PROGRESS OR A SERIES OF FALSE STARTS MIMICKING PROGRESS???

I don't mean that question to be flippant, but I keep seeing companies being put on hold or paralyzed while there is major maneuvering going on at the top (EC, Board and partnerships).  Notice that I said maneuvering, not progressing or moving forward  but engaged at a different level of concern than the day to day business. 

While your EC and Board are actually creating a new game for the company to play, your people at work touching customers are playing the old game. And they like it better. New concepts, strategy, new processes don't make  people happy or hopeful. They want the freedom to help customers, to trust that sequestered leaders have them in mind and the knowledge that  company momentum will start again.

What's my point?
--The work at the top can be as slow as a chess game with lots of pause for thought and adjustment.
--Work that touches the customer must be nimble and active.
--When the top group turns their attention to the outside demands (very justified) the average employee experiences a void of energy and direction.
--If your company has had many such new starts, they can be seen as false starts and caution and fear and passivity become the norm.

Make sure that you have top level leaders devoted to the everyday business with relentless focus while the rest work on what is yet to come.  Reward these leaders with big bonuses for keeping things going with a full head of steam.  Don't let the flow of your business get paralyzed by the uncertainty of new direction. Keep the energy moving.