backgrounds can work cooperatively to achieve an organization’s purpose.

The macro-economic lens

The traditional ‘West’ is witnessing the end of a dominant empire.

There is no such thing as 1st, 2nd, 3rd world anymore. There is only the ascending world and the descending world. The West is fragmenting in both its Judeo-Christian character and its economic power. The outcome of this is not yet clear and may not be for another half a century. We are currently in the throes of a dying dominant culture, and the emergence of a new dominant culture – but it is anything but clear where that culture will be based and what it will look like. This is VUCA on a global level.

According to a recent article on Silk Road Briefing, the combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the BRICS group of nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) has surpassed that of the G7 group of nations (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) in 2023. The report cites data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that shows the total GDP of the BRICS nations was $32.6 trillion in 2022, while the GDP of the G7 nations was $31.7 trillion.2

There appears to be the ascending world, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), and a descending world, the G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States). The current BRICS five now contribute 31.5% of global GDP, while the G7 share has fallen to 30%. 

In 1995 the BRICS share was less than 20%, and the G7 was over 45%. By 2030, the BRICS are forecast to be over 50%. 3

The remarkable growth highlights the increasing importance of the BRICS nations in the global economy, and the potential for them to continue to reshape the global economic order in the years to come. Nevertheless, the BRICS group are also beset with major uncertainties and volatilities. It would be foolish to call a result on this trend too soon.

Is this a problem for emerging businesses? As the political and economic tectonic plates shift there will be disruption, volatility, and ambiguity.

Does that mean you have to suffer? Not at all. It may mean you need to plan a different pathway and approach the market in different ways.

You will need strategic agility. Whether you are a small business owner, or you’re building a globally scalable digital platform, you’ll need strategic agility.

You will learn these skills through this book.

The macro-societal lens

There are six trends in society that are causing a more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world.

1. Digital mobility: The rise of mobile platforms, social media, and artificial intelligence. Whilst this has created new opportunities for businesses to connect with customers, improve operations, and innovate, it has also created new challenges, such as cybersecurity threats and privacy concerns.

2. Globalization: The world has become more interconnected, with the growth of international trade, investment, and migration. This has created new markets and opportunities for businesses, but it has also led to increased competition and complexity.

3. Demographic changes: The population is aging, with more people living longer and fewer young people entering the workforce. This is creating new challenges for businesses to attract and retain talent, as well as to serve the needs of an aging population.

For example, although China is rapidly ascending as an economic power, its population is expected to peak at around 1.4 billion people in 2029, and then decline gradually. The country is facing a rapidly aging population, with the proportion of people over 65 years old expected to increase from 12% in 2020 to 25% in 2050.

There is a similar story in Japan. Population has been declining since 2011 and is projected to fall from 126 million in 2019 to around 88 million by 2065.The country also has one of the oldest populations in the world, with a median age of 48 years.

4. Climate change: Climate change policies are having a significant impact on societal structures around the world. As governments, business, and organizations take steps to create a more sustainable future there is increased volatility and uncertainty emerging.

Some climate change policies, such as carbon taxes or cap-and-trade programs, are leading to increased costs for consumers and businesses. This can be particularly challenging for low-income households, who may already be struggling to make ends meet.

As countries transition to renewable energy sources, there may be challenges in ensuring a stable and reliable energy supply. In addition, Climate change policies may disproportionately benefit certain segments of society, such as those in wealthier or more urban areas, while leaving others behind. This can exacerbate existing inequalities and lead to social unrest.

5. Social and cultural shifts: Society is becoming more diverse, with greater demand for recognition of the rights of minority groups. Businesses face new expectations resulting in uncertainty and complexity.

6. Political and economic instability: The world has become more volatile, with geopolitical tensions in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia, trade wars, actual physical wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and global economic insecurity. This is creating new challenges for businesses to navigate uncertainty and manage risk of disrupted supply chains, workforces, and cultures.

Against this backdrop of reshaping social environments, old organizations are seeking to find a new path, and new organizations are seeking to unearth new opportunities.

As societies undergo significant changes, strategic agility is the leader’s key to navigating volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous change.

