Plan to Pivot: Agile Organizational Strategy in an Age of Complexity

Plan to Pivot shares firsthand stories that demonstrate the urgency and uniqueness of current operating conditions, and a new way to design and lead organizations.

In a total career pivot to higher education, in an executive role at one of the world’s finest public universities, Gerry Starsia was surprised to find that in general, there was little interest in planning or systems or measuring operating performance. This reality drove him to focus his academic research and writing in the realms of planning and strategy, measurement, and performance. Gerry’s hope is to combine the lessons learned in the corporate and academic worlds with first person case studies, so others can learn from his successes, missteps, wins and losses.

The speed of information flow, globalization, massive amounts of data, artificial intelligence, economic forces, and changing demographics are all factors that need attention and consideration as organizations decide what to do, how to do it, and when to stop doing what they are doing and pivot towards opportunities and success. By applying the principles of agile project management to strategic planning, implementation, measurement, and strategy adjustment laid out in Plan to Pivot, organizations develop the muscle memory necessary to observe markets and consumer demands, connect deeply with customers, and bring products and services to consumers in order to deliver value more efficiently than competitors.