My job as a management consultant comes down to simplifying, structuring, and solving complex problems.

In doing so, I use a toolbox of best practices, frameworks, models, and methodologies.

Depending on the challenge or problem at hand, I pick the tool that is the best fit for the purpose.

Every now and then I come across a tool that resonates with me. My favourite tools have three things in common:

• They are powerful in their simplicity
• They bring a fresh perspective
• They instigate the right discussions

This story highlights one of my favourite graphs for guiding business ánd life decisions.

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I don’t like to start my Mondays with a 9 am meeting (workshop, interview, presentation).

Here’s why:

• I like to be prepared, so if a meeting starts at 9 am, I take time to prepare before 9 am. Considering a regular 9–5 job, this means I’m preparing in my “own” time. Which does not sit well with me. I consider preparing as part of my job, so it should fit in the 9–5.
• Sometimes when I have an important meeting at 9 am, I take time to prepare on Sunday evening. Just to feel comfortable on Monday morning. But this…

Usually, my work involves visiting clients. This changed when coronavirus hit. In the past months, I worked from home and sometimes from the office.

When the borders opened up and countries started accepting tourists my goal was to combine business and leisure. I love surfing, so I figured: if I can work from anywhere, why not go somewhere where I can surf?

(I live in The Netherlands, and yes, we have surf, but it’s small and inconsistent)

So I talked to my manager, got the approval and booked a ticket to Faro, Portugal.

During my 5-week stay I learnt two…

I find there are three ways in which organisations struggle with innovation.

• Organisations struggle with innovation itself: implementing the right innovations, innovating the right way and innovating fast.
• Organisations have a hard time building an innovation culture, where employees at different levels are encouraged to kickstart and take part in innovation initiatives.
• Organisations find it difficult to appropriately position, resource and finance innovation functions (or teams or departments).

In recent years, various frameworks have popped up to provide guidance for organisations looking to innovate. These frameworks (think The Lean Startup, Design Thinking, Agile) predominantly present a playbook for innovation itself…

Digital transformation is very complex.

Increasing customer expectations, technological advancements and changing market dynamics require organisations to rethink value propositions, customer journeys and business models.

Companies that truly know their customers, organise for agility and relentlessly focus on value-centricity come out on top in an economy that is increasingly characterized by winner-takes-it-all markets with fluid boundaries.

For many incumbents or non — startup type companies, fully adopting this mindset requires fundamental change. Often labelled as digital transformation.

Unfortunately, only a few companies manage to successfully operationalise and embed their digital transformation efforts.

A quick Google search on “why digital transformations fail” finds you a plethora…