In this episode of the "Chronicles from a Caribbean Cubicle" podcast, Francis Wade expands on his Jamaica Gleaner column "From Panic to Purpose: Building Strategy Around What Matters Most." He critiques the current hype around extreme agility and rapid pivots, arguing that a relentless focus on short‑term fixes creates a perpetual state of urgency that can undermine long‑term growth. Citing Jeff Bezos, Wade emphasizes that lasting success comes from concentrating on what will not change rather than trying to predict change. He introduces Tony Ulwick’s Jobs‑to‑Be‑Done (JTBD) framework as a way to identify stable, unmet customer needs that persist through disruption. The episode illustrates this with examples: the evolution of fast‑food options (the underlying job of quick, affordable hunger relief), a café owner’s misguided pivot to selling apparel, and the global ATM shortage that reveals a persistent need for secure, convenient cash access. Wade contrasts the emotional connection of empathetic public‑sector leaders with the profit‑driven, transactional mindset of many private‑sector executives, suggesting that deeper empathy unlocks competitive advantage. He offers a four‑step playbook—acknowledge constant JTBDs, spot new obstacles, diagnose opportunities, and act swiftly—to turn disruptions into strategic wins. Concluding, he reiterates that anchoring strategy to unchanging customer jobs builds loyalty and long‑term success, echoing Bezos’s advice. Listeners are invited to visit Wade’s blog for further articles and guidance.
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Welcome back to Chronicles from a Caribbean Cubicle podcast. This is Francis Wade, and here's an article based on a column that I published in the Jamaica Gleaner. This one is entitled "From Panic to Purpose: Building Strategy Around What Matters Most." Some companies that survived the pandemic now tout extreme agility as their superpower. But is this a sustainable approach? According to Jeff Bezos of Amazon, the answer may lie in focusing on what hasn't changed, even amid turmoil. The Agility Debate. Critics of long-term strategic thinking argue that it stifles flexibility. They believe leaders must prioritize adaptability, mastering the art of the pivot to to stay afloat. Adherence to this philosophy often chases short-term gains, juggling endless opportunities and quick fixes. Unfortunately, this leaves little room for deep reflection or meaningful answers to big questions. The result? A constant state of urgency that might ironically hinder growth. Is this short-sighted? Emergencies do demand immediate action, but the adrenaline rush of reactive leadership can become addictive. Could this obsession with rapid responses undermine long-term success? Here's Bezos's take. I very frequently get the question, what's going to change in the next 10 years? And that is a very interesting question. It's a very common one. I almost never get the question, "What's not going to change in the next 10 years?" And I submit to you that that second question is actually the more important of the two. In other words, lasting success comes from building a strategy around stability rather than unpredictability. Anchoring to customer needs. Tony Ulwick offers a framework to understand stability through unmet needs, which drive people to take purposeful action, what he calls Jobs to Be Done . For example, before hamburgers became the most popular fast food, other regional choices like hot dogs, tacos, fish and chips, and noodles dominated as go-to quick meals. Today, there's a broad menu of options, but the underlying job remains the same. —satisfying immediate hunger with a fast, affordable solution. This stability extends to other industries. A trendy restaurant might offer an innovative menu, but it still relies on timeless needs: good food, quick service, and affordability. Yet, when disruptions arise, some "leaders" lose sight of these enduring truths. Consider a café owner struggling with sales who decides to sell branded apparel alongside lunch. Such zigzag responses might miss the mark entirely. Instead, here's a better way forward. Number 1: Acknowledge unmet needs and JTBDs—jobs to be done—remain constant. Number 2: Identify how disruptions are creating new obstacles for customers. Number 3: Diagnose opportunities to remove those obstacles. 4. Act swiftly before competitors do. Take for instance many countries' ongoing ATM crises. As banks close branches to cut costs, customers face immense frustration over fewer functional ATMs. Despite this glaring issue, few financial institutions have stepped in with viable solutions. As the holiday season amplifies the problem, even the central banks have expressed concern. A bank that truly understood its customers' JTBDs , secure and convenient access to cash, could actually innovate and dominate. But why hasn't this happened? The missing emotional connection. Some public sector professionals demonstrate genuine passion for serving citizens. Their enthusiasm helps them deeply understand and empathize with people's needs. They aren't just doing a job; they're solving problems they care about. In contrast, private sector leaders often lack this emotional connection. Their focus tends to be transactional, driven by profits. Customers' needs become tools for financial gain, not ends in themselves. This mindset falls short. If leaders could develop a deeper empathy for customers' challenges, they'd unlock a surprising source of competitive advantage. This applies across sectors, including nonprofits and government organizations, where relevance remains crucial for funding and support. Disruptions, rather than being excuses for frantic pivots, can become opportunities to reconnect with core customer needs. By anchoring your organization to JTBD's Jobs to Be Done, you can stand out meaningfully. Winning the long game. When leaders embrace stability over chaos, they discover depth rather than desperation. Customers notice, and their loyalty follows. As Bezos reminds us, "Long-term success doesn't come from guessing what will change, but from staying true to what won't." Build on this foundation, and you'll always have a winning strategy. Thanks for listening. Do you have an unsolved problem in your Caribbean company related to strategy, productivity, engagement, or business process improvement? Just visit a searchable listing of all my prior articles and you may be able to help yourself to a fresh line of thinking. Go to blog.fwconsulting.com or see the show notes.