The macro-technological lens

The 20th century saw nations transformed from horse-powered agricultural economies into modern, computerized, information-driven societies. The cultural, economic, and community effects of these transformations were extraordinary. The shift from industrial economies driven by steam and water-power to the advent of electricity and assembly lines, and eventually the emergence of computerization and the Internet, was unprecedented in world history.

Now, in the 21st century, we find ourselves moving rapidly into an era characterized by global, digital, decentralized networks, powered by the explosive growth of data and information technology. This new world brings with it enormous opportunities, as well as immense disruptions.

We have all witnessed history-shaping events—towers falling in New York, financial crises sweeping like tsunamis, pandemics disrupting entire economies, crypto-currencies challenging standard economic models, and even perhaps the beginning of the end for the US dollar as the world's dominant currency. Against this backdrop, communication and information technologies have grown exponentially, redefining how businesses operate.

In just the past 25 years, we have moved from using telephones, typewriters, and fax machines, to engaging in real-time video communications from the palm of our hands. When I quit my corporate job during the GFC and started a small consulting firm, I had more computing power, speed, data, and security for less than $100 per month in a global corporate firm. I often remind my teenage daughters that they hold more computing power in their phones today than the technology used to take humanity to the moon.

Yet, it’s not only computing power that has changed; it is the very fabric of business operations, strategy, and culture. In the early 2000s, the top five biggest brands were icons of the 20th century: Marlboro, China Mobile, Coca-Cola, GE, and Microsoft. Within a decade, the power of digital business had upended the old guard—Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Samsung now dominate, reshaping the landscape of commerce and culture.4

The world we operate in now has shifted due to several profound technological trends. These changes do not simply alter how we work; they redefine what businesses can achieve.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

AI and ML are no longer the buzzwords of tech startups—they are the new standards of business competitiveness. AI is used for customer service automation, predictive analytics, personalization, and process optimization. Machine learning algorithms analyze huge datasets to identify trends, improve decision-making, and automate manual processes. Businesses now have the tools to intelligently allocate resources, anticipate market changes, and provide deeply personalized customer experiences.

Amazon uses machine learning to power its recommendation engine, helping to anticipate what customers want and increase purchase likelihood. For small businesses, tools powered by AI can assist with automating marketing campaigns, improving customer engagement, and boosting sales—all without adding to overhead costs.

Big Data and Real-Time Analytics

The vast oceans of data generated every second need intelligent systems to navigate through them. Big Data is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity to stay competitive. Real-time data analytics allows businesses to understand their customers, predict needs, optimize supply chains, and make informed decisions at a moment’s notice.

A small e-commerce business can use real-time analytics to track customer activity on their website, optimize marketing campaigns, and understand what is driving or hindering sales—all while the customer is still browsing. This level of real-time insight was unimaginable two decades ago.

Cloud Computing and Data Integration

The cloud has leveled the playing field, enabling businesses of all sizes to access computing resources and tools that were once the domain of the enterprise giants. Cloud-based solutions allow for seamless data integration across departments and between organizations. Cloud services have lowered costs and boosted efficiency by allowing businesses to work on a global scale, accessing data and applications securely, anywhere.

Small businesses no longer need to invest in extensive server infrastructures. Services like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud allow them to grow rapidly, scale flexibly, and manage costs more effectively.

Data Privacy and Security

With the rapid growth of data comes the crucial need for stringent privacy and security measures. Regulations such as GDPR in Europe and CCPA in California have forced businesses to rethink how they handle customer data. Ensuring data security is not just a compliance issue—it's a matter of trust. Data breaches can lead to significant reputational damage and a loss of customer confidence.

Automation and Robotics

Automation tools are changing the workforce landscape. Routine tasks that once required human activity are increasingly managed by robotics and automation software. This trend does not necessarily mean that jobs will disappear but instead indicates a shift in the types of roles that are needed.

Automated chatbots handle customer inquiries, freeing up human staff to focus on more complex, relationship-building tasks. In small businesses, automation can help streamline repetitive processes like inventory management, invoicing, and customer support.

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

NLP, a branch of AI that focuses on enabling machines to understand and process human language, has redefined how customers interact with businesses. From customer support chatbots to content creation, NLP is making communication more fluid and efficient.

