When KPIs Go Wrong: Lessons from Cobras and Rats

Arkaro Insights

Send your thoughts to Arkaro

19:15

Can AI compress the years long research time of a PhD into seconds? Research scientist Max Jaderberg explores how “AI analogs” simulate real-world lab work with staggering speed and scale, unlocking new insights on protein folding and drug discovery. Drawing on his experience working on Isomorphic Labs' and Google DeepMind's AlphaFold 3 — an AI model for predicting the structure of molecules — Jaderberg explains how this new technology frees up researchers' time and resources to better understand the real, messy world and tackle the next frontiers of science, medicine and more. For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch . Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

about a year ago 11:40

MP3•Episode home

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery.
Every organisation wants to improve performance, but what happens when the very metrics designed to drive success end up causing more harm than good? This fascinating deep dive explores Goodhart's Law – the principle that "when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure" – and reveals how this deceptively simple concept plays out with sometimes disastrous consequences.
We journey through compelling historical examples, from the colonial authorities who inadvertently created rat farming operations in Vietnam to the British rulers whose cobra bounty program backfired spectacularly in India. These historical anecdotes illuminate the same psychological forces that drove modern corporate scandals at Volkswagen and Wells Fargo, where narrowly defined metrics and intense pressure to hit targets led to systemic deception and billions in damages.
But this isn't just a cautionary tale. We examine practical strategies for creating measurement systems that actually drive the right behaviors and outcomes: balancing multiple metrics instead of fixating on single numbers, carefully linking measures to incentives, regularly reviewing and adjusting your KPIs, testing foundational assumptions, and incorporating qualitative feedback alongside quantitative data. You'll learn how to use metrics as helpful guides rather than rigid dictators, and how to build measurement approaches that create genuine value for customers, employees, and organisations alike.
Ready to rethink how you measure success? Visit arkaro.com to learn how our consultancy can help your organisation implement effective strategies for measurement, change, and innovation. For a free consultation about your specific challenges, contact Mark Blackwell directly at mark@arkaro.com.

Chapters

1. Introduction to Goodhart's Law (00:00:00)

2. Historical Examples: Rat Tails and Cobras (00:01:09)

3. Corporate Scandals: VW and Wells Fargo (00:03:31)

4. Building Better Metrics Systems (00:06:13)

5. Creating Holistic Measurement Approaches (00:08:32)

6. Key Takeaways and Episode Closing (00:11:03)

20 episodes

#MBA #Business #Marketing #Mark Blackwell #Strategy #Innovation #Commercial Excellence #Product Management #Change Management

When KPIs Go Wrong: Lessons from Cobras and Rats

Arkaro Insights

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

Send your thoughts to Arkaro

Chapters

1. Introduction to Goodhart's Law (00:00:00)

2. Historical Examples: Rat Tails and Cobras (00:01:09)

3. Corporate Scandals: VW and Wells Fargo (00:03:31)

4. Building Better Metrics Systems (00:06:13)

5. Creating Holistic Measurement Approaches (00:08:32)

6. Key Takeaways and Episode Closing (00:11:03)

20 episodes

#MBA #Business #Marketing #Mark Blackwell #Strategy #Innovation #Commercial Excellence #Product Management #Change Management

All episodes

1
Business Model Barriers: When Good Products Can't Reach Customers 17:19

4 days ago17:19

17:19

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. Why do brilliant products with compelling value propositions sometimes fail spectacularly in the marketplace? The answer lies not in the technology itself, but in the business model—the crucial "how" that bridges innovation to commercial success. This deep dive examines the painful reality that technical excellence alone simply isn't enough. Through the cautionary tale of New Age Eats, which invested $32 million developing working cultivated meat technology only to shut down with zero revenue, we explore how regulatory hurdles and commercialization challenges can sink even the most promising ventures. The pattern repeats across industries—from agriculture to construction to aerospace—revealing three fundamental barriers that consistently trip up innovations: channel inadequacy, value chain resistance, and coordination complexity. Channel inadequacy emerges when distribution pathways can't effectively deliver value, often because dealers face significant training burdens, brand disadvantages, and unfavorable economics compared to established products. Value chain resistance strikes when stakeholders actively block adoption because an innovation threatens their economic interests, as demonstrated by PVC piping's 15-year struggle to penetrate housing construction despite clear technical advantages. Perhaps most challenging is coordination complexity—when multiple independent players must align simultaneously, creating paralyzing chicken-and-egg situations where everyone waits for others to move first. Organizations that address these business model challenges with the same rigor they apply to technical development gain a powerful advantage. McKinsey research suggests tackling these issues early can cut time to revenue by up to 50%. We explore five crucial practices: mapping your complete go-to-market journey, validating economics for all stakeholders, testing channel acceptance during development, developing multiple business model options, and continuously evolving your approach based on real-world feedback. Ready to unlock your innovation's full potential? Visit arcaro.com to learn how we help companies navigate these challenges, or email Mark Blackwell directly at mark@arkaro.com for a free consultation on your specific situation. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
Strategy First: The Critical Missing Element in Failed Product Launches 17:22

