How to Focus on What is Most Important Strategically

A Guide for Leaders: How to Focus on What is Most Important Strategically
We know from leadership simulation assessment data that it is easy for leaders to get swept up in immediate demands and distractions instead of being able to focus on what is most important strategically. We know from organizational alignment research that organizations struggle to align day-to-day actions with long-term strategic goals because urgent issues overtake important ones. Effective strategic focus, however, doesn’t mean ignoring immediate concerns; it involves a disciplined approach to identifying, prioritizing, and reinforcing a clear strategic direction.

5 Ways to Focus on What is Most Important Strategically
Here’s how to focus on what’s most important strategically to ensure that you make every investment and effort count.

1. Make Sure That Your Strategic Drivers Are Meaningful Enough
   When we create a one-page strategy map, we start with a company’s strategic drivers — their vision, mission, and core values. Strategic drivers create an agreed upon true north for strategic goals because they outline what you hope to become in the future —the Strategic Vision, why the organization exists — The Mission Statement, , and the behaviors and team norms that matter most along the way —the Organization’s Core Values.

   Are your strategic drivers compelling enough to enlist the hearts and minds of your organization?

2. Define The Critical Few Strategic Priorities Clearly and Consistently
   Based upon the context of your strategic drivers, the first step toward strategic focus is defining the two or three goals that matter most over the next 6 to 12 months to get you where you want to go. Why just two or three? Because successful strategy execution begins with ruthless strategic focus.  We know from action learning leadership development data that effort, intensity, and follow through become severely diluted when too many goals compete for attention.

   The ability to focus on what is most important strategically does not mean that you ignore innovation, or the urgent activities and issues required to run the business.  It means having the courage to say “no” to good ideas while purposefully limiting what you want to accomplish beyond running the day-to-day business so that your strategic energy and focus has the greatest comparative impact.

   Has your leadership team agreed on the one or two big goals that matter most?

3. Filter Opportunities Through Strategic Criteria
   Organizations are frequently presented with enticing opportunities that may appear promising but deviate from their one or two big goals. We know from project postmortem data that without a defined and agreed upon strategic filtering process, it is easy to waste resources on initiatives that do not add strategic value. Establish criteria based on organizational goals to assess each new opportunity so that leaders can say “no” with confidence when projects don’t align with what matters most.

   Have you created a transparent and agreed upon process that purposefully protects resources and ensures that teams stay engaged and focused on what matters most?

4. Prioritize Strategic Decision Making Capabilities
   Strategic focus requires strategic decision making — especially when the stakes are high and not all information is readily available. Faced with hundreds of operational and strategic decisions under demanding time constraints, leaders need the motivation and capability to make tough choices with limited resources.  We know from decision making training data that teams must have an agreed upon decision making process combined with enough business acumen to understand how decisions impact the overall business.

   Do your teams have the strategic decision-making capabilities required to consistently pick and win the right strategic battles?

5. Review and Refine Strategic Priorities Regularly
   We know from change management training that strategies are not static because markets, customers, employees, and competitors are constantly shifting. To ensure strategic alignment relevance, it is important to regularly challenge, review, and refine strategic priorities through a weekly, monthly, and quarterly cadence of accountability. Hold teams accountable to celebrating strategic successes, addressing strategic shortfalls, and making strategic course corrections.

   Are your leaders continuously adjusting strategic focus as needed to create realignment, minimize non-strategic work, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and mitigate risks?

The Bottom Line
Staying focused on what is strategically most important takes a serious organizational commitment. Leaders play a pivotal role in fostering an aligned culture that encourages strategic focus and executional discipline.  With all the potential distractions, the ability to stay strategically focused is a true competitive advantage.

To learn more about how to focus on what is most important strategically, download How Strategic Clarity Distinguishes High Performing Leaders – The Elite 6%