When considering the future of the enterprise, Senior Leadership Teams can benefit from a different way of framing their discussions. One way to approach this is to use the acronym COIN; Concerns, Obstacles, Issues and Noise. Let’s take them one at a time.

Concerns can frame several matters and help tee up key discussion items. These factors can be grouped as internal (issues within the business), external (such as competitive forces and economic circumstances), and can be further catagorized by the group, as necessary. Some may require immediate action, others may be offered as a way of raising awareness of something that may emerge front and center in the near future. Concerns need not be synonymous with “worry” however, they can signal items which may foreshadow problems on the horizon.

Obstacles focus on the idea that something is “in the way.”  Consider the five key objective categories that are common to the planning process:

2. 1. Strategic Growth
3. 2. Operational Excellence
4. 3. Financial Management & Analysis & Results
5. 4. Technology Innovation
6. 5. People, Performance, Culture & Learning

Most organizations would like to advance in each of these areas. Nothing new here. Yet, they have not quite realized their full potential because something is “in the way.”  These “obstacles” need to be identified, articulated and addressed in a pro-active way. They are not so much “limiting factors” as they are “raw material” for creating a robust plan with timelines and resources dedicated to isolating and overcoming them.

Issues often take the form of matters which have been around for a while yet remain unresolved. They can be complicated, layered and complex, especially issues that involve people (be they customers, employees, suppliers, etc.). Here, exploring ways to address issues may come down to a process and plan for clear communication and effective conflict resolution skills.

Noise is a way of describing things that seem to show up on our radar and can distract attention and drain energy and resources. Most often, there is little that can be done about these matters, yet the low level “hum” remains. A recent Wall Street Journal article by Matthew Hennessey (“Kneecap and Other Nonsense of the Day”) frames it well. “We’d all be happier if we let certain trends pass by without notice. Save some room on your mental hard drive for the stuff that really matters.”  

Techniques like “COIN” can help frame Senior Leadership Strategy Sessions, elicit robust discussion, and yield a specific path forward with key measures, time-frames, and “champions” tasked with advancing progress.

For more information on ways to organize and maximize your Senior Leadership Strategy Sessions, contact me at joe@ajstrategy.com or visit my website at ajstrategy.com.