11 days ago17:22

17:22

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. The innovation paradox is staring us in the face. While a staggering 83% of companies rank innovation as a top-three priority, more than half admit they're operating without clear strategic direction. Most troubling? Despite recognizing this critical flaw, only 30% plan to address it. We dive deep into what experts call "zombie innovation" – the appearance of innovation activity without the strategic brain to guide it. This phenomenon leads companies to pour resources into developing solutions nobody wants, while executives focus on running more projects faster rather than ensuring they're heading in the right direction. BCG research shows innovation readiness has plummeted from 20% to just 3% in recent years, reflecting this fundamental strategic weakness. The podcast unpacks three critical failures derailing innovation efforts, particularly in complex B2B sectors like agriculture, food, and chemicals. First, unclear or overly broad innovation strategies provide no meaningful filter for decision-making. Second, attempting to innovate across too many domains simultaneously dilutes expertise and creates undifferentiated "me-too" products. Third, poor market segmentation leads to developing solutions for mythical "average" customers rather than specific groups with urgent needs. Success stories demonstrate the power of strategic clarity and focus. Companies with clear innovation strategies achieve 32% higher success rates for new products. Organizations like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly show how decades of sustained focus in specific domains leads to breakthrough innovations. The evidence is compelling: innovation strategy must be intrinsically connected to overall business strategy, focusing resources where market opportunity meets distinctive capability. For executives recognizing these symptoms in their organizations, we offer four practical steps to begin addressing the strategy vacuum and transform zombie innovation into meaningful results. Ask yourself: Can everyone involved in innovation across your company articulate what your strategic priorities are? The answer may reveal why your innovation efforts aren't delivering the impact you expect. Connect with us at www.arkaro.com or email mark@arkaro.com for a free consultation on strengthening your innovation strategy. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
Building the Foundation: How Collaborative Culture Impacts Innovation Success 17:15

18 days ago17:15

17:15

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. What truly separates successful innovations from commercial failures? While we often blame technical flaws or misreading market signals, the bedrock of innovation success lies in something far more fundamental - your organizational culture. Delving into groundbreaking research and real-world case studies, we uncover how a genuinely collaborative culture serves as the essential foundation for innovation success in B2B organizations. The evidence is compelling: cross-functional integration makes product launches 1.5 times more likely to succeed, while early sales team involvement drives 20% higher revenue from new products and 14% faster time-to-market. We examine the devastating impact of functional silos - those invisible walls between departments that create costly handoff problems, missed customer insights, and inconsistent messaging. These barriers don't just slow progress; they fundamentally undermine your innovation potential. Leadership behavior proves critical, as executives either foster collaboration through their actions or inadvertently encourage competition and resource hoarding that cascades throughout the organization. Psychological safety emerges as another vital component, creating environments where calculated risks and unconventional ideas can flourish. Like Pixar's approach, successful innovators balance nurturing early fragile concepts with implementing rigorous feedback mechanisms to strengthen and refine them over time. For executives looking to transform their innovation culture, we provide actionable strategies: establishing truly cross-functional teams with decision-making authority, implementing innovation immersion programs to build cross-departmental empathy, aligning incentives to reward collective success, clarifying decision rights, and modeling collaborative leadership behaviors daily. Unlike specific products that competitors can easily imitate, a deeply collaborative culture becomes embedded in your organization's DNA - creating a sustainable competitive advantage that delivers more accurate insights into customer needs, comprehensive solutions, stronger organizational alignment, and faster learning loops. Ready to strengthen your innovation foundation? Visit arkaro.com to learn how we can help your organization foster this culture of collaboration, or email Mark Blackwell directly at mark@arkaro.com for a free consultation. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
IBP as a Change Catalyst: Leveraging Meeting Discipline for Success 13:22

