Only 61 companies in the original Fortune 500 list published in 1955 are still around. The average life expectancy of a company is a mere 15 years. Yet, there are some companies that defy the odds and remain successful for 50-100 years. What do they do differently?

Our research reveals that long-lasting organizations continually reinvent themselves both in terms of what they offer to the market, and their internal capabilities. In today’s open source digital era, this recurring reinvention is more important than ever before. The Brains-Bones-Nerves (BBN) framework is designed for leadership teams that want to effectively manage this reinvention process on an ongoing basis.

BBN is a tool that enables leadership teams to regularly assess if the organization’s Strategy (Brains), Organization Architecture (Bones), and Culture (Nerves) are in tune with today’s high-speed business environment, and to make real-time changes as needed.  The extent to which a senior leadership team pro-actively shapes these three elements is the key determinant of success.

1. BRAINS: Not only must the vision and strategy be compelling and differentiated, it must be cascaded down the organization such that every single employee can fully understand and articulate the value proposition offered. Through their actions and communication, the leadership team must create widespread understanding and acceptance.
2. BONES: To enable smooth execution, resources must be deployed in the most efficient and effective manner. This involves sourcing the right people for the right jobs; clarifying roles, responsibilities and decision rights; and keeping a fluid and simple organization structure.
3. NERVES:  At the end of the day, an organization’s culture tells people what to do when no one is looking. Culture is the only remaining competitive advantage that companies can build today. It is the job of the leadership team to create and maintain a culture of high performance and excellence.

As a result of attending, participants will receive:

• An overview of key issues and challenges related to the three BBN elements in the context of today’s open source digital age
• A diagnostic for measuring current effectiveness of the leadership team in shaping the Brains, Bones and Nerves of the organization
• Highly practical tips, tools and techniques to strengthen each of the three pillars