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The Uncertainty Summit

Eric Best on Bloomberg discussing the Uncertainty Summit

Together with Mayree Clark, former head of research at Morgan Stanley and now a senior advisor at Aetos Capital/Asia, Best Partners convened a distinguished and diverse group of US and global finance and policy experts at the Asia Society in New York City to consider an "uncertainty framework" composed of the most important unknowns in the current environment.

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Participant Feedback

"The session was, as promised, provocative and mind-expanding. While the summit ended hours ago, my mind keeps going back to many of the discussions we had this morning. My "doom and gloom" table was an animated and friendly bunch and I found it very worthwhile to spend the morning with bright people examining scenarios, and the practical implications and knock-on effects stemming from the possibilities. I expect to be mulling, and perhaps acting upon, what we discussed for some time to come."

RCN, private investor

THINK THE UNTHINKABLE — THEN ACT!

Global uncertainties are at an all-time high. Predictions by “experts” and off-the-shelf approaches of traditional consulting firms cannot prepare you appropriately to meet your challenges. You must prepare by rigorously thinking through the most important uncertainties, and applying our four core principles:

Clarify the intention.

What are we really trying to do? Are we all clear about it?

Clarity within the organization is required for efficient operation. Clarity breeds purposefulness, relevance and connection. People long to know what to do, and why they are doing it, but also to help them understand what not to do. Scenario-building and other tools can help leaders clarify vision, strategies, goals and objectives — for themselves as well as for the broader organization.
Define the sacred.

What is most important to us? We all hold to this.

What are the values and principles that define the organization’s core beliefs, from which it will not depart? Research into successful companies has determined that visionary companies, clear about their core values, will be the most profitable over time. What are the beliefs and commitments that truly underlie the organization’s behavior? Is the company expressing its own “sacred” at all levels?
Understand the commitment.

What is required to deliver on these ideas?

Clarity and core values will be fruitless without the necessary resources committed to a given objective. Leadership must also acknowledge resource limits and focus efforts so that the pursuit of too many objectives is not an obstacle to achieving the most important few.
Act to be!

How shall I behave in support of these commitments?

Because our behavior will influence the dynamics around us, we help define our future. We must focus on own day-to-day behaviors, knowing that they influence colleagues, our team, the organization. As you behave, so will you become. In order to lead change, people must demonstrate their capacity to change their own behaviors.

These principles may involve scenario thinking. Scenarios can structure the most important uncertainties and help you identify the actions you should take. A scenario exercise for people working together will clarify intention, which promotes teamwork, efficiency, and builds a more competitive business culture.

Eric Best and Best Partners, with nearly 20 years of experience in scenario-to-strategy development for clients across a wide range of industries, offers a unique engagement style that combines a journalist's interviews with executive coaching and scenario work shops. This approach has been credited with delivering enormous monetary value ($1.2 billion to an investment bank) and transformative organizational initiatives (altering the approach to global IT). Best Partners has helped individuals, boards of directors and operating committees quickly clarify strategic objectives and move to concerted action.

Contact us to explore how we can help you think through your strategic challenges to develop a plan of action for whatever may come.