Strategy
This is one of those words which tends to be overused and misused across enterprises. How often have you read a memo/resume/project summary which strategically describes how strategically a person has delivered strategic results on strategically important programs?
Organizational, functional, team or individual strategy is fundamentally delivered and articulated through a series of highly interrelated, sequenced and structured decisions which define what the organization will, and explicitly will not do.
Strategy consultants have made this a dark art – they have a vested interest in doing so. Within many enterprises and consulting organizations, the strategy gurus have created an elite, private and impenetrable world. And not all self-described strategy consultants have had years of organizational experience defining, executing and refning strategy across complex enterprises and cultures, learning what works, what doesn't, and how best to adapt to changing real world conditions. They haven't always carried the bag, or lived the execution of strategy from beginning to end.
Strategy is not rocket science. Nor is it an esoteric, conceptual activity – it should be highly operationally focused, and take into account the latest operational data of the business. It should be visible at every level of the 'objectives cascade' within the enterprise: hiring, spending, investment, product development, marketing decisions, etc. STRATEGY IS FOCUS.
Strategy is fundamentally a series of rationally sequenced decisions and risk assessments that are operationalized across the enterprise, and will be visible in every operational decision made and action taken. It is about making the most of limited resources, and coordinating efforts in defined direction(s).
These decisions – whether they are around markets, products, services, channels, programs or people – can and should then be enforced throughout the ecosystem of the enterprise, and manifest themselves in all behaviors and activities throughout the organization.
We work with leadership, management and execution teams to deliver breakthrough performance in the following areas:
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Define the necessary sequence and hierarchy of decisions necessary for formulating an executable strategy
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Structure and manage those decisions using data from all appropriate levels within (and from key sources external to) the organization
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Assess strategy in terms of executability and risk factors
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Define the required organizational cascade of objectives and behaviors which will support the operationalization of strategy
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Refine and reformulate strategy based on lessons learned in deployment
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Identify, assess and eliminate, circumvent or overcome critical barriers to strategy execution