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Get your timing right, writes Camelia Ram

Youve followed all the rules of the game. Youve set clear objectives and
measures of success. Youve examined multiple future scenarios and
the risks they represent. Youve engaged and aligned stakeholders on
the way forward. You have implemented agreed actions over a defined
period of time. Yet they have not had the desired impact. You conduct a
postmortem on the choices, and it appears that your timing was off:
there were unforeseeable circumstances that impacted success. This

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situation is all too common in business. The reality is that the best
attempts to plan for change can falter in uncertain and volatile
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environments. This is because we cannot always predict the precise
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instead one that is vacillating and failing to face up to its

responsibilities. When we allocate more time to making a decision, the
brain interprets the outcome as being a less confident choice.
As a result, it is better to frame our choices using a compelling
rationale. That way our brain focuses less on timing, and more on
perception of the evidence at hand. Elite athletes undergo psychological
training as a core part of their preparation. They learn how to interpret
what is happening to them and why, so they can make decisions based
on relevant cues. As a result, their high performance is a combination
of physical and mental preparation, which ensures that they have a
well-rehearsed story of what their body can cope with as circumstances
change, allowing them to adjust performance in a timely manner during
competition.
Think small
Want to time your strategy right under uncertain circumstances?
Progress and preparation are your watchwords. In terms of progress,
one should ask: what is the smallest amount of progress that will be
useful and viable to the essential task we are trying to get done? In
terms of preparation, the critical questions are: what is the smallest
amount we could do right now to drive successful outcomes? What is
standing in the way of getting things done? What obstacles, if removed,
would make the majority of others disappear? The soft launch trend in
the food industry embodies this concept well. Restaurants typically
offer discounts on food for a defined period to showcase what they are
good at; understand market reaction; and give themselves time to get

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things right. Similarly, comedy previews help comedians test audience

reaction to jokes, then refine the order and
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nature of their delivery in advance of important shows.
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These choices can be difficult in time and cost-constrained business

environments that are focused on short-term performance. For

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organizations that struggle to implement these practices, a diligent

approach to focusing on elements that are within ones control is

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critical. This means working with others to challenge assumptions about

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the timeframe within which outcomes can be expected, and the

possible barriers and risks to meeting those outcomes.

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The second consideration for organizations struggling to implement

these practices is adopting a mindset that embraces continuous
learning and experimentation. After-action team reviews are a

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meaningful way to reflect on performance and recalibrate responses.

Finally, the cost versus benefit of maintaining the status quo versus
some reallocation of resources to build in flexibility must be put on the
table when decisions are being made. This will ensure that the debate
on timing and nature of options is deliberately considered.
Camelia Ram holds a PhD in operational research from the London
School of Economics

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