25 days ago13:22

13:22

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. Successful organisational change isn't about splashy launch events—it's about systematically embedding new ways of working into your company's operational DNA. Why do a staggering 70% of change initiatives ultimately fail to deliver their promised results? The answer often lies not in the quality of the solution itself, but in the mechanisms (or lack thereof) for sustaining momentum after the initial excitement fades. This episode explores the powerful yet often overlooked connection between Integrated Business Planning (IBP) and sustainable change. Drawing on Arkaro's extensive experience working with B2B organisations, we reveal how the structure, cross-functional collaboration, and predictable rhythm inherent in IBP creates the perfect environment for nurturing lasting transformation. We walk through Arkaro's comprehensive four-stage change framework—Understand, Co-create, Enable, and Sustain—with particular focus on that critical final stage where most initiatives stumble. You'll discover how IBP's regular cycle of meetings creates natural accountability, how it positions mid-level managers as crucial "strategy translators," and how integrating change initiatives directly into your existing business rhythm combats the dreaded initiative fatigue. Whether you're currently implementing change, struggling with initiatives that have lost momentum, or looking to strengthen your organisation's change capabilities, this episode offers practical guidance on leveraging IBP as your engine for sustainable transformation. The solution to making change stick might already exist within your planning processes—you just need to harness it intentionally. Ready to transform how your organisation approaches change? Visit arcaro.com or connect with Arkaro on LinkedIn to explore how these insights could benefit your specific challenges. For a personal consultation, reach out directly to Mark Blackwell at mark@arkaro.com. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
The KPI Paradox: How Corporate Giants Learned That Measuring Everything Means Managing Nothing 17:36

5 weeks ago17:36

17:36

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. Drowning in data but starved for strategic clarity? You're not alone. In this thought-provoking exploration of the KPI Paradox, we reveal how corporate giants like General Electric, Ford, and Procter & Gamble fell into the trap of "metric madness" – and how they found their way out. The problem is deceptively simple: the very tools designed to help us manage better often become obstacles to progress. As Goodhart's Law reminds us, "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." We unpack this paradox through real-world examples where tracking hundreds of metrics led to strategic paralysis, decision delays, and lost focus. GE's management became so bogged down with reporting that they couldn't focus on innovation. Ford meticulously tracked production and sales but completely missed the shift toward fuel-efficient vehicles before the 2008 crisis. P&G's granular brand metrics obscured critical insights about changing consumer preferences across their portfolio. The pattern is clear – in their quest to measure everything, these companies ended up managing nothing. But there's hope. We explore how these same organisations recovered by drastically simplifying their KPI frameworks, focusing on fewer but more strategically aligned metrics. We introduce a more balanced approach to measurement that includes not just traditional outcome metrics but also adherence metrics (are you executing your strategy?) and foundational metrics (are your strategic assumptions correct?). For B2B executives navigating complex change initiatives, this episode offers a roadmap to escape metric overload and refocus on what truly drives value. The competitive edge no longer comes from having more data – it comes from knowing exactly what to measure and when. Visit arkaro.com to learn how we can help your organisation cut through the noise and develop KPIs that actually support strategic success. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
When KPIs Go Wrong: Lessons from Cobras and Rats 11:40