A small business can leverage NLP-driven tools to automatically generate content or engage with customers through voice assistants. This reduces workload while maintaining high-quality customer interactions.

Opportunities and Disruptions

The transformation driven by these technological advancements has been both an opportunity and a disruption. The emergence of powerful tools for automation, machine learning, and data analytics presents a chance for businesses to create efficiencies and competitive advantages that were previously unthinkable.

However, these same advancements also pose challenges. The rapid evolution means that staying ahead requires continuous learning and adaptation. Although Saatchi & Saatchi's global chief executive Kevin Roberts famously declared that "strategy, marketing, and management are dead," the reality is quite the opposite—these pillars have never been more vital. Instead, the way we strategize, market, and manage has evolved, demanding agility and adaptability to this super VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) world.

Embracing the Winds of Change

Who really knows what is going to happen next in this complex world of ever-increasing technological evolution? What we do know is that technology is here to stay, and embracing it is not just about survival but about positioning yourself to thrive.

As a business owner, you have access to tools and systems that were previously the preserve of the largest corporations—cloud computing, real-time data analysis, AI-powered customer insights, and automated workflows. Your ability to adopt and leverage these tools is what will set you apart in this different world.

This journey is about understanding how to build a future where strategic agility is at the heart of how you lead your business. As you go forward, remember that technology is not the enemy. Instead, it's a powerful ally that, when leveraged with insight and intent, will allow you to embrace the opportunities of the 21st century and navigate the complexities it presents.

Chapter 3: Breaking free from overwhelm

The challenge for most business owners or senior leaders is that they are simply overwhelmed by the winds of change.

The previous chapter has helped us to understand why we feel distracted, pulled in many different directions, and running into brick walls every day.

Too many leaders find themselves too busy in their day-to-day operations to take a step back and listen. This isn't new, and it’s certainly not unusual. Sadly, it is the norm—and it affects leaders in both large enterprises and smaller organizations alike. As the old saying goes, 'If the devil can't make you bad, he'll make you busy!'

Three common problems

After decades of working with businesses, I've found frantic busyness to be the common affliction of all leaders, especially entrepreneurial ones. Is this you? If it is, that’s okay. This isn’t terminal.

Every business owner and leader will encounter moments where they feel stuck, struggling to break free. The tectonic shifts happening globally are creating waves of change that impact all of us—and it's causing more leaders to get stuck more often. VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) creates turbulence that exacerbate the three big problems most leaders face.

Problem #1: 'I can't get out of the driver's seat!'

You started your business for the freedom—to escape someone else’s deadlines, to work your own way. But now, you’re less free than you were when you were working for a boss. You’re trapped, paying others to work shorter hours than you, and possibly even earning less than them. The market fit that your organization once had is lost. Maybe the world has changed, or maybe your business has drifted away from its focus through a lack of discipline.

You feel trapped in the driver’s seat, unable to let go because you fear everything will grind to a halt. This often happens when leaders struggle to set clear goals, delegate effectively, and trust the staff they've empowered. Without clearly defined goals, delegation becomes a game of guesswork, and leaders hold on tightly to every task. The key to escaping the driver's seat is setting measurable goals, handing over responsibility, and trusting your team to drive outcomes.

How can you extract yourself and be confident that, when you return, you’ll find a sustainable, growing business with a strong leadership team still delivering results?

The answer is empowering leadership. Learn to lead yourself first, then others, by establishing a framework of clarity and alignment within your team. Waymaker’s 5 Questions of Management will teach you to set clear roles, delegate outcomes effectively, and use the accompanying platform to diagnose, plan, and embed a stable, accountable leadership structure that drives the business forward.

Problem #2: 'We've hit a brick wall and stalled!'

Your business has hit a brick wall, and you can't figure out how to get through it. Mood and energy are down, the team is frustrated, and you’re barely holding it all together. The prevailing culture is eating your strategy for breakfast.

The way through? Ask hard questions—learning to lead others to stop, reassess, and identify gaps.

Holding tightly to the goal while allowing flexibility in how you get there. You'll learn how to share challenges with your team and engage them in finding solutions. Waymaker can help you find clarity and alignment, to overcome obstacles, and continuously optimize your market fit.

