1. Many businesses face issues like poor alignment, communication failures, and struggles adapting to new technologies and competitors. Traditional "best practices" often make problems worse by adding new capabilities without strategic purpose.
2. Businesses should adopt tools experts use to navigate uncertain environments, like Wardley Maps. Maps reveal strategic opportunities, help articulate problems and solutions clearly, and systematically notice opportunities others miss.
3. Power Maps address business needs like alignment, communication, disruption concerns, and innovation by getting organizations "fit for purpose". Practical workshops help shape the future by building situational awareness, challenging assumptions, and designing for constant evolution.
Sales & Marketing Alignment: How to Synergize for Success
Navigating Uncertainty with Power Maps
1. Marcus Guest MBA marcus@powermaprussia.ru +7 (915) 234 6653
Wardley Maps CC3.0
2. Many businesses face serious issues today
1. Business alignment issues
2. Communication failures
3. Concerns over disruption
4. Issues with new competitors
5. Lack of innovation
6. Expensive project failures
7. Inertia to change
8. Struggles implementing “big
data” “agile” “digital
transformation” etc.
3. “Best” practices are often past practices
that make problems worse
Constant restructuring as new capabilities
get bolted on, then abandoned as it fails —
to be repeated as the next ‘meme’ appears
‘Low-hanging opportunities’ missed and lots
of ‘no-hope projects’ launched aimed at
meeting needs customers often don’t have
Compliance driven through internal KPIs —
exacerbating silo thinking and hindering
alignment around strategic priorities
“Best” practice (e.g. “let’s go agile!”) adopted
with no strategic understanding as to
why ‘this’ and not something else
5. Maps reveal the big picture, options for action
and a mechanism for learning as you go
1. Display superior understanding
of context in decision-making
2. Can articulate problems and
solutions with uncommon clarity
3. Systematically notice strategic
opportunities others miss.
Example: (Advanced) Power Map
Organisations using Power Maps*
* Power Maps based on Wardley Maps (cc 3.0)
6. Power Maps help deliver what businesses want
by addressing what they need
Business Needs
to Address
How Maps Can Deliver Business Wants
1 Business alignment issues Get Fit for Purpose
Everyone pulling in the
right direction
2 Communication failures Bridging Silos
Effective cross-silo
cooperation
3 Concerns over disruption Bridging the Future
To invest in the right
technologies
4
Issues with new
competitors
Bridging Strategy &
Execution
To outcompete rivals
5 Lack of innovation Innovation Boost To “wow” customers
6 Expensive project failures Spend Control
Improved returns on
investments
7 Inertia to change Overcoming Resistance
To respond effectively
to change
8
Struggles implementing
“big data”, “agile” etc.
Horses for Courses To use methods that work
9 We have no issues thanks! Getting Even Fitter To get ahead of the curve
8. Ensure your organisation is fit to act by mapping
to see what’s happening and anticipating the future
The Strategy Cycle
Sun Tzu’s Five Factors
The Two Types of Why
Map
Anticipate
Fitness
Act
100-Day Plan
9. “100 Day Get Fit Plan” increases your organisation’s
ability to compete effectively in an uncertain world
5 Strategy
Factors
Focus on Key Questions
Companies
with this
1. Purpose
Scope
What do you do and why? (Provides ‘moral
imperative’ — why others should believe in you)
Common
Pre-
workshop
(day 1)
Transactions
Which core transactions do you undertake with
OTHERS?(include those you might want to undertake)
Uncommon
Users Who are these OTHERS (ie your users)? Quite rare
2. Landscape
3. Climate
User Needs What do your customers actually need? Rare
Workshop 1
(day 2)
Value Chain
What is required to meet those needs? (eg the
relationship between components)
Rare
Context How evolved are components/how are they changing? Very rare
4. Doctrine
Tactics
Have you removed duplication, ensured efficient
flow between components and that appropriate
methods are being used (ie stopped self-harm)?
Very rare
Workshop 2
(day 31)Learning
Do you understand common economic patterns of
change and repeatable gameplay?
Very rare
Structure
Organisation and culture (including a common
lexicon) to enable autonomy, mastery and purpose
Uncommon
5. Leadership Strategy
Can you anticipate change and set a viable
direction?
Common
Workshop 3
(day 91)
10. Practical workshops designed to help your organisation
start shaping (not just adapting to) the future
Workshop 1
Situational Awareness
(Stop Self-Harm)
Workshop 2
Challenge Assumptions
(Get Fit 1)
Workshop 3
Shaping the Future
(Get Fit 2)
Morning
session
Introduction to Mapping:
Any Map better than no Map
CUSTOMER NEEDS
Removing Duplication
& Bias
Distributing Power:
No ‘One Culture’ — PST Model
Design for Constant Evolution
Afternoon
session
Learning to Map:
VALUE CHAIN
EVOLUTION
Challenging Assumptions
Tactics:
Appropriate Methods
Think Small (Contracts)
Manage Inertia
Optimise Flow
Strategy as Iteration:
Components can Co-evolve
Future Value & Uncertainty
Punctuated Equilibrium
Not Everything is Random
Economy has Cycles
Evening
session
Climate-Doctrine &
Strategic Gameplay:
Anticipating the Future
Strategic Gameplay: ILC
Learning & Structure:
Evolution and Uncertainty
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Think Small (Teams)
Think Aptitude and Attitude
Strategic Gameplay:
Scenario
Break option
here
11. Getting the organisation fit is the first step
in managing its evolution in the Age of Digital
100 Day Get Fit Plan Phase 1
Customer Revolution
Horizon Scanning
Phase 2
Context-Specific Strategy Phase 3
STAGES
Digital Transformation
12. Marcus Guest is a leading member in the Cognitive Edge
(Cynefin) global network, focused on rejuvenating management
practices in a more complex and unpredictable world. He is
pioneering the use of Power Maps* across Russia — enabling
organisations to navigate uncertainty more effectively, so they
can shape the future instead of just adapting to it.
Previously, Marcus held leadership roles at a Scandinavian multi-
national, a US-owned professional services firm, and a Russian
holding company — as well as several years as a strategy
consultant in the Big 4. He has an MBA from Warwick Business
School, (UK) and lectures in Complexity & Innovation at the
National University of Science & Technology (MISiS), in Moscow.
marcus@powermaprussia.ru
+ 7 (915) 234 6653
powermaprussia.ru
* Based on Wardley Maps, released under creative commons 3.0 license