"Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets" - Edward Deming. This timeless and irrefutable statement has never been more accurate. Unfortunately, many organizations have system parts that are not well-defined, aligned, and integrated to work together to produce specific objectives. It's the highest-ranking executive's responsibility in any organization or team to ensure there is a rational, effective, and efficient system for talent, functional teams, and capital to plug into and optimally contribute. Where there are performance issues I ask the following three questions in descending order:
Are senior executive performance and compensation metrics aligned to produce desired outcomes?
Is the senior executive capable of imagining, designing, implementing, and leading an effective and efficient system as described above?
Are there adequate and capable second-line leaders?
When looking to understand the underperformance of any organization, ask and answer the above three first, because everything else is noise!