Steve SherrettaApril 14, 2025Performance Management:Enhancing Execution Through a Culture of DialoguePeter is Chief Executive Officer for a medical supply multinational that recently crafted a new strategy to counter competitive threats
The plan stressed the need to cut cycle time, concentrate sales on higher-margin products and develop new markets
Four months after circulating the plan, Peter did a “walkaround” to see how things were going
He was appalled
Everywhere Peter turned people, departments—whole business units—simply didn’t “get it
”First surprise: Engineering
The group had cut product design time 30%, meeting its goal to increase speed-to-market
Then Peter asked how manufacturing would be affected
It turned out the new design would take much more time to make