Seen as a "system", an organization exists for producing an definable effect that relies on its equilibrium. Achieving equilibrium requires intent to be realized and maintained in three ways.

1. Strategy, Policy and
Management
The Theory Of Intent

2. Evolving Organization
It is often said, as words to the wise, that “culture eats strategy”…
That is, without close attention to cultural issues, the danger of having a failed implementation of strategy is a
predictably high risk.
Culture is a set of accepted values. The most basic thing about culture is that it is strong because it is
continually defended and rehearsed. Consequently, unless it is weakened by obsolescence, it is always both
setting expectations and confirming them.
As an explicitly defensible environmental characteristic, culture is represented by policy.
Thus, if a strategy arrives that challenges culture, policy is the primary counterforce, and strategy requires
policy to adapt.
Unfortunately, changing policy can threaten to interrupt or undermine established management.
And without stable management, a strategy cannot be operated.
The ability to re-organize for a newly stable management (i.e., management agility) therefore becomes a
prerequisite of adapting policy.
Policy adaptations are then able to provide a hospitable circumstance for strategy.
To align the above, key players in strategy, policy and management must agree with each other on overall
intent.

3. The model of Intent
Intent is the central and most singular evidence that an organization is not just an
arrangement but is a firm.
All other key characteristics (forms, behaviors, effects) pertain to intent.

4. control
planguide
management
strategy
policy
intent
knowledge resource
authority
leaders & partners
(Capability) (Opportunity)
(Execution)
©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research

5. Expressions and Tools of Intent
Guide, Plan, Control
Strategy, Management, Policy

6. control
planguide
management
strategy
policy
intent
©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research

7. Success factors
Capability, Opportunity, Execution
as dimensions and measures of Intent

8. intent
(Capability) (Opportunity)
(Execution)
©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research

9. control
planguide
management
strategy
policy
intent
(Capability) (Opportunity)
(Execution)
©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research

10. Responsible roles &
affected parties
Roles: Leaders, Directors, Experts
Parties: Partners, Owners, Culture

11. management
strategy
policy
intent
leaders & partners
©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research

12. control
planguide
management
strategy
policy
intent
leaders & partners
©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research

13. Primary influences
Knowledge, Resource, Authority
Identified, and applied or denied, by responsible parties
“Firms represent a division of labor and production
costs…. although the external environment of a firm
is uncontrollable, the entrepreneur's internal
allocation of production is preferable.” – ask.com

14. intent
knowledge resource
authority
leaders & partners
©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research

15. control
planguide
intent
knowledge resource
authority
leaders & partners
©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research

16. Equilibrium over Time
Continual rebalancing and realignment of Guidance, Plans and Controls
to evolve the organization versus prior relevance, investment and standards

17. Changing guidance
vs. standard control
Distributed control
vs. invested plan
Limited plan
vs. relevant guidance
©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research

18. Inspired by Koyaanisqatsi
See also Archestra notebooks on Governance.

19. ©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research
www.archestra.com
mryder@archestra.com