Leading by Weak Signals

Published: June 14, 2024

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Metadata

“The Purpose of a System Is What It Does”, (Location 238)
What are the characteristics of “weak signals” in a leadership context? The term was first introduced in the context of strategic management by Igor Ansoff (1975), but the underlying concept barely received the attention it deserved in the scientific community and in managerial practice. (Location 257)
In times of complexity and uncertainty, three basic concepts could lead the way to meet the challenge: Serendipity, Big Data and Weak Signals. (Location 274)
Identifying weak signals and their underlying patterns is not solely dependent on human ingenuity or machine intelligence, but on the ability to distinguish them from noise and take proactive measures to stay ahead of the competition. (Location 287)
Leading by Weak Signals strives for a holistic interpretation of “what is going on here” – the only meaningful question in the face of radical uncertainty (Kay and King 2020). (Location 290)
Leadership has many connotations, in academic circles as well as in managerial practice. For the authors, the purpose of leadership is to ensure the viability of enterprises, by co-evolving sustainably with the demands of their stakeholders and ecosystems. Leadership is interpretated in an inclusive way, as a dynamic constellation between people, but it can also be attributed to individual executives. (Location 300)

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rw-book-cover

“The Purpose of a System Is What It Does”, (Location 238)
What are the characteristics of “weak signals” in a leadership context? The term was first introduced in the context of strategic management by Igor Ansoff (1975), but the underlying concept barely received the attention it deserved in the scientific community and in managerial practice. (Location 257)
In times of complexity and uncertainty, three basic concepts could lead the way to meet the challenge: Serendipity, Big Data and Weak Signals. (Location 274)
Identifying weak signals and their underlying patterns is not solely dependent on human ingenuity or machine intelligence, but on the ability to distinguish them from noise and take proactive measures to stay ahead of the competition. (Location 287)
Leading by Weak Signals strives for a holistic interpretation of “what is going on here” – the only meaningful question in the face of radical uncertainty (Kay and King 2020). (Location 290)
Leadership has many connotations, in academic circles as well as in managerial practice. For the authors, the purpose of leadership is to ensure the viability of enterprises, by co-evolving sustainably with the demands of their stakeholders and ecosystems. Leadership is interpretated in an inclusive way, as a dynamic constellation between people, but it can also be attributed to individual executives. (Location 300)