We used to study the map before we moved.
We traced the route, noted the landmarks, built a picture of the territory before we ever left the driveway. Getting there meant understanding where “there” was, and the nuances of the route.
Now we take instructions instead. Turn left. Recalculate. We arrive faster and know less about how we got there or what we passed along the way.
We’ve made this trade in our organizations too, and rarely notice we’ve made it.
A target is turn-by-turn guidance. Hit the number, execute the tactic, don’t ask why. Teams following instructions can perform without comprehending, and for a while, that looks like progress.
But comprehension is what holds when the instructions run out. It’s what lets a team improvise when the market shifts, the plan breaks, or the signal drops.
Strategy builds the map. Execution follows the directions. We need both, but only the map teaches the terrain.
We don’t lack for speed. We lack people who still understand the ground they’re covering.
What happens to our teams when the GPS goes quiet?
