• We had worked on major £multi-million projects with top global companies, so we knew the Planning processes (concept and detailed)
• From studying Whole Brain Thinking we realised that planning teams needed to engage many different ways of thinking to ensure success and minimise errors
• When we analysed hundreds of media stories of failed Strategies, Plans, Projects, and Innovations, the Thinking Errors became obvious ... to us

In most ‘failure’ cases we studied, we could see exactly where Thinking Errors occurred. We could spot the precise Thinking Styles missed or fudged at which stages in the Planning process. Many errors were ‘obvious’ in hindsight.

In one £billion disaster story we identified a total of 21 avoidable Thinking Errors. And Nasa's Challenger Space Shuttle disaster was a classic case of a highly intelligent team getting stuck in the wrong way of thinking.

For research into Communications, we used our unique experience of working in Marketing and Purchasing, two polar opposite perspectives and ways of thinking. When we studied communications from the customers’ perspective, for example advertising or trade exhibition stands, the Thinking Errors were obvious.

Obvious to us, but not to the exhibitors. They were all convinced that their messages were crystal clear. We realised that they were incapable of seeing their communications from the customers' perspective ... until we pointed out the potential confusion or missing information. 

We applied our Quality Assurance system for communications (AdQA) to all types of communications, as seen/heard from the customers' perspective. From simple signs and advertising to exhibition stands, detailed brochues, websites, and sales presentations.

We analysed why even experts made simple, often costly mistakes in their communications without being aware of the errors.

Our research into "What affects performance ..." was based on analysis of media stories on actual performance, good and poor. But our valuable insights came from:

- our team development work, eg resolving teamworking problems
- experience of working for, and with, global organisations on £multi-million projects, and
- over 20 years HR/D experience with major global corporations.

• Most people, and teams, don’t think HOW they think, and are unaware of the consequences (eg GroupThink and costly Thinking Errors) until it’s too late.
• Many Leaders do not fully appreciate the job of Leadership or the need to flex their Leadership styles. Leadership training is unfocused and highly fragmented.
• All organisations tend to be inward-looking and miss ‘hidden’ opportunities for business improvement. They find it difficult to ‘step outside’ to see their business from the customers’ perspective, especially their communications.