Leading the vigilant organization

Abstract

Purpose

The authors posit that most organizations lack sufficient capacity to detect, interpret and act on the critically important but weak and ambiguous signals of fresh threats or new opportunities that emerge on the periphery of their usual business environment. They suggest how organizations can develop this capability so they will not be vulnerable to rivals who see and take advantage of these early, easily missed signals sooner.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors offer a program organizations can put in place to become more vigilant and reduce their risk of being blind‐sided. They also explain the role of leaders in improving the peripheral vision of their organization.

Findings

The authors show how one large organization, the UK's BBC, used peripheral vision programs to better understand its changing environment.

Practical implications

The authors show how a truly vigilant organization manages a process that routinely and effectively watches for, evaluates, and responds to signals from the far reaches of its business environment that are difficult to interpret.

Originality/value

From the authors' six lessons, leaders can learn how to implement a program of monitoring, evaluating and responding to important events on the periphery of their normal business environment.

Citation

Day, G.S. and Schoemaker, P.J.H. (2006), "Leading the vigilant organization", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 34 No. 5, pp. 4-10. https://doi.org/10.1108/10878570610684784