Online Discussion

Strategic Context and Operating Model Clarity: Is Your Capability Investment Starting in the Right Place?

Before you invest in capability, how confident are you that the problem you're solving is actually a capability problem — and that your operating model is designed to deliver what the investment is supposed to enable?

Sep 9, 2026 15:00
16:00
BST
·
Online (MS Teams)
For senior supply chain leaders only
How this meeting works
  • Practitioner-led working session
  • No pitches
  • Small-group, facilitated discussion
  • Works best when you can engage actively
  • Chatham House Rule
  • Limited places to preserve quality

Suggested Discussion Points

  • How to assess whether current constraints reflect capability gaps or operating model limitations
  • When network design, governance or organisational structure changes need to precede a capability investment
  • How the partner ecosystem — 3PL relationships, technology partners, outsourced functions — shapes what any investment can realistically deliver
  • How sustained volatility is changing what a resilient operating model actually needs to look like
  • What an honest capability gap assessment requires, and why different stakeholders often reach different conclusions from the same evidence

Discussion Host(s)

To be confirmed.

Discussion Co-Host(s)

To be confirmed.

Moderator(s)

To be confirmed.

Why this session exists

Many capability investments underdeliver not because the solution was wrong but because the strategic context was never settled first. The operating model was unclear. Network design assumptions were untested. Different leaders had different views of what the investment was actually supposed to achieve. And the presenting problem turned out to be a strategy problem in disguise.

This session examines the layer that should sit upstream of any capability investment decision: what the operating model is designed to do, whether the organisation has an honest view of where it actually is, and how sustained volatility is changing what a resilient operating model needs to look like.

What you'll leave with

  • A clearer sense of whether your current performance constraints reflect capability gaps, operating model limitations, or partner ecosystem constraints that investment alone won't resolve
  • Peer perspective on how leaders have approached operating model clarity before committing to capability investment
  • A practical test for whether your organisation is ready to sequence investment decisions well
  • A sharper view of which questions need answering before any solution enters the conversation

Who this meeting is for

This meeting is designed for people working through real operational and innovation decisions, rather than those seeking presentations or general inspiration.

Who for

  • Supply chain and operations leaders considering a significant capability investment and uncertain whether the strategic foundations are in place
  • Leaders who suspect their performance constraints may reflect operating model limitations rather than capability gaps
  • Transformation leaders who want to pressure-test their investment framing before vendors or consultants enter the conversation

Who not for

  • Teams primarily looking for technology demonstrations or vendor comparisons
  • Anyone seeking a passive, webinar-style session rather than a peer discussion

How the online session works

Each session is designed as an online equivalent of a small, in-room roundtable discussion — not a passive, webinar-style presentation.

The format adapts to the topic and the experience in the room:

  • Where participants already have strong knowledge, we typically start by inviting individuals to expand on specific points they have shared in advance. This helps surface real-world context quickly and anchors the discussion in practical experience.
  • Where the topic is less familiar or more specialised, we may begin with a short explainer to establish a shared baseline before opening up the discussion.

To support productive dialogue, we often invite a subject-matter expert to join the session. This may be someone from a vendor, consultancy, or independent background — sometimes from within the community, sometimes external.

Their role is not to pitch or present a solution. Instead, they listen carefully to the discussion and reflect back:

  • how similar challenges have been approached in comparable organisations
  • what has worked (and what hasn’t) in practice
  • concrete examples that help translate discussion into action

This balance is deliberate. Without it, sessions can drift into abstract debate or problem-sharing. With it, discussions stay grounded and participants leave with tangible ideas they can apply in their own context.

The emphasis throughout is on shared learning, practical insight, and forward progress, rather than polished presentations or predetermined answers.

What happens next

Participation is confirmed through a short, staged process designed to ensure a good fit and a productive discussion for everyone in the room.

Step 1: Register interest

You start by entering your details and answering a short set of questions about your current context and the decisions on your radar.

Step 2: We sense-check fit and composition

We may follow up to clarify a few details. This is about making sure the discussion works for everyone in the room.

Step 3: You receive a personal invitation

Once confirmed, you will receive a personal invitation with the session agenda, who else will be joining, and clear joining instructions.