From Fluffy Mission Statements to Actionable Strategies: Lessons from Unblock (with Jurriaan Kamer)

Author: Ben Maynard & Jurriaan Kamer
Published: Thu 21 Nov 2024
Episode Link: None

In this episode of the Product Agility Podcast, Ben speaks with Jurriaan Kamer, thought leader, consultant, and co-author of Unblock: How to Create Focused and Adaptable Organizations. Jurriaan shares insights from his experience helping organisations overcome bureaucracy, embrace aligned autonomy, and foster true agility at every level.

If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond vague mission statements and create strategies that work, this episode offers practical advice and actionable frameworks to help you build a more adaptable, focused organization.

Key Takeaways:

Aligned Autonomy in Practice: How to balance alignment with autonomy to empower teams while maintaining organisational focus.
The Power of Strategic Intent: Replacing vague mission statements with clear, strategic intent to guide decisions and achieve impactful outcomes.
Tackling Harmony Addiction: Why avoiding conflict can harm team growth and how to foster constructive disagreement.
From Cascading to Integration: Why traditional strategy rollouts fail and how participatory change can improve engagement and results.

Practical Tools & Methods:

Even Over Statements: A method to clarify trade-offs and prioritise effectively across teams.
Self-Alignment Workshops: Ways to involve teams in co-creating strategies that align with organisational goals.

Quotable Moments:

"Strategy isn’t a deck—it’s a cohesive set of choices that enable you to win."
"True leadership is about designing systems, not directing traffic."

Links and Resources:

Connect with Jurriaan Kamer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jurriaankamer
Learn more about Unblock: www.unblock.works

Host Bio

Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes.

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Ben Maynard

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Product Agility Podcast

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