1) The Decision Rights Gap - You Already Know It’s Not Technology

Bain recently asked executives from miners worth a combined $300bn what matters most for improving site operations.

Technology came dead last.

What topped the list:

→ Buy-in from the front line and management

→ Understanding what actually creates value

→ Stable leadership

No surprise there. Most executives I speak with already know this.

The question isn’t whether people matter more than systems. It’s why capable people, with good intentions, still can’t get alignment to stick.

Here’s what I’ve found: alignment often breaks down at a specific point -when departmental KPIs conflict at the constraint.

Everyone’s doing their job. No one’s coordinating. And there’s no clear decision on who should call it.

It’s not a capability gap. It’s not a technology gap. It’s a decision rights gap that shows up as “execution issues.”

Clarifying that one question: "Who decides when KPIs conflict at the constraint " This has provided executives significantly more grip on assets that were previously unpredictable.

Not more control over people. More control over outcomes.