The Core Issue — the Unexpected is Inevitable

Abstract

Why are so many highly experienced and competent leaders caught out and taken by surprise by unexpected events for which they are unprepared, with the consequence that they then do things that seriously damage their organizations and themselves? Why do they fail to notice the alarm signals that are so often shown to have been sounding long before the specific event that did them so much harm actually occurred? What was it that during 2008 caused the leaders of many of the world’s long-established and highly respected financial institutions to lead these institutions to self-destruction, dragging the global economy down with them?