torque wrench and socket set. Green screwdriver set from part tool. And four black screw bolts

Some weekends ago was working on one of my bicycles. I had a little bit of squeaking and went to use a torque wrench and the guidance of the user manual to make sure that items were in the correct set. When I got around to the headset, stem, I noticed they were definitely not according to specification. They were in fact, too loose to safely continue riding.

So I began to tighten them according to the Newton meters prescribed within the manual. I got to the second of the four headset stem bolts and this one ended up snapping. Despite using the instructions and the recommended tool, there were still an incorrect proportion of force applied. I sought some council at a local bike shop, and was able to find replacement bolts. But the lesson was learned, despite having the instructions, the right context, and even the right tool, there can still be situations where too much force is applied. And that force could cause a bolt to snap.

Thankfully, bolts can be replaced. And in some circumstances, there can be the application of cure-all methods in order to retrieve the broken bolt out of its place.

And in the same way, the analogy to businesses and their leaders also falls into place. Despite our best efforts, despite having the right team or the right context, we can also put too much force into a thing. And that may cause elements of a company to snap. That may cause people to snap, that might cause processes to snap. In the worst cases, there may be a law or regulation that snaps, causing irrevocable damage to the company and its participants.

Every company should pay attention to their standard operating procedures, and the governing laws and regulations of their industry, to ensure that things are not too loose. And when they are, use the right tools to put things in order.

In the case of Avanceé, we consult much in the same way a bike shop. We can advise you of better positions to apply force, different tools to measure force and features, and even in some cases recommend replacement “bolts” to your suite of operational equipment. Avanceé cannot change all of the contexts and controls of your business, nor do we want to. Avanceé cannot change the ripples which come from stripping bolts - putting too much force into structures worn down from age, relevancy, application, etc. Our methods rely on a series of sensemaking techniques and a continually evolving web of attention to create approaches which ignite desired results. And from there, we help you keep your eyes on what matters - outcomes - not the polish of the tool or fad of the moment.

My bicycle is back into working order. Most built things can be made new with just a bit of a different approach. If your team or business is interested in applying a different wrench to the challenges you face, then let us know how we can help so that you can keep rolling without unwanted squeaks.