In the fall, the task at hand is to quickly and thoroughly harvest all the available product of the planting season. We must have expertise and attention to detail to know just when and how to pick fruit, store it, distribute it, and save its seeds. In the business world, much attention is paid to getting every last piece of fruit—as evidenced in our focus on efficiency and optimization. But just as the skills to gather every piece of fruit have little to do with those needed to know which trees to plant, optimization and process change must be considered of as part of a much larger cycle that spans the entire year.
Fall Roles
Explorers step back to replenish their own energy and deepen their strategy around what will be needed next year
Planners coordinate the regular, sustained fulfillment of the innovation process so it can become “business-as-usual”
Energizers motivate everyone to stay on track in the ongoing process of sustained production, and make sure there is a clear connection between everyday work and big-picture vision and values
Connectors make sure teams (both their own and those from related departments or partners) have what they need and know how to find information and support throughout the organization
Experts help keep the design of products and services at a high level of quality, iterating over time
Optimizers work with experts, planners and coaches to ensure the most value is reaped from everyone’s effort, with the least amount of friction possible
Producers fulfill on promises of products and services and serve as the front line of the organization’s innovation system, gathering input from their own experiences and customer feedback
Coaches teach producers and others how to do their job well and support people through stressful moments as demand and time constraints increase pressure