The Protected Zone: Joining the Dots Across Hard-to-Reach Areas
In preparing for a recent session for Change Ambassadors at the West Yorks Fire and Rescue I was looking back over my CV and bringing some stories forward. One thread jumped out, those 'no-go' areas where I've been asked to dabble a number of times. Like a subbuteo keeper on the end of the stick asked to go where others fear to tread. It got me thinking how much big picture, and BIG PICTURE, thinking has helped me on such occasions.
Every organisation has its hard-to-reach areas—those parts of the business that feel isolated due to their specialised focus, external relationships, or distinct priorities. Whether it’s lawyers, fire fighters, rocket scientists, partners, suppliers, or even the gap between management and the rest of the business, these areas can be tricky to integrate into the broader organisational picture.
At BIG PICTURE, we specialise in breaking down these barriers using tools like the Customer Journey, Opportunities, and Measures, all framed within a shared language that connects every part of the organisation. Let’s explore how to bridge these gaps in three key scenarios.
Specialist roles—lawyers, fire fighters, or rocket scientists—are often some of the hardest to reach. Their work is critical but operates within its own silo, making alignment with the rest of the organisation a challenge. For instance, in the Government Legal Department (GLD), lawyers prioritised case integrity, while operational teams focused on efficiency and speed. Two worlds, two languages.
To bridge this divide, we used the Customer Journey to connect their work. This visual tool helped each group see how their contributions aligned with a shared purpose: delivering better outcomes for clients. By showing how even distinct roles contributed to a shared goal, the teams found common ground and worked collaboratively.
Takeaway: Use the Customer Journey to integrate hard-to-reach specialist roles into the organisational mission, creating alignment while respecting their expertise.
Partners and suppliers are often some of the least understood areas of the business, making them hard to reach in terms of collaboration and strategy. Yet they are critical:
Organisations frequently struggle to map these relationships clearly on their BIG PICTURE canvas. The key is to focus on Opportunities and Challenges. For example, working with suppliers to identify where they can innovate to reduce costs, or collaborating with partners to unlock new potential in a shared project.
Takeaway: Define Partners and Suppliers clearly, then work collaboratively to address shared Opportunities and Challenges, turning these relationships into strategic advantages.
The disconnect between management and the rest of the organisation is one of the most persistent hard-to-reach areas. While management focuses on strategy and high-level metrics, frontline teams deal with the realities of day-to-day operations. Without a bridge, frustration and disengagement can take root.
The solution lies in adopting a shared language and focusing on Measures that matter to everyone. At BIG PICTURE, we encourage management to use symbols like Team, Challenge, and Opportunity to communicate goals in a relatable way. Measures such as efficiency or productivity can also be reframed into meaningful milestones for all teams, turning metrics into a shared story rather than abstract targets.
Takeaway: Build alignment between management and teams by simplifying language and focusing on measures that resonate with both perspectives.
The hardest-to-reach areas of your organisation aren’t just physical—they’re the places where silos form, communication breaks down, and collaboration struggles. Whether you’re working with specialist roles, external partners, or internal leadership, the key is joining the dots using tools like BIG PICTURE.
By mapping out connections, creating shared language, and aligning goals, you can turn these isolated zones into collaborative spaces.
What are the hard-to-reach areas in your organisation? How are you connecting them? Let’s start the conversation—because great change begins with a single dot. Grab our Cheat Sheet and have a go yourself with your colleagues,
