How Do We Get There: Is Your Organization’s Strategy Working for You?

In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, organizations are often forced to remain competitive by adopting a culture of rapid change. However, updating and communicating the organizations’ strategy to reflect these changes frequently doesn’t occur. A solid strategy is the cement and mortar in the foundation of any successful organization (that’s just one reason I offer our clients consulting services and training on this topic).

New product and service developments, increased or decreased growth, or other external environmental factors may have led the organization to stray from the strategy.

Sound familiar?

Many organizations take strategic planning for granted. So why conduct strategic planning?

Plan for change
Manage for results
Provide customer support
Increase adaptability
Promote communication
Guide management decisions
Remain future-focused

“He who fails to plan is planning to fail.” -Winston Churchill

Some organizations spend time and energy on strategic planning and execution, some spend time on planning and not execution, and some spend no time at all. A strategy often turns into a shelfware document – a pretty bound and glossy document that collects dust on a shelf. The leader who has helped to create the strategy may have had a change to their roles and responsibilities, had to change gears at the last minute, or may no longer be with the organization.

None of this is uncommon.

By now, you may be nodding in agreement and hopefully have several questions churning around in your head. Based on client experiences, here are a few of the top questions I usually need to address through the strategic planning process.

1. What should you consider in developing a solid strategy?

- Several things are important to consider. Before developing a strategy, give careful thought to who you want to be as an organization, how you want to be known, what you want to deliver, and where you want to go? The strategy is a supporting document to help get there. The strategic planning process should help answer these questions and assist in defining target markets, processes, structures, roles and responsibilities, and key customers and stakeholders.

2. What are the key components of a solid strategy?

- A strategy should include several components. A solid strategy should include a focus and analysis on both internal (history, politics, culture, structure) and external factors (competitors, customers, environment, laws, and policy). The strategy should also include the mission and vision of the organization as well as targets, goals, and initiatives, and measures of success.

3. Who should be involved in strategic planning?

- Everyone! A mistake often made by organizations is to only involve leadership in the strategic planning process. Yes, leadership is responsible for executing the strategy, however, so are employees. It is important to consider multiple viewpoints when developing the components of the strategy; this often includes not only employees but customer and stakeholder inputs. Most often multiple planning sessions occur. Initial planning sessions are conducted with leadership. Leadership takes a first cut at developing the mission and vision and providing other strategic inputs. Once leadership takes the first cut, working sessions are then conducted with employees, customers, stakeholders, and others with input the organization wishes to include. In most cases, leadership validation sessions are conducted along the way so that leadership remains involved and committed to the process.

4. How should the strategy be introduced?

- Carefully! Once the strategy is ready to be introduced to the masses, it must include corresponding communications and change management efforts. Without a strategic communications plan, it is extremely difficult to determine the who, what, when, where, and how the strategy should be introduced. A detailed communications plan should outline the content, vehicles, and frequency of communications with the various audiences and include methods to receive feedback. Accompanying the communications effort, a change management effort should also be included in the strategy implementation process. Introducing a new strategy often causes organizational changes, that if go unaddressed can have a negative impact. Careful communications and change planning are imperatives to minimizing resistance and increasing understanding and support of the new strategy.

5. How often should it be updated?

- A review of the targets, goals, and initiatives, and measures should be ongoing. These items help to measure the success of the achievement of the strategy and should be updated frequently. If leadership changes occur, then it is important that incoming leaders have an opportunity to discuss the strategy with those familiar with it, and revisit the strategic planning process as needed. Overall, the strategy and its components should be revisited minimally on a yearly basis.

So, in short, the strategic planning process should ask and answer the following questions (here is your cheat sheet!):

Where are we now?

Internal/external environmental assessment
Customer and stakeholder identification

Where do we want to be?

Mission
Vision
Targets
Initiatives
Objectives

How do we measure our progress?

Performance measures and KPIs

How do we get there?

Supporting strategies and initiatives
Action plans
Tracking system

After all, in the words of Sun Tzu, “Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.”

About Scott Span, MSOD, CSM: is CEO & People Strategist, Communications and Change, at Tolero Solutions. He supports clients to engage and retain talent and wow customers, achieving success through people, creating organizations where people enjoy working and customers enjoy doing business.

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