6 weeks ago11:40

11:40

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. Every organisation wants to improve performance, but what happens when the very metrics designed to drive success end up causing more harm than good? This fascinating deep dive explores Goodhart's Law – the principle that "when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure" – and reveals how this deceptively simple concept plays out with sometimes disastrous consequences. We journey through compelling historical examples, from the colonial authorities who inadvertently created rat farming operations in Vietnam to the British rulers whose cobra bounty program backfired spectacularly in India. These historical anecdotes illuminate the same psychological forces that drove modern corporate scandals at Volkswagen and Wells Fargo, where narrowly defined metrics and intense pressure to hit targets led to systemic deception and billions in damages. But this isn't just a cautionary tale. We examine practical strategies for creating measurement systems that actually drive the right behaviors and outcomes: balancing multiple metrics instead of fixating on single numbers, carefully linking measures to incentives, regularly reviewing and adjusting your KPIs, testing foundational assumptions, and incorporating qualitative feedback alongside quantitative data. You'll learn how to use metrics as helpful guides rather than rigid dictators, and how to build measurement approaches that create genuine value for customers, employees, and organisations alike. Ready to rethink how you measure success? Visit arkaro.com to learn how our consultancy can help your organisation implement effective strategies for measurement, change, and innovation. For a free consultation about your specific challenges, contact Mark Blackwell directly at mark@arkaro.com. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
The Value Proposition Challenge: Why Products Don't Sell 16:55

7 weeks ago16:55

16:55

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. The value proposition gap stands as the single most significant factor in why new B2B products fail—and fail they do, at an alarming rate of 80% within their first year of launch. Drawing from Mark Blackwell's incisive article, we dissect what happens when companies build offerings based on internal assumptions rather than validated customer needs. The cautionary tale of Forward Health serves as a sobering example: despite $650 million in funding, they created healthcare solutions that fundamentally misunderstood what patients truly valued—the human connection in healthcare, not just technological convenience. We explore three critical failure modes that doom value propositions from the start. First, misunderstanding customer needs—failing to grasp what customers are truly trying to accomplish and the problems they genuinely need solved. Second, insufficient differentiation—creating "me too" products or falling prey to the "utopian illusion" where innovators become enamored with potential benefits while downplaying risks and complexities. Third, inadequate switching value—underestimating the enormous inertia and real costs customers face when changing from established solutions. The path forward lies in five powerful practices employed by successful companies like Bosch, who systematically gather evidence before building and retire 70% of initial ideas that lack customer validation. These practices include starting with jobs-to-be-done, quantifying the complete value equation with hard numbers, validating through progressive disclosure, mapping the full adoption journey, and addressing the needs of all stakeholders in the value chain. Your value proposition isn't just marketing language—it's the foundation upon which successful B2B products are built. When it's weak, no amount of execution excellence can compensate. How does your offering stack up? Visit arkaro.com to learn more about building value propositions that truly resonate with customers and justify their decision to change. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
Bridging the Gap: How to Implement Corporate Strategy Throughout Your Organisation 22:01

9 weeks ago22:01

22:01

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. The frustrating disconnect between corporate strategy and daily execution plagues countless B2B organisations. Despite investing heavily in strategic planning—the offsite meetings, consultant reports, data analysis—many companies struggle to translate carefully crafted visions into meaningful action. When only 28% of executives can name three strategic priorities (MIT Sloan Management Review), how can we expect frontline teams to implement effectively? This strategy-execution gap manifests in diluted messaging as strategies cascade downward, functional silos developing as teams optimise their own operations without considering broader goals, and operational inefficiencies that ultimately stall organisational progress. Organisations typically attempt to bridge this divide through either traditional consulting (the "do-it-for-you" model) or facilitation (the "do-it-with-you" approach), but each has limitations when used alone. What's needed is a structured framework connecting different levels of strategy throughout the organisation—this is where the emergent approach and nested strategy frameworks shine. A complete strategy isn't just about corporate-level objectives; it must provide clear direction for decision-making through four essential components: aspirations (defined targets), diagnosis (understanding current situations and bottlenecks), rules (real-time decision-making guidelines), and plans and metrics (progress tracking mechanisms). The concept of nested strategy frameworks recognises that different parts of your business face unique challenges. While your overarching corporate strategy sets the general direction, each level develops its own focused framework that takes corporate goals as their North Star but addresses specific bottlenecks they face. For example, a chemical company focusing on specialty applications would see product management prioritising development resources toward specialty products, while regional sales builds relationships with technical decision-makers, and supply chain implements modular production capabilities—each supporting the main goal through team-specific decisions. Arkaro's complementary facilitation approach enhances traditional consulting by focusing specifically on implementation—building lasting strategic capabilities within your team rather than delivering static plans. The result? Greater ownership, stronger alignment both horizontally across teams and vertically through the organisation, and ultimately more effective implementation that drives real results. Visit arkaro.com to learn how we help B2B executives achieve better results through facilitated strategy development, or email Mark directly at mark@arkaro.com for a free consultation. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
Turning Roadblocks into Roadmap Enhancements: Arkaro's "Do It With You" Approach to Change 10:05

