I’m going a bit out on a limb here, and yes, I’m bringing my chainsaw to cut off the branch if

things go crazy.

Let’s start by clearing some of the junk out of the way. 2024 isn’t the alpha omega of US

Presidential elections—2028 is!

For those of you who have had the growth opportunity of living through a major corporate

culture change, you will get this. It starts when an old, established company finds itself in a

rapidly changing market, with little to nothing in the product development pipeline and a

corporate officer team way beyond its shelf life.

It’s kind of like a country club where they have stopped mowing the greens, the menu in the

Executive Dining room (yes, you have to have one of those for the ‘special’ people) hasn’t

changed in three years, and the new membership is sagging. Except, of course, Larry, the son of

©2024 Community Design Institute, All Rights Reserved, All Wrongs Reversed

the VP of Engineering, just got hired over in marketing after finishing his correspondence

school MBA.

Sound familiar?

The CEO is a super nice guy who grew up in the business, promoted most of his Vice

Presidents, and is great at leading a team of yesterday’s stars. Let’s call him G. Brandan

Cuthlewhite. But the Board of Directors got some new blood a couple of years back and

brought in some folks a couple generations younger than ‘leadership.’ Guess what? They have

been reading the writing on the subway walls (Cue Simon and Garfunkel here).

And the people bowed and prayed

To the neon god they made

And the sign flashed out its warning

In the words that it was forming

And the sign said:

“The words of the prophets are

Written on the subway walls

And tenement halls

And whispered in the sound of silence.”

The Board realizes doom is rapidly approaching, along with their stock options, if major

changes aren’t made. They consult some really big-name organizational guys who counsel them

that “it’ll be OK; you just need to implement Plan B Chapter 12.” Plan B is to clean the house

before the housekeeper arrives.

Surprisingly, a young rising star appeared almost out of nowhere that no one had seen coming.

Usually, he was from another ‘tribe,’ those mythical other ‘guys. Let’s call him Christopher or,

heaven forbid, Amanda. The old CEO harrumphs around for a while, throws a big retirement

party, and shuffles off to Buffalo or wherever.

But the real story is that the new guy/gal has been brought in to clean the house. They don’t

have any political baggage with current ‘leadership,’ owe them anything, or frankly could give

a rat’s ass about them – because THEY are the real problem. The new guy/person has a

secretive 5-year, no-cut contract with a shit-ton bonus at the end of the house is really, really

clean.

Now the fun starts. The REAL new CEO will be brought in once the house is clean. This is just

prep work. Suppose you are astute and look very closely. In that case, you might notice that a

small group of high-potential middle management has been pulled off the corporate ladder

©2024 Community Design Institute, All Rights Reserved, All Wrongs Reversed

track and offered a ‘special assignment.’ They probably moved out of corporate headquarters

into a small, decrepit old warehouse across town where they store old office furniture or some

such items. Whispers are sometimes heard that they are doing something called ‘strategic

foresight.’ The next decade’s business and operational plan.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Chris or Mandy bring in an outside executive outplacement firm

to ‘tidy up a bit.’ The first to get the axe (with a lovely golden parachute and nondisparagement

agreement) is the HR VP. You can see the plan evolving. If you are smart, you

update your resume and start calling headhunters. Anyone on the brown-nosing brigade with

the old guard starts getting questions like, “What are your alternate career plans?” during the

next performance review.

However, the real action is across town, where the “New Business Model Team (NBMT)” is

drafting business plan scenarios for review by the Board of Directors. Let’s call it Project

JANUS. Some intense thinking is going on now. What market are we in? Is this where we want

to be? What should we look like in 50 years?

We’re about two to three years into this now, and Chris or Mandy are lining up their next gig

—most likely a repeat performance in another vertical. There’s an old Silicon Valley saying:

“When the suits come in the front door, the talent goes out the back door.”

So, 2024 is the housecleaning. 2028 will be the real deal. The real question is who is that New

Business Model Team. Read the dance card at the DNC convention for some hints.

Authors’s Note: I’ve been to this rodeo at least three times in my career. The names have been

changed to protect the innocent.

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