The just-in-time organization

“Succeeding by the skin of our teeth...”

Although not always proactive in preparing for change, this organization can “turn on a dime” when needed without losing sight of the big picture. Just-in-time organizations attract talented, motivated people. They are often fun, frenetic environments and great places to learn. An adventurous attitude runs through the office and can lead to real breakthroughs.

The challenge is repeatability. Without consistent, disciplined structures and processes, the organization cannot fully capitalize on opportunities or reproduce success reliably. It can produce flashes of excellence without becoming a dependable source of competitive advantage.

The just-in-time organization has a distinctive culture. When big things change in its environment, it adapts successfully. People are typically motivated more by values and pride in their company than by incentives and rewards. Although it holds on to good people and performs well financially, it has not yet achieved peak performance. It tends to miss opportunities by inches rather than miles and needs to move toward a more stable, sustainable management model.