The Golden Thread: Linking Strategy to Execution

Recently during a conversation with an executive I heard a term used to describe strategy execution that I’d never heard before, but it made an impression on me.  He was discussing a challenge he faced within his own environment - the challenge of strategy execution.  His statement was, “We need the golden thread that links our strategy to execution initiatives.”

I liked the image this conjured up in my mind.  What he was describing was the middle layer of planning, referred to as “operational planning”.  Operational planning is the “golden thread” linking strategy to execution and is way too undervalued in my opinion.  Because operational planning all to often is not done well, or is overlooked altogether - this article describes ways to inject operational planning into the strategic planning process and string the “golden thread” through all of the execution loop-holes.

The Role of the Internal versus the External Strategist

Can an external strategist be an asset to an established corporate strategic planning team?  There is clearly no substitute for the value provided by the internal strategist and the homegrown planning processes that fit the organization like an old well-worn baseball glove.  But can this value be enhanced by an outsider’s involvement? 

Strategy Misalignment: The Symptoms, Dangers and Treatment

Strategic misalignment is insidious.  It creeps into organizations silently, tenaciously takes root and over time begins to undermine successful organizations.  There are tell-tale symptoms to watch out for and many dangerous implications when it goes untreated. 

This article reviews the symptoms to watch for; evaluates the damage that occurs over time if left unchecked and reveals methods to correct the ailment and reverse the damage that occurred.

Mapping Out Strategic Execution: Part 2 of “Why We Fail at Strategic Implementation“

In the first segment of this article, we explored some common causes of plan execution failure. The issues addressed in that article are all avoidable if execution is planned and managed properly.  Much of the success or failure of strategic implementation is determined during the planning process. The issues not dealt with during the planning process can be systematically handled during tactical execution.  This article delves into a six step road map for strategic execution and provides techniques and strategies to mitigate problems in execution and avoid implementation issues with our strategic plans.

Strategy Execution: Why We Fail At Strategic Implementation

Why do so many organizations fail at strategic implementation?  The quality of an organization’s strategic plan is not the primary determinant of success in goal achievement.  No, the primary factor is that success hinges on execution.  This article is part 1 of a two part series and examines some of the most common root causes of organizations and their leaders to miss the mark on strategic implementation.  In part 2 of the series we map out an approach for successful strategic execution.

Enterprise Myopia: Is Customer Value Being Overlooked?

Is your organization’s strategy overlooking the most important stakeholder – your customers? With some simple but elegant changes to the strategic planning process, businesses can avoid committing this cardinal sin. By refocusing business strategy on value creation for the end-customers, organizations can avoid business myopia and blind spots that mask the slow erosion of competitive advantage they may have enjoyed in the past. This article addresses the key challenge of keeping the customer in mind when setting strategic and operational goals and offers concrete approaches to accomplishing customer-centric planning from the business and technology leader’s perspective.

So You’ve Finished Your Strategic Plan, Now What?

 Every year companies go through the ritualistic planning process.  You know the one.  It’s comprised of long weekend leadership meetings and tedious reviews of the previous year’s plan.  Included in the mix are marathon workshops where arguments unfold about which initiatives to carry over from last year’s unmet plan goals and debates are held to decide which new goals and objectives get added to the plan for the upcoming year.  Then everything has to be reconciled against the new year’s financial budget.  It is an annual ritual, and once it is complete, there is a huge sense of relief and accomplishment … but is the job really done?  

What's Wrong With Your Corporate Planning Process?

Does your corporate planning process consistently deliver the outcomes you expect or has strategic planning been devalued (literally or figuratively) within your organization due to its declining efficacy?

Corporate planning in today’s rapidly-changing and uncertain business environment requires a process that empowers organizations to achieve operational excellence on a day-to-day basis while also planning for the future. If your corporate planning process has lost its luster, consider what may be wrong.

The 2010 Twelve-step Checklist to Help You Evaluate Your Strategic Business Planning Process

Have you given much consideration to the possibility that your strategic and operational plans may be far less effective than they could be?  How would you begin to measure the effectiveness of your current plan?  This article should help you to objectively evaluate your own process and self-diagnosis potential issues that may exist in your organization's current planning world.  As you read this article, answer along as we ask the questions to help you honestly evaluate your current business planning process.

The CEO Conundrum – Balancing Strategic and Tactical Responsibilities

We call it the CEO conundrum. Corporate executive officers strike a delicate balance between business visionary, big-deal closer and operations manager. The challenges now facing CEOs is certainly changing and becoming far more difficult to pull-off successfully. The New Year has ushered the global business community into a new decade full of promise and teeming with opportunity, yet still fraught with perilous economic challenges and ever increasing regulatory complexities. It is no longer enough to have a sound strategy. CEOs must shape their companies to be highly agile, run lean, and have highly empowered employees at all levels of the organization. This article defines the CEO conundrum, explores the opportunity it provides us and offers three pieces of advice that CEO’s will want to read.