A Sense of Urgency

4.

tactic one

bring theoutside in

Tactic One is based on the observation that organizations of any size or age tend to be too internally oriented. Even people who know this fact often underestimate the size of the problem and its consequences. The disconnect between what insiders see, feel, and think, on the one hand, and external opportunities and hazards, on the other, can be astonishing at times—even in organizations that are producing very good short-term results. An inside-outside disconnect always reduces an organization’s sense of urgency. When people do not see external opportunities or hazards, complacency grows.

Because of the natural tendency toward internal focus and the complacency that follows, one powerful way to increase urgency ...