In 1973, Karl Von Frisch was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery of the Bee “Waggle Dance.”
This dance, a fascinating form of bee communication, reveals the location of new nectar sources near to the hive.
The enthusiasm of the dance indicates the richness of the new nectar source.
However, it’s what happens next that’s truly intriguing.
Instead of mustering all worker bees to exploit this new discovery.
About 10% of the bees ignore this information and continue to explore randomly.
Surely this is a ridiculous inefficiency.
Why haven’t the manager bees with MBA’s put a stop to this waste?
This behaviour may seem inefficient at first, but there is profound wisdom in their method.
Bees have thrived for some 100 million years, not just by exploiting known nectar sources but by balancing this with the exploration of potential new ones.
They know that if the whole hive focussed solely on the current source and a cow eats those flowers. The hive will starve.
Thus, their survival strategy hinges on a balance between exploitation and exploration.
It’s the same for business.
The Business Parallel
Like bees, businesses face the challenge of balancing efficient exploitation of current operations with the need to explore, plan and strategise for new possibilities.
This balance is critical.
Focusing too narrowly on efficiency of execution without a reserve for strategic foresight can quickly leave an organisation vulnerable to unexpected changes.
Bridging the Strata-Chasm
Delving deeper into the challenges that inhibit strategic thinking in organisations, Dr. Norman Chorn’s insights become highly relevant. Known for his expertise in organisational alignment and cultural adaptability, Chorn’s work highlights common pitfalls many organisations encounter.
In one notable case study, he identifies specific organisational and cultural barriers to strategic capability.
Chorn describes a scenario with a ‘high power distance‘ within an organisation. This is where authority is disproportionately concentrated at the highest levels. This structure forces mid and lower-level employees to focus on responding to immediate superior demands limiting the possibility of any clear strategic thinking.
He also speaks of the phenomenon of ‘continuous partial attention’. Where employees are so consumed by day-to-day reacting, multi-tasking, and constant attention shifts that they lack the cognitive resources for any deep reflective thought and strategic planning.
From this example, and many others we have encountered, we can draw valuable lessons for broader application:
- Broadening Participation: Reducing power distances by involving a wider range of staff in the strategic process to enhance engagement and insight generation.
- Encouraging Reflective Practices: Instituting ‘look-back’ sessions that allow teams to pause and reflect on past actions, learning from successes and failures to better inform future strategies.
- Separating Strategy from Planning: Ensuring that strategic sessions focus on broad, reflective discussions about challenges, opportunities and approaches, rather than conflating these meetings with action-oriented planning sessions.
Balancing the Scale
We’ve seen how in execution-focused cultures, managers and leaders may become so engrossed in daily operations and incremental improvements that they lose sight of the bigger picture.
This relentless push for efficiency can stifle the reflective and insightful thinking necessary for strategic innovation.
The result is a business environment that may do well in the short term but is ill-prepared for future challenges or new opportunities.
To avoid falling into the “strata-chasm,” organisations must actively cultivate environments that value both strategic exploration and efficient execution. This involves:
- Encouraging Exploration: Just as some bees continue to search for new nectar sources, companies must encourage employees to seek new opportunities and innovative solutions.
- Valuing Strategic Thinking: Allocate time and resources for everyone to engage in reflective thinking. This might involve structured brainstorming sessions, retreats or simply providing time away from daily tasks to think creatively.
- Integrating Insights into Execution: It is crucial not only to explore and discover but also to integrate these insights effectively into the company’s strategic execution. Ensuring that new ideas are heard, evaluated and, when appropriate, acted upon can bridge the gap between strategy and execution.
Conclusion
The 100-million-year survival of bees offers a compelling lesson for businesses.
Success depends not just on how well you operate today, but also on how effectively you scout for and adapt to new opportunities.
How does your organisation manage the balance between strategy and execution?
Connect with Joanne today to ensure your business not only survives but thrives in changing markets.
If you’re “too busy” with execution to think strategically maybe a Culture Mechanic can help.