10 weeks ago10:05

10:05

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. What if resistance to change isn't your biggest headache, but your most valuable asset? We're flipping the script on traditional change management by exploring how pushback, skepticism, and hesitation can actually strengthen your organisational transformations. The numbers are sobering: 70% of improvement projects fail to meet their goals. But what separates the successful 30%? It might be their approach to resistance itself. Rather than seeing it as negativity to overcome, forward-thinking leaders recognise resistance as engagement—a signal that people care enough to voice concerns about potential issues that could derail your initiative. Arkaro's distinctive "Do it with you" methodology provides a practical framework for this mindset shift through four key phases. The Understanding phase creates safe spaces for active listening, uncovering the root causes behind surface complaints using techniques like the "five whys." The Co-create phase brings skeptics directly into solution development, leveraging influential peer "change champions" to build ownership. The Enable phase provides targeted support through frameworks like ADKAR, addressing specific skill gaps and testing solutions via pilot programs. Finally, the Sustain phase embeds changes through collaborative metrics and ongoing feedback loops. This approach works especially well for complex B2B transformations like strategy shifts, operating model changes, and commercial excellence programs. By reframing resistance from roadblock to roadmap enhancement, you gain invaluable insights that strengthen your initiatives and dramatically increase your odds of lasting success. Ready to transform how your organisation handles change? Connect with Arkaro's team of experienced practitioners who bring a 360-degree perspective to your unique challenges. Visit arkaro.com or email Mark Blackwell (mark@arkaro.com) directly for a no-obligation consultation about your specific situation. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
So what is the difference between Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) and Integrated Business Planning (IBP)? - and does it matter? 19:45

11 weeks ago19:45

19:45

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. The gap between strategic vision and operational execution plagues many B2B organisations today. While most leaders recognise the need for effective planning, fewer understand the crucial distinction between traditional Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) and its more evolved counterpart, Integrated Business Planning (IBP). Drawing from Mark Blackwell's insightful LinkedIn article, this episode unpacks the transformation from S&OP's origins in the 1980s as a supply-demand balancing act to IBP's comprehensive approach that aligns entire organisations around strategic outcomes. We explore Gartner's five-stage maturity model that maps this evolution—from reactive firefighting to collaborative orchestration—and detail the fundamental differences that separate immature S&OP from mature IBP. The distinction goes far beyond semantics. While S&OP typically operates with a three-month horizon focused on volume metrics and quarterly targets, IBP extends planning to 24 months with value-based decision-making directly tied to strategic objectives. This shift requires executive leadership involvement, cross-functional integration, and a fundamental change in how resources are allocated across the organisation. For executives trapped in the quarterly earnings cycle or struggling with strategy execution despite well-defined objectives, these differences matter tremendously. The episode provides clear indicators that your organisation might benefit from evolving toward IBP—from consistently falling short on strategy execution to operating in perpetual firefighting mode. By breaking down departmental silos and creating a single source of truth, IBP offers the framework to transform planning from a time-consuming obligation into a strategic advantage that drives meaningful business outcomes. Ready to transform your planning approach? Visit www.arkaro.com or contact Mark Blackwell directly at mark@arkaro.com for a free consultation on how IBP can help your organisation bridge the gap between strategic vision and operational reality. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
Why Most Product Launches Fail Before They Start 16:43

