How to Get The Basics of Successful Strategy Implementation Right
If you want to succeed at implementing your corporate strategy, you must get the basics of successful strategy implementation right. We recommend starting with the leadership ABC’s of strategy implementation.
The Problem with Corporate Strategies
Too many corporate strategies are born in and “die” the board room. Why? Because the strategy, though carefully crafted by the executives who typically know what needs to be done for the organization to succeed, was:
How to Get The Basics of Successful Strategy Implementation Right
Here is how to do it right…follow the strategy implementation ABC’s:
1. Articulate Your Strategy Clearly and Often
Your business strategy must be compelling, concise and clearly stated. In our organizational alignment survey, we find that employees perceive that the organizational strategy is 50% less clear than their leaders believe. How can they fully implement a strategy they don’t fully understand?
Articulate your strategy not for board room executives but for mid-level and front-line personnel so they can personally and professionally connect with it. The more specific and straightforward, the better. Explain what you intend to do so that all decisions and actions are guided by your strategic intent.
You will know you are on the right track when the strategy is understood, believable and implementable in the eyes of your employees.
2. Broadcast Your Strategy Using Multiple Mediums
Use every means at your disposal to clearly and consistently communicate the corporate strategy throughout the organization. Initially an address by the CEO will underline the importance of the strategy to the company’s future success. Then the strategy should be powerfully highlighted at team meetings, in the company newsletter, in regular emails, internal blogs and brown bag lunches.
One announcement is not enough. As we have learned from successful change management projects, the shift of focus a strategy demands will not be accepted or understood until you hold open discussions, listen to and address questions and concerns, and reiterate the strategy often.
3. Cascade the Strategy Across the Organization
Give employees the information they need to make decisions and translate the strategy to their everyday jobs. Managers can help link the elements of your strategy to their functional areas. Managers can work with their teams to convert the high level plan into strategic and tactical actions that can be more practically understood, tracked and executed at the team level.
Done right, strategic cascading is where the “what” becomes the “how” and its effective implementation depends upon step-by-step planning, skilled coaching and transparent accountability.
The Bottom Line
High performing organizations understand that strategy alone won’t make the difference. It’s all in the execution of well understood, accepted, agreed-upon plans that support the company’s future growth.
To learn more than the basics of successful strategy implementation, download Solving the Mystery of Successful Strategy Execution
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