The VSM is rarely applied at a level of behaviour in specific situations – what is done, what is said, how it is framed. What is missing in incomplete contracts, the last mile of execution where the usual tools of organising do not apply. This preference in focus is mirrored in the fact that many representations of the VSM omit the squiggly lines between various S1 operations. And yet, at this very level we experience the same tension between performance – the horizontal force – focused on contextuality, adaptability, and therefore on a certain autonomy of execution, and cohesion – the vertical force – focused on standards, co-ordination, and alignment.
This talk explores the means of influencing this last mile, and scaffolding for alignment, without decreasing the necessary level of autonomy. It draws examples from the Ritz Carlton and Zara.