12 weeks ago16:43

16:43

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. We've utilised AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format for your convenience, making our insights on product launch failures more accessible and engaging. When faced with product launch disappointments, executives instinctively look for immediate causes. All too often, they point to the commercial launch phase as the culprit—questioning marketing materials, sales training, or launch event execution. This is a crucial insight: leaders tend to blame the phase they are currently experiencing, forgetting everything that has happened before in the innovation journey. But is the commercial launch really where most product failures originate? After working with dozens of companies across Agriculture, Food, and Chemicals industries, we've found that while execution of the commercial launch certainly matters, the seeds of failure are typically planted much earlier in the innovation process. The 7 Hidden Root Causes In this episode, we explore the seven critical failure points that typically emerge early in the innovation journey—long before the launch phase that executives tend to blame: 1. Lack of Collaborative Culture 2. Absence of Clear Innovation Strategy 3. Weak Value Proposition 4. Flawed Business Models 5. Inadequate Prototyping 6. Problematic Scale-Up 7. Poor Governance The Arkaro Approach At Arkaro, our "do it with you" approach helps clients build innovation capabilities by addressing these core failure points holistically. We focus on aligning innovation with business strategy, applying Jobs to be Done methodology to understand customer needs, generating ideas targeted at validated problems, implementing agile stage-gated processes that validate assumptions early, building sustainable innovation governance, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. Why consider an external partner like Arkaro? Even if you suspect your product launch challenges extend beyond the commercial phase, addressing these fundamental issues can be difficult from within. Changing organisational fundamentals is hard work. Transforming collaborative culture, innovation strategy, or governance requires both expertise and persistence. While you may recognise the problems, implementing solutions demands significant time and focus that your team may not have alongside their day-to-day responsibilities. Internal teams often struggle to see, accept, or challenge embedded practices. Organisational blind spots, existing power dynamics, and the challenge of speaking truth to leadership can make it difficult for insiders to drive fundamental change. Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to ask the uncomfortable questions and highlight what internal teams already suspect but haven't been able to address. This is why an outside partner who truly understands the challenges and will work alongside you makes all the difference. At Arkaro, we don't deliver theoretical frameworks and walk away. We bring both the external perspective needed to identify root causes and the practical, collaborative approach required to implement lasting solutions. We get on the pitch with you—working side by side to transform your innovation system while building your team's capabilities. Are you experiencing challenges with product launches in your organisation? Do you suspect the issues lie deeper than commercial execution but need help addressing them effectively? Contact us at mark@arkaro.com or visit www.arkaro.com to discuss how our "do it with you" approach can you. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
Revitalising Your Operating Model: The Arkaro Approach 19:30

13 weeks ago19:30

19:30

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. Struggling to translate your strategic vision into day-to-day operational reality? You're not alone. Many B2B executives face this frustrating gap between brilliant plans and actual results. The culprit? Often it's an outdated or misaligned operating model. This episode unpacks the critical role your operating model plays as the engine that powers strategic execution. More than just an org chart, your operating model encompasses your entire value delivery system – organisational structure, core processes, governance frameworks, capabilities, roles, metrics, and supporting technology. When these components work in harmony, execution follows naturally. When they fall out of alignment, even the best strategies falter. We dive deep into Arkaro's unique "do-it-with-you" methodology for operating model revitalisation. Their four-stage approach – understand, co-create, enable, and sustain – combines technical excellence with meaningful people engagement. Rather than simply delivering recommendations, they work alongside your team to build lasting internal capabilities. This collaborative approach ensures changes stick long after the consultants leave, creating sustainable business transformation. The episode explores how this methodology applies to critical operating model elements like strategy validation, customer linkage, operational processes, and integrated planning. Each area delivers specific business benefits: coherence between strategy and operations, better alignment with market needs, process optimisation, and breaking down functional silos. The result? More efficient operations, better customer relationships, faster deal closures, and improved business performance across all metrics. Whether you're grappling with fragmented processes, siloed functions, sustainability challenges, or struggling to align execution with strategy, revitalising your operating model could be the key to unlocking your organisation's full potential. Visit www.arkaro.com to learn more or email mark@arkaro.com for a free consultation about your specific situation. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

