Diagnose the pattern. Apply the right lever. Build capability that lasts.
Hi, I’m Neil Walker — welcome.
This is where transformation leaders come when the frameworks aren’t working.
For over 30 years, I’ve been the strategic troubleshooter organisations call when escalations multiply and established approaches fail. From the Bank of England to UBS, from Barclays to UK Government — I’ve recovered failing programmes, coached executives through complexity, and built operating models that actually deliver.
That pattern recognition is now documented in Thriving in Turbulence — a diagnostic framework (CIRCA-CLEAR) born from 200+ real-world interventions across banking, government, technology, and professional services.
The core insight: Most transformation failures aren’t execution problems — they’re misdiagnosis. Teams apply the wrong intervention because they haven’t accurately read the conditions. CIRCA-CLEAR fixes that gap.
Whether you’re navigating turbulence, building adaptive capability, or simply trying to work out why progress has stalled — you’re in the right place.
Thriving in Turbulence
Diagnose conditions. Apply the right lever. Build capability.
Published November 2025 | Available on Leanpub and Amazon
The book organisations need when transformation stalls despite everyone working harder than ever. CIRCA-CLEAR provides:
- Pattern recognition that diagnoses conditions in 2-3 days
- Matched interventions with 2-4 week testing cycles
- Leading indicators (ThroughFlow, Human Pulse) that predict problems before they escalate
- Framework integration that makes your OKRs, SAFe, and Team Topologies work better
Foreword by Giles Lindsay, author of Clearly Agile and The Adaptive Leader.
👉 Get the book → Available on Leanpub and Amazon
CIRCA-CLEAR Framework
CIRCA diagnoses five turbulence conditions: Complex, Insecure, Rapid, Contradictory, Anxious.
CLEAR provides five matched responses: Clarity, Learning, Empathy, Agility, Resilience.
Most frameworks tell you what to do. CIRCA-CLEAR tells you why it’s not working — so you apply the right intervention at the right time.
👉 Learn about CIRCA → 👉 Explore CIRCA-CLEAR →
Latest insights
-
Why Sticky Notes and Workshops Power Creative Collaboration
In the world of product teams and agile organizations, sticky notes and workshops are more than just colorful distractions—they’re tools that unlock collective intelligence. Whether you’re brainstorming the next feature or mapping a user journey, sticky notes let you make…
-
Reflecting on the Shift: From Answer Man to Empowered Leader
Last week I wrote about Lessons from Intent-Based Leadership, the shift from being the “answer man” to an empowered leader, a transformative but not easy journey. It requires a mindset change, self-awareness, and a willingness to let go of habits…
-
From Answer Man to Empowered Leader: Lessons from Intent-Based Leadership
For much of my career, I prided myself on being the “answer man.” I’d spent tens of thousands of hours developing expertise in a range of specialisms. People came to me with problems, and I responded with solutions, drawing on…
-
Build Leadership Agility: Why Command-and-Control Will Kill Agility
Leadership is often the deciding factor in whether an organization succeeds or struggles in its agility journey. Yet, many organizations cling to command-and-control leadership styles, believing that tighter oversight leads to better outcomes. It doesn’t. If you want to derail…
-
Agility over Agile
“Agility over Agile” is a concept that emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and responsive to change, rather than strictly adhering to the methodologies or frameworks commonly associated with Agile as used in projects and product development. Here’s why this…
-
Push Past the Status Quo: A Guide for Change Activists in Organizations
For change activists in organizations, pushing past the status quo can feel like an uphill battle. It’s easy for teams and individuals to fall into the comfort of routine, relying on the “this is how we’ve always done it” mindset.…
-
The Illusion of Predictability: Navigating Uncertainty in Complex Projects
In the realm of complex projects, predictability often emerges as a top priority for executives. The allure of being able to forecast outcomes, timelines, and budgets with precision is undeniably attractive. Predictability promises control, stability, and a semblance of certainty…
Categories
Adaptability (16) Agile (49) Agility (110) Change (20) Coaching (5) Complexity (21) Culture (15) Curiosity (6) Design Thinking (4) Enterprise Social (3) Events (9) Future of Work (22) Futures Thinking (13) Leadership (51) Lean (5) Methods and Approaches (22) Patterns (4) People (11) People-Centric (8) Product (18) Simplicity (12) Strategy (23) Systems Thinking (8) Thriving in Turbulence (4) Workshops (5)
Tags
Adaptability (14) Agile (15) Agile Coaching (4) Agile Culture (16) Agile Leadership (39) Agile Mindset (6) Agile Transformation (7) Agility (105) Americas Cup (6) Book Launch (4) Business Agility (64) Change (6) Change Management (4) CIRCA-CLEAR (8) CIRCA model (18) Co-creation (4) Collaboration (8) Collaboration Tools (4) Complexity (10) Continuous Improvement (62) Continuous Learning (45) Crystal Clear (5) Cultural Catalyst (4) Culture (8) Culture Change (5) Curiosity (22) Customer centricity (4) Design Thinking (4) Digital Transformation (6) DSDM (4) Employee Engagement (4) Enterprise Social Networks (5) Future of Work (21) Ingenious Agility (5) Innovation (24) Leadership (104) Leadership Development (4) Lean (6) Lean Change (9) Lean Product (4) Methods (6) Organizational Agility (61) Organizational Change (7) People-Centric (4) Product (21) Product Mindset (8) Product Mode (4) Product thinking (4) Project Management (6) Scrum (4) Simplicity (8) Status quo (4) Strategy (4) Systemic Thinking (7) Systems Thinking (7) Value Delivery (5) VUCA (7) Workshops (4) XP (4) Yacht Racing (3)