In systems engineering, we begin with stakeholder needs and break it down into functions in terms of subsystems, interfaces, and feedback loops. This logic applies equally to a product rollout or an organisational restructure. Without a defined success condition, your architecture will collapse under the weight of guesswork.

One of my facilitation mantras is: “Design backwards.” Work from the desired future  requirement toward the present. Map the logic path. Identify which functions enable which outputs. Ask not just what do we want to do, but why does it matter and how will we know when we've done it? 

It might surprise you, but many leaders avoid defining the end. Why? Because clarity invites accountability. If you say, “We aim to improve regional service reliability by 17% within 18 months,” you now have a measurable, potentially uncomfortable, reality to face.

Far easier to say, “We’re committed to excellence,” or “We aim to empower transformation.” Inspiring? Perhaps. Useful? Rarely.

And yet, in my experience across many diverse companies, those who dared to define success in precise terms created more freedom, not less. Clarity simplifies delegation. It aligns teams. It prevents the painful drift of well-meaning chaos.

To lead well in today’s volatile environment, you must be a system designer as much as a strategist. Define your outputs. Identify the necessary flows—of people, tools, decisions, data—and build only what’s needed to support them.

If you cannot describe what “done” looks like without using platitudes, you are not ready to scale, hire, or invest. Your leadership style, mind-set and company culture makes a big difference.

And yes, this is uncomfortable. But so is drifting into irrelevance because your organisation mistook movement for progress.

Smart Questions to think about:

Prompt 1: In what ways can defining long-term, outcome-based goals—independent of current tools or personnel—shift your organisation’s behaviour from short-term wins to enduring progress?

Prompt 2: How does this change the design of your systems, the clarity of your communication, and the direction of your leadership?