1
Planning vs Execution: Keeping Planning and Execution Processes Distinct 18:56

14 weeks ago18:56

18:56

1
The Consultant Trap: When 'Do It for You' Backfires 20:48

15 weeks ago20:48

20:48

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. The staggering reality that 70% of transformation initiatives fail demands a serious rethinking of how businesses engage with consultants. This episode dissects the crucial difference between consultants who "do it for you" versus those who "do it with you" – a distinction that can determine whether your significant investment yields lasting change or just another dust-collecting strategy document. We explore the three fundamental flaws of traditional consulting: superficial understanding that misses cultural nuances and unwritten rules; dependency creation that weakens your organisation's strategic muscles; and perhaps most damaging, the lack of ownership that dooms even brilliant strategies to implementation failure. These pitfalls explain why beautifully polished presentations that generate initial excitement so often fail to deliver meaningful results months later. The collaborative "do it with you" approach offers a compelling alternative. Instead of consultants working as detached experts, they function as partners alongside your team, combining external perspective with your organisation's intimate knowledge. This methodology builds internal capabilities through four critical steps: deeply understanding your unique context; co-creating tailored solutions that fit your reality; enabling your team with the necessary skills and tools; and ensuring changes become embedded in your organisational DNA. Arkaro's distinctive approach brings together consultants with both practical business experience and formal expertise, working shoulder-to-shoulder with your team. As our tagline emphasises, "We don't just coach, we get on the pitch with you." The ultimate goal isn't delivering impressive slide decks but creating sustainable value generation that continues long after the engagement ends. Ready to transform how your organisation works with consultants? Visit arkaro.com or contact Mark Blackwell directly at mark@arkaro.com to discuss how this collaborative approach might work for your specific challenges. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

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The Innovation Strategy Imperative: Why "Quick Win" Projects Often Fail 15:35

16 weeks ago15:35

15:35

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. A startling paradox stands at the heart of business innovation today: while 83% of companies prioritise innovation in their top three strategic goals, actual innovation readiness continues to decline. This disconnect reveals a fundamental challenge that keeps executives awake at night - the gap between innovation ambition and tangible results. Mark Blackwell's recent article "The Innovation Strategy Imperative" dissects this phenomenon with surgical precision, identifying what he calls the "quick win trap." When pressured to demonstrate progress, organisations often launch numerous innovation projects without strategic direction, creating a flurry of activity that rarely translates to meaningful outcomes. The consequences materialise as poor returns, resource-draining "zombie projects," and consistently underwhelming product launches. The path forward requires more than operational tweaks. BCG research reveals six critical practices that separate innovation leaders from laggards: senior executive ownership, clear alignment between innovation and strategic goals, focus on competitive advantages, defined innovation domains, balanced portfolio structure, and quantified objectives. Companies adopting at least four of these practices consistently achieve higher sales from new products - concrete evidence that strategic innovation drives business results. Arkaro's "do it with you" approach offers a practical methodology for bridging the innovation gap through five key steps: establishing clear business strategy as your foundation, defining innovation domains based on market analysis and organisational strengths, securing genuine leadership commitment, building both technical and cultural innovation capabilities, and implementing effective governance systems. This comprehensive framework transforms innovation from a scattered, resource-draining exercise into a reliable growth engine. If you're struggling to see real results from your innovation efforts, reach out to Mark directly at mark@arkaro.com to discuss how this approach might help your organisation turn innovation ambition into measurable business impact. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

Arkaro Insights

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Forecast Driven Fulfillment: Designing Resilient Supply Chains for B2B Growth 10:44

17 weeks ago10:44

10:44

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. Supply chain excellence isn't just about moving products from A to B—it's about orchestrating a complex symphony of forecasting, production, inventory, and delivery that directly impacts your bottom line and customer satisfaction. In this deep exploration of Forecast-Driven Fulfilment (FDF), we reveal how top B2B organisations are transforming their operations by connecting what they expect to sell with how it actually reaches customers' hands. Most executives recognise the symptoms: warehouses packed with inventory that isn't moving, manufacturing schedules that feel more like suggestions, production bottlenecks tied to specific SKUs, and customer service teams perpetually extinguishing fires. The temptation is to simply increase safety stock, but as we uncover, companies struggling with service often already have excessive inventory. The real challenge? Having the right products in the right places at precisely the right times. FDF represents a fundamental shift in operational thinking that breaks down silos between departments. We explore how production scheduling becomes a point of tension between manufacturing efficiency and sales expectations, the different approaches taken by commodity producers versus specialised suppliers, and the critical importance of having predefined decision-making processes for handling unexpected orders. The most successful implementations involve robust Sales and Operations Execution (S&OE) meetings where cross-functional teams align forecasts with business goals. The results speak volumes: one B2B specialty chemical company implementing FDF saw a 10% improvement in order reliability, transformed their Net Promoter Score from detractor to promoter, reduced inventory by 20% while improving service, and decreased order handling costs by 15%. Perhaps most importantly, their enhanced operational resilience helped them weather post-COVID supply chain disruptions far better than competitors. Ready to transform your B2B operations? Visit www.arkaro.com, follow us on LinkedIn, or email Mark Blackwell directly at mark@arkaro.com for a free consultation to discuss how Forecast-Driven Fulfilment might revolutionise your business. Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

