Who’s in the Room?

About the Author

Bob Frisch, managing partner of The Strategic Offsites Group, has a distinguished career working with a wide range of organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to German mittelstand family businesses, and even the U.S. Department of State. His expertise in strategic planning and organizational management has been highlighted in prestigious publications like the Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Fortune. Frisch is renowned for his unique insights into the dynamics of executive decision-making and team management, which are thoroughly explored in his book Who's in the Room?

Main Idea

In Who's in the Room?, Bob Frisch challenges the conventional wisdom about executive decision-making processes. Contrary to the popular belief that senior management teams (SMTs) make all critical decisions collectively, Frisch reveals that most decisions are actually made by a "team with no name"—a small, informal group of trusted advisers. This book explores how great leaders can effectively structure and manage their teams to make the right decisions at the right time by leveraging a flexible, ad hoc approach to team composition and decision-making.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Who's in the Room?
2. From Problem to Portfolio
3. Most Companies Are Run by Teams with No Names
4. Team Building Won't Solve the Problem
5. Don't Blame the Boss
6. Four Fundamental Conflicts at the Heart of Senior Management Teams
7. Case Study: How One CEO Transformed His Top Team
8. Best Practices: Design an Organization that Delivers the Outcomes You Need
9. Engage the Senior Management Team in Three Critical Conversations No Other Team Can Have
10. Align the Senior Management Team Around a Common View of the World
11. Prioritize and Integrate Initiatives to Hit the Strategic Bull's-Eye
12. Move from 'Should We Do This?' to 'How Do We Do This?'
13. Tailor Your Portfolio of Teams for Top Performance Now

Introduction: Who's in the Room?

The introduction sets the stage by debunking the myth that senior management teams (SMTs) are the primary decision-makers in organizations. Instead, Bob Frisch highlights that critical decisions are often made by a select group of trusted advisers, a "team with no name." This informal group operates outside the formal organizational chart and process flow diagrams, yet plays a crucial role in effective decision-making.

"Most of the world's best executives make decisions in ways that don't show up on an organization chart or a process flow diagram." - Bob Frisch

Frisch argues that understanding and embracing the true nature of decision-making in organizations can lead to more effective leadership and better organizational outcomes.

From Problem to Portfolio

In this section, Frisch discusses the limitations of the traditional SMT model and introduces the concept of a portfolio of teams. He explains that instead of relying on a single, monolithic team for all decisions, leaders should create and utilize a variety of teams, each tailored to specific tasks and decisions. This approach allows for more flexibility and responsiveness to the unique demands of different situations.

Frisch emphasizes that this shift does not require a complete organizational overhaul but rather a change in perspective and the adoption of a few simple steps to refine the decision-making process.

"It's time to free decision-making and decision makers throughout your organization from the tyranny of the organization chart." - Bob Frisch