strategic
It’s been said that the best way to predict the future is to create it. It has also been said that the most important goal of leadership is providing clarity. While I couldn’t agree more, the world is getting harder to predict and clarity is getting harder to come by. The incredible rate of change, environmental complexity and available options blur our view. Today, it is not uncommon to see organizations trapped in tactical reactionary behaviors, or just as detrimental to success, settling for inaction and falling behind just by standing still in a rapidly evolving world.
In my experience, successful strategies arise out of complex intersections; of the possible and practical, of process, profits and people, of what is known and can only learned through experience, of flexible action and unwavering dedication, and of a far-reaching and powerful ‘why’ and a credible and executable ‘how’.
Creating an effective modern strategy at these intersections is not a trivial task.
With strategies that depend on technology, this can be even more difficult. It's hard to know when to build or buy, to distinguish facts from fads, to separate true technology potential from marketing hype, and to know where and when to invest. It's hard work to align technology to strategy, and once a strategy is being executed, it takes smart ongoing strategic decision-making to turn a technology-based strategy into results. With strategies that depend on technology, this can be even more difficult. It's hard to know when to build or buy, to distinguish facts from fads, to separate true technology potential from marketing hype, and to know where and when to invest. It's hard work to align technology to strategy, and once a strategy is being executed, it takes smart ongoing strategic decision-making to turn a technology-based strategy into results.
Regardless of the process, there are important outputs of any strategic planning exercise; the compelling communications that allow you to share your vision and build buy-in and momentum, the detailed thinking and analysis behind core planning components that create credibility, enable meaningful dialog and establish a foundation for future decisions, and prioritized action items that allow you to move quickly to execution and demonstrate real progress towards your goals.
The ability to show immediate and ongoing progress is incredibly important to any strategy. Aren't we all looking for early signals of winning initiatives to be a part of and continuous proof that we should continue to invest our valuable time?
I'd like to share one last observation. Discussing possibilities, future state visioning and strategic planning activities are by nature fun and exciting. Performing foundational detailed analysis, adapting strategic plans to barriers and making necessary concessions is draining work for the best of us.
Althought it can be hard work, a strategy without a plan for execution is little more than a wish list. When it comes to creating effective executable strategies that drive change in our modern world, to quote a German proverb, the devil really