Arsene Wenger’s departure from Arsenal at the end of this season marks the end of a protracted period of uncertainty for the North London club.  The catalyst for change was a desire to improve results, but growing unrest among supporters undoubtedly added extra tension and would have influenced the club's thinking. We’ve already posted a short analysis of the mood of Arsenal supporters in the run-up to the announcement. In this post we’re exploring the broader question of how organisations deal with a problem which grows over time. The narrative pulls in examples from the non-football world, but stick with it. The message is that the challenge faced

by Arsenal was not unique to football. The club needed to understand the intensity and trajectory of a problem which only revealed its full force over time. Many organisations have faced the same challenge and many more will do so in the future. NOT EVERY PROBLEM IS OBVIOUS In recent seasons the protesters attached to the #WengerOut movement have been visible and very vocal, but the risk they posed was not clearly understood. At times, the protest was regarded as wallpaper to Arsenal's season - something that was just there. Slow-burning problems pose a unique challenge as they… read more »