The Yoke of Pressure

Restaurant Aan de Zweth in Schipluiden. Frits had called me to meet up. He thought it was high time. We really hadn't spoken to each other for too long. I knew that Frits had taken over his father's business a few years ago. And now we were sitting outside on the terrace with a good cup of coffee. Frits had been an accountant with one of the Big 4, someone who enjoys his profession and has a lot of heart for the business. But he is also a bit of an inside man, I have to say.

Steep learning curve

Frits should have taken over his father's business headlong when his father became seriously ill. From accountancy to semiconductors. 'A very steep learning curve I must confess,' he says, chuckling. He's all set to burst forth.
'Ho, ho ... but first, how's your Dad?' I ask.
'Yes, thankfully much better again ... thanks. But he has to take it very easy.'
'Happy. Good to hear. And how are you?'

Busy, busy, busy

'Well... busy! I don't know how Dad did it, but I feel like I'm working 24/7. And surely the settling-in period is really over after all these years. I know the team well now and so do key customers and suppliers.'
'But are you working on the essentials or are you just picking up everything?" I ask.
Frits sighs. 'Yes, an annoying but good question,' he says thoughtfully.
'I feel like almost everything is essential or at least urgent. And you know, that pressure isn't easing. Not on me and not on the team. It's very easy to judge from the outside about urgent and non-urgent. And about essential and non-essential. As the person in charge, I find these choices really difficult. Expectations of customers, expectations of my staff and priorities of my team. I cannot - increasingly - rank these clearly. Making the right choices then becomes difficult. At least that's how it feels.

The good movement

Very quickly, my own experiences as a board and managing director shot through my mind. The many interests, stakeholders and long- and short-term goals.
'Yes, I can imagine that very well. I remember Frits, that your Dad always wanted to digitize. Have you got that behind you now?" I say. Frits laughs a little. 'You don't forget anything either,' Frits says.
He takes a slightly oversized sip of coffee.
'Behind the back? There's a lot to be done about that. I call that the Yoke of Pressure.
'The yoke of pressure,' nicely put.
He laughs for a moment.
'We determined the strategy a long time ago, but we can't complete the conversion. As I said, certain decisions just don't come to us. And you know ... with every delay comes new challenges and possible solutions. And that's what I would like to talk to you about. That's why we're here. I want to create an outline to get the right movement again in this great company.'
'Great, we're going to do that,' I say.

Bounce & Steer in Brief

Bounce & Steer is an approach developed by Jan Hein Bax himself. Leaders in most cases know where they want to go strategically with their organization. Yet they often run into something. Day-to-day operational matters generally run smoothly. What is missing, however, is the tactical part. The part that ensures that the strategy is translated into clear choices and targeted actions to achieve the strategic goals.

Based on my Bounce & Steer methodology, I ensure movement in the right direction. Are we going to implement the very things that ensure progress and growth. Are you an owner, CEO or shareholder and do you recognize the yoke of pressure? Then contact me.