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Published May 31, 2017

What Happens When You're Away

Blair Enns and David Baker delve into the challenges and insights of creative firms when principals step away, discussing self-management, strategic risks, IP development, and succession planning to ensure long-term growth and innovation.
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Episode Highlights

  • Positioning Risks

    When principals step away from their firms, strategic positioning often stagnates. argues that without the principal's vision, employees tend to focus on immediate revenue rather than long-term strategic opportunities 1. This lack of strategic adjustment can hinder a firm's growth and adaptability. adds that employees are typically not empowered to make high-risk decisions, which are crucial for strategic shifts 1.

    There's a delegation of or division of responsibilities, and at the ownership level and executive level, we're making the high risk decisions, and down below that, you're making the low risk decisions and you're paying off the promises that we've made.

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    This division of responsibility often results in missed opportunities for strategic innovation.

       

    IP Stagnation

    The absence of leadership can lead to a stagnation in intellectual property (IP) development. notes that without the principal's guidance, the evolution of a firm's IP often stalls, leaving the company in what he describes as "IP hell" 2. This stagnation can result in the firm's insights becoming mere content, lacking the depth and innovation needed to stand out in a crowded market 3.

    The firm's insight begins to look more like content. Are we all in the content creation business these days? What's wrong with publishing content?

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    This highlights the importance of the principal's role in driving IP innovation and maintaining a competitive edge.

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