X-board: 'Team of Teams'

by Stanley McChrystal.

THE MODELS OF ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS THAT DOMINATED THE TWENTIETH CENTURY HAVE THEIR ROOTS IN THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND, SIMPLY PUT, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser September 14. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

BEING EFFECTIVE IN TODAY'S WORLD IS LESS A QUESTION OF OPTIMIZING FOR A KNOWN (AND RELATIVELY STABLE) SET OF VARIABLES THAN RESPONSIVENESS TO A CONSTANTLY SHIFTING ENVIRONMENT.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser September 15. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

ADAPTABILITY, NOT EFFICIENCY, MUST BECOME OUR CENTRAL COMPETENCY.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser September 16. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

WE RESTRUCTURED OUR FORCE FROM THE GROUND UP ON THE PRINCIPLES OF 'SHARED CONSCIOUSNESS' AND 'EMPOWERED EXECUTION'.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser September 17. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

'SHARED CONSCIOUSNESS' = EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT INFORMATION SHARING.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser September 18. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

'EMPOWERED EXECUTION' = DECENTRALIZED DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser September 19. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

We became what we called a 'team of teams': a large command that captured at scale the traits of agility normally limited to small teams.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser September 20. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

An organization's fitness – like that of an organism – [...] is a product of compatibility with the surrounding environment.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser September 21. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

If we couldn't change the environment to suit us better, we would have to change to suit it.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser September 22. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

To win we had to change. Surprisingly, that change was less about tactics or new technology than it was about the internal architecture and culture of our force – in other words, our approach to management.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser September 24. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

Setting oneself on a predetermined course in unknown waters is the perfect way to sail straight into an iceberg.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser October 1. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

In complex environments, resilience often spells success, while even the most brilliantly engineered fixed solutions are often insufficient or counterproductive.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser October 8. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

Resilient systems are those that can encounter unforeseen threats and, when necessary, put themselves back together again.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser October 15. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

Robustness is achieved by strengthening parts of the system. Resilience is the result of linking elements that allow them to reconfigure or adapt in response to change or damage.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser October 22. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

We need to become both robust and resilient.

Stanley McChrystal in 'Team of Teams'

Fabio Walser October 29. 2017 X-board: 'Team of Teams'

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X-board: 'Team of Teams'

THE MODELS OF ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS THAT DOMINATED THE TWENTIETH CENTURY HAVE THEIR ROOTS IN THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND, SIMPLY PUT, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.

BEING EFFECTIVE IN TODAY'S WORLD IS LESS A QUESTION OF OPTIMIZING FOR A KNOWN (AND RELATIVELY STABLE) SET OF VARIABLES THAN RESPONSIVENESS TO A CONSTANTLY SHIFTING ENVIRONMENT.

ADAPTABILITY, NOT EFFICIENCY, MUST BECOME OUR CENTRAL COMPETENCY.

WE RESTRUCTURED OUR FORCE FROM THE GROUND UP ON THE PRINCIPLES OF 'SHARED CONSCIOUSNESS' AND 'EMPOWERED EXECUTION'.

'SHARED CONSCIOUSNESS' = EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT INFORMATION SHARING.

'EMPOWERED EXECUTION' = DECENTRALIZED DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY.

We became what we called a 'team of teams': a large command that captured at scale the traits of agility normally limited to small teams.

An organization's fitness – like that of an organism – [...] is a product of compatibility with the surrounding environment.

If we couldn't change the environment to suit us better, we would have to change to suit it.

To win we had to change. Surprisingly, that change was less about tactics or new technology than it was about the internal architecture and culture of our force – in other words, our approach to management.

Setting oneself on a predetermined course in unknown waters is the perfect way to sail straight into an iceberg.

In complex environments, resilience often spells success, while even the most brilliantly engineered fixed solutions are often insufficient or counterproductive.

Resilient systems are those that can encounter unforeseen threats and, when necessary, put themselves back together again.

Robustness is achieved by strengthening parts of the system. Resilience is the result of linking elements that allow them to reconfigure or adapt in response to change or damage.

We need to become both robust and resilient.

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