Arkaro Insights

1
The Hidden Leadership Gap: Why Technical Brilliance Isn't Enough 10:45

17 weeks ago10:45

10:45

Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery. Technical brilliance got you promoted, but now you're drowning in leadership challenges you weren't prepared for. Sound familiar? This fundamental disconnect between technical expertise and leadership capability creates an invisible ceiling for countless talented professionals. We take a deep dive into what Garrett Forsythe from Arkaro calls "The Hidden Leadership Gap" – that critical blind spot where organisations promote their technical stars without equipping them with essential leadership skills. Mark Blackwell, Arkaro's founder, explains how this creates a leadership vacuum that directly impacts business performance. The consequences extend far beyond individual careers. When organisations invest heavily in technical training while neglecting leadership development, they create environments where teams struggle to collaborate, strategies fail to execute, and innovation stagnates. The most alarming part? Many technical leaders don't even recognise their blind spots because they've never been given a framework to understand effective leadership. What specific skills create this gap? Understanding different personalities and leveraging those differences. Building emotional intelligence to manage both personal and team emotions. Navigating conflict productively instead of avoiding it. Translating complex technical concepts through compelling storytelling. Creating psychological safety where innovation can flourish. These aren't just feel-good concepts – research shows direct links between these capabilities and measurable business outcomes. Arkaro's unique "do-it-with-you" approach addresses this gap through practical, personalised development that happens within the context of everyday work. As Blackwell says, "We don't just coach, we get on the pitch with you." This hands-on methodology transforms organisations from the inside out, creating sustainable improvements in collaboration, strategy execution, and adaptability. Ready to bridge your organisation's leadership gap? Visit www.arkaro.com or connect with them on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro) to discover how balancing technical excellence with leadership development could unlock your team's full potential. To read a full copy of the The Hidden Leadership Gap article go to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hidden-leadership-gap-why-technical-excellence-isnt-enough-arkaro-isobf Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

Arkaro Insights

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Innovation by process - don't leave it to chance 23:28

3 years ago23:28

23:28

"One thing we can say for sure innovation outcomes do not just happen by chance, they need to be created, they need to be built. And it takes an effort. It takes a journey to be successful at the business of innovation. And so that's where having a sound innovation process comes in because a sound innovation process essentially helps you to what is almost invariably a very complex journey. " Today we are talking to Simone Arizzi on the importance of an innovation process. Simone is the Managing Director of Arizzi Technology & Innovation Consulting GmbH. His company provides specialised consulting services on sustainability and innovation management topics to technology driven firms in several countries. Until 2020 he was regional CTO for DuPont for EMEA and Asia Pacific. Based in Geneva, he was also the Managing Director of DuPont in Switzerland and President of DuPont Italiana. Previously in his career he held a variety of technology and business management positions in DuPont in the US and Europe. He holds a chemical engineering degree from the ETH in Zürich, and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from MIT. To contact Arkaro go to our website www.arkaro.com and follow Arkaro on LinkedIn . Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

Arkaro Insights

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The 5 Disqualifiers of Strategy 33:38

3 years ago33:38

33:38

"If you can answer "yes" to any of these questions what you have is probably a goal, or a plan, or a collection of goals and plans, or in the worst case clichés and truisms." Today we are talking with Peter Compo, author of the new book, The Emergent Approach to Strategy With a doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the City College of New York, and also a musical background, he spent twenty-five years at E. I. DuPont in a wide range of leadership positions including product, marketing, supply chain, and business management, and he was the corporate lead for integrated business planning. He left the company after 25 years to work full time on developing the Emergent Approach. His mission is to help organizations achieve a new level of clarity in their strategy and to fully embrace the adaptive view of the world. Today we shall learn about the 5 disqualifiers of strategy. To learn more read the Arkaro Insights article " Have you tested your strategy recently? " on www.arkaro.com Send your thoughts to Arkaro…

Arkaro Insights

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Is strategy definition still confused? and what might be the solution? 37:53

3 years ago37:53