Capability Unboxed Mini Series (powered by CIAB+) #7
Organisations invest heavily in Target Operating Model (TOM) design.
New structures are defined. Governance is redesigned. Processes are mapped. So why do so many of the same problems still remain?
In this final episode of Capability Unboxed, Fatimah Abbouchi explores why operating model redesign often fails to deliver real change — and why the missing piece is capability clarity.
Most TOM exercises focus on what is visible: structures, reporting lines, decision forums, and processes. But these elements don’t create performance on their own. They are mechanisms that support capability — not substitutes for it.
When underlying capability gaps exist — unclear ownership, weak coordination, fragmented decision-making — structural redesign alone won’t resolve them. The result is familiar: new diagrams, new forums, and new ways of working… with the same bottlenecks, delays, and cross-functional friction.
This episode reframes operating model design through a capability-first lens. Instead of starting with structure, Fatimah explores how organisations can anchor on outcomes, identify the capabilities required to deliver them reliably, and then design operating models that support those capabilities.
She also reflects on the patterns seen across the series — from capability vs capacity, to ownership, regulation, and governance — bringing them together into a single insight: organisations don’t succeed because of structure alone, but because their capabilities enable them to perform consistently over time.
Whether you’re leading transformation, redesigning an operating model, or trying to make strategy stick, this episode offers a clearer way to approach organisational design.
In this episode, I cover:
0:42 Why Capability Clarity Matters
3:05 Agile and AI Trigger Op Model Redesign
6:05 When Restructures Fail at Execution
10:27 Capability Ownership Fixes Hidden Gaps
13: Why Op Model Redesign Misses Reality
16:35 Start with Outcomes then Map Capabilities
20:03 capability in a Box and Key Client Pain Points
And more...
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Learn more about podcast host Fatimah Abbouchi
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