Enterprise A-Z: Windows
When the System Is More Movable
Most of the time, the system feels heavy. Then something happens – a crisis, a major incident, a leadership change, a new regulation, a big customer demand – and suddenly conversations that were “impossible” last year are now on the table.
Those moments are windows. They don’t stay open for long.
Why windows matter
In windows, some of the usual defenses drop: “we’ve always done it this way,” “too risky,” “no appetite.” People are already primed for change and looking for credible ways to respond.
If you’re not ready when a window opens, you end up reacting piecemeal, or watching it close while people revert to old patterns. If you are ready, you can move one or two big pieces further than would be possible in “normal” time.
What windows actually are
Windows of opportunity show up as:
External shocks: regulatory moves, investor pressure, public incidents, climate or social events that touch your business.
Internal shifts: a new CEO, a major reorganisation, a strategic reset, a crisis that exposes existing fragilities.
Moments of focus: board strategy days, big customer negotiations, turnaround efforts, cost‑out or reinvestment drives.
You don’t control these. But you can choose how prepared you are to use them.
How to start
Look back for your own pattern. Think about the last 3–5 years in your organisation. When did meaningful shifts on sustainability move faster than usual? What was happening around them? Who was paying attention? That history tells you what “windows” tend to look like where you are.
Keep a short, sharp “if a window opened” list. Maintain a living list of 2–3 moves you would put on the table if a window opened tomorrow – a governance tweak, a key investment, a mandate clarification, a partnership, a structural change. Make sure each is specific, grounded, and has at least one potential sponsor.
When a window opens, focus. When you sense a window – a crisis, a leadership shift, a major reset – resist the urge to push everything. Choose one or two of the moves on your list and bring them forward quickly and clearly, tied to what the organisation is already trying to navigate.
You can’t manufacture windows on demand. You can decide to live as someone who is ready for them – so that when the system is briefly more movable, you’re not scrambling for ideas, but stepping in with grounded, workable proposals.
