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Welcome to the first of a series of executive education programmes, in partnership with leading business schools. Professor Don Sull from the London Business School presents how to manage in an unpredictable world
FT Business School online
The FT is this week delivering the first in a series of online executive education programmes, in partnership with leading business schools. The idea is to bring the best of what’s going on in academia to a wider business audience.
This week, in association with London Business School, we begin with Professor Don Sull delivering a 5-part video lecture “How to Manage in an Unpredictable World”. To accompany the videos, we are providing lecture notes, reading lists and worksheets.
How to manage in an unpredictable world
Ask yourself this: is the world growing more or less predictable? The answer for most managers is both obvious and disturbing - the future becomes murkier with every passing year. How can managers act with confidence when they cannot know what the future holds?
Related content and features
Video lectures
Fog of the future
Part 1 Contents:
1. Navigating through a foggy future.
2. The risks of long-term vision and how it kills.
3. Keep your vision fuzzy but your priorities clear.
4. Closing thought: Know what not to do.
Video: Part 1 recommended reading
Part 1: Lecture notes
Future reconnaissance
Part 2 Contents:
1. What is reconnaissance and manoeuvre?
2. Plunge into action, use multiple probes and interrogate anomalies.
3. Pass surfaces but swarm gaps.
4. Finish strong.
5. Closing thought: Probe then swarm.
Video: Part 2 recommended reading
Part 2: Lecture notes
Strategy agility
Part 3 Contents:
1. Create, capture and sustain value.
2. Seize opportunities through the strategic agility loop.
3. Make sense, make priorities, execute, make revisions.
4. Closing thought: Think in terms of loops rather than lines.
Video: Part 3 recommended reading
Part 3: Lecture notes
More video lectures
Execution culture
Part 4 Contents:
1. Executing on non-routine opportunities and threats.
2. Why managing by commitments works.
3. What are effective promises?
4. Building a commitment culture.
5. Closing thought: Focus on promises not processes.
Video: Part 4 recommended reading
Part 4: Lecture notes
Leadership without vision
Part 5 Contents:
1. Institutionalise dissent.
2. Make priorities.
3. Employ active waiting.
4. Make it happen and make revisions.
5. Closing thought: The key to leading in an unpredictable world is having the tenacity quotient.
Part 5: Lecture notes
Your professor
About Donald Sull
Professor Donald N. Sull is an Associate Professor of Management Practice on the Strategy and International Management faculty at the London Business School.
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