Problem #3: 'We're spinning our wheels!'

Your team feels frustrated, demotivated, and discouraged. Everyone is busy, but there’s little progress. It’s demoralizing. It leads to stress, a loss of confidence, and, eventually, disconnection within the team. The result? Declining morale and breakdowns in communication.

Often, teams sign up for too many projects, believing they can hustle their way to growth. Or extra staff are hired without refining processes. Everyone ends up working on different things, without alignment or direction.

The way forward? Accountability. One of the essential skills of leadership is setting clear goals—specific, measurable, accountable, realistic, and time-bound. Good goals with tangible outcomes mean daily progress and long-term alignment. As you reduce clutter and focus on what matters, you build a culture of performance, and morale rises. Goals will be the currency that drives progress.

Everybody hits a roadblock at some point on the journey.

If you’ve hit a roadblock or feel like you’re in decline, you’re not alone. It’s common for growth to plateau or stall. Leaders often feel stretched, overwhelmed, or even isolated. These feelings are normal, and it's okay to feel lost at times.

All organizations hit a roadblock or stall moment at some point in their journey. It’s a fact of business.

However, almost nine out ten reasons for a slowdown in growth can be avoided. Corporate Executive Board tracked the top 100 companies over 50 years and published their findings in Harvard Business Review in 20085.

Almost nine out of ten reasons for a slowdown in growth are within a leadership team’s control. A study published by Harvard Business Review in 2008 revealed the most common reasons for stalled growth:

•Leadership teams pushed premium pricing too far, losing their ideal customer.

•They failed to innovate and keep up with changing market demands.

•They drifted from their core business while neglecting to improve or protect it.

•They didn’t develop the necessary skills and systems—resulting in talent loss and skills gaps.

In short, they lost sight of their purpose, market, and core practices, failing to grow and nurture their people appropriately. But these are failures of leadership that can be avoided.

Management practices that lead to losing your way

Leaders don’t just one day wake up and decide to lose their way. It almost always happens slowly over long periods of time.

In the CEB research mentioned above there were typically 6 excellent years of growth before a stall or growth collapse.

Too often, when we’re growing, we fall into practices that lead to a downfall. They might look like this:

•It feels like we’ve always been growing forever, so we plan long-term expecting that what’s been happening will last long-term.

•Everything is stable, so the best decisions are made by the top. No need to empower others, they’re hired to do a job, just do that.

•All that matters is leads and sales. Just get more of those to deliver the quarterly revenue.

•Don’t rock the boat. Everything is fine, why are you suggesting we change something?

The most dangerous place to be, it seems, is in continuous growth.

This presents us with a paradox.

Organizations need to be ‘in growth’, but they also need to operate in such a way to not make it feel like growth will always be there.

Growth is an enigma. Having reached a desired goal stage, we discover that we haven’t really got there at all. Getting there is the first step to leaving there.

Always be in ‘growth’ mode

One of the first acts of effective leadership is cultivating a growth mindset. Failure is a real option, and leaders need to think and plan as if there's a battle to be won. The most dangerous place for an organization is believing growth will always be there. Once growth is achieved, you must continue as if it's just the beginning.

Stability and growth must coexist. You need a system of thinking to establish stability yet remain dynamic and innovative. You need a system of systems, a way to manage stability while nurturing change. For this, Waymaker has developed the Leadership Curve.

Let’s explore the Waymaker Leadership Curve.

Chapter 4: Introduction to the Leadership Curve

Before we can explore the 'leadership curve,' it's important to clarify what we mean by leadership—what it is and what it is not.

What is leadership?

The word "leadership" comes from some of the most ancient roots of language. In Old English, as early as 600 AD, it appeared as "laedan," meaning "to guide" or "to be at the head of." It also traces back to the Proto-Indo-European language, spoken around 4,500 years ago.

The "-ship" in leadership also goes back to Old English in Anglo-Saxon times, deriving from "scyppan," meaning "to shape" or "to form." From the beginning of human history, leadership has been about more than just being in charge; it’s about shaping a path and making a way for others safely through unknown territory.

Leadership implies that there is a leader – but it also implies that there is a craft, a science, an art, a skill of being a leader that is recognizable and able to be described. 

We say of some people that they are born leaders. Any observer of children at play knows that this is the case. Some children just ‘take the lead’. They suggest and demand and direct – and others just follow. Other children sometimes try to do that, but the other children do not follow. And then there are tears. And perhaps shows of force. Or bullying.

True Leadership vs. Bullying

A key distinction must be made: true leaders do not bully. A leader uses influence, not intimidation, to guide others. Tyrants, despots, and narcissists may use their power—whether through money, strength, or authority—to force others to follow, but this results in compliance based on fear, not respect. Such leadership does not build stable societies or productive teams.

Leaders produce followers who become leaders, as plants produce seeds.

True leaders create environments that cultivate more leaders, much like a healthy plant produces seeds for future growth. There is a science to this—just as agricultural advancements turned wild grains into staple crops, careful cultivation can transform individuals into effective leaders.

Resolute vs. Charismatic Leadership

Leadership is what happens when leaders – natural or developed – consciously act on the world around them.

A Leader is someone who influences other people and groups towards change. 

Not all leadership is the same. Let's compare two kinds of leadership Charismatic Leadership and Resolute Leadership:

•Charismatic leadership depends on the innate appeal of an individual's chance character. It is often accidental and unpredictable—a powerful presence that draws people in. When that person leaves, the leadership often leaves with them, creating a vacuum.

•Resolute leadership, in contrast, is deliberate and purposeful. It relies on the conscious development of character and the application of skills and systems to achieve change, making it more sustainable. Organizations that rely solely on charismatic leaders are vulnerable; those that develop leaders intentionally can sustain influence even if one leader departs.

In simple terms, leadership is about getting people from "here" to "there". Charismatic leaders may do this in an unplanned or inconsistent way, while Resolute Leaders use deliberate, repeatable strategies to ensure sustainable, scaled growth. 

A moment’s thought will show that charismatic leadership does not move people from here to there in any deliberate or planned movement. The charismatic leader may be wise or foolish. They may be altruistic (caring about others) or narcissistic (caring only about themselves). They may be good-hearted with wholesome values – or they may be malevolent, deliberately seeking to undermine the organization or people within it. The history of charismatic political leaders is a fascinating study.

Resolute leadership is the deliberate practice of developing others through character and values, while equipping and empowering them with the necessary skills and systems to reach their goals.

Consider the British military's implementation of Mission Command (Questions framework)—a deliberate (resolute) effort to embed a leadership framework into the very skills and systems of the organization. This approach ensured that leadership principles were ingrained at every level, creating a culture of autonomous, empowered decision-making on how to execute (using skills and systems). Mission Command became a means of aligning leaders with a unified purpose while equipping them with the tools and systems needed to execute effectively in dynamic and complex environments. 

In today's volatile and complex world, the kind of leadership every business owner or organization needs is Resolute Leadership. 

It requires two core elements:

1.Character and Values: The foundation of leadership lies in a leader's moral character and values. These qualities define whether a leader uses their influence for good or ill. Character is cultivated, not inherited, and it shapes how a leader interacts with the world. It is through moral training and values development that leaders become trustworthy and effective.

Character and Values don’t change in a VUCA world. They stay the same.

2.Skills and Systems: These are the tools of changemaking—the specific abilities and frameworks that leaders use to implement their vision. Skills like strategic thinking, communication, and decision-making, along with systems like performance tracking and time management, are essential for intentional leadership.

Skills and Systems must change in a VUCA world. Leaders adapt old skills and systems and adopt new ones.

Together, these elements form a holistic approach to leadership that balances inspiration with deliberate action.

We call this approach, Waymaker’s Leadership Curve. The Leadership Curve is a sensemaking framework, often referred to as ‘The Leadership Curve’ or the ‘Waymaker Leadership Curve™.

Its purpose is to help leaders navigate from chaos to order, finding a path to growth for both their organization and their individual leadership. The framework guides leaders through the journey of transforming an immature idea into a market-leading entity by understanding different growth stages and adapting accordingly through both values & character and skills & systems.

As a 'sensemaking