As companies grow, complexity grows with them. More people, more tools, more conversations - and often, less clarity.
Recently, Forbes published an article exploring how visual collaboration tools are helping organizations stay aligned at scale. As part of that piece, ICON Amsterdam’s journey was included as an example of how structure and collaboration can unlock growth when a business feels stuck.
I wanted to add some personal context around that experience, because both the system and the mindset behind it were the real breakthrough.
When Hard Work Isn’t the Problem
In ICON’s early years, effort was never lacking. The team was working constantly, communicating across every possible channel, and pushing to launch new products.
But despite momentum, something wasn’t clicking.
We had conversations everywhere - Slack, WhatsApp, email - yet nothing felt truly aligned. Everyone was busy, but priorities weren’t always clear. Decisions lived in people’s heads instead of shared systems.
That disconnect was frustrating, especially when you know the brand has real potential.
Why We Built the ICON Command Center
The shift came when we stopped asking, “How do we work harder?” and started asking, “How do we see the business clearly?”
Working with an external consultant, we co-created what became the ICON Command Center - a visual collaboration workspace that brought strategy, KPIs, initiatives, and ownership into one shared environment.
For the first time, everyone could see:
- What mattered most
- Who owned what
- How each department connected to the bigger picture
The noise dropped and we regained clarity.
Transparency Changes Behaviour
One of the most powerful outcomes wasn’t speed - it was accountability.
When goals, progress, and metrics are visible to everyone, behaviour changes naturally. You don’t need to micromanage. Teams hold themselves - and each other - accountable.
That transparency rebuilt trust inside the company. It also changed how decisions were made. Conversations became more grounded. Trade-offs were clearer. Alignment stopped being a discussion point and became a default.
Tools Don’t Scale Businesses - Discipline Does
The Forbes article rightly highlights visual collaboration tools like Miro, Lucidchart, and others being used across industries - from the NFL to global enterprises.
But the real lesson is this - tools only work when they’re embedded into disciplined rhythms.
At ICON, the command center only became powerful once we paired it with structure:
- Weekly reviews
- Monthly targets
- Quarterly alignment sessions
Collaboration wasn’t abstract anymore. It had cadence, ownership, and follow-through.
What Changed for ICON
Once clarity returned, execution followed.
That shift helped move ICON from a place of stagnation into sustained growth. Over time, revenue scaled significantly, but more importantly, the company matured. Teams became more autonomous. Decision-making sped up. Culture strengthened.
The command center wasn’t about control - it was about shared understanding.
Why This Matters Now
As more companies operate in hybrid or distributed environments, the risk of fragmentation increases. Departments drift. Context gets lost. Alignment becomes reactive.
The insight I’d share with any founder or operator is simple: if everyone can’t clearly see how their work connects to the whole, growth will eventually stall.
The Forbes piece captures the broader trend well. This post is my perspective from inside the company - what it actually took to move from constant activity to focused progress.
You can read the full Forbes article here:
→ https://www.forbes.com/sites/katevitasek/2026/02/06/visual-collaboration-tools-help-companies-stay-on-the-same-page/
Clarity isn’t a soft concept. It’s a competitive advantage - and once you build systems that protect it, scale becomes far more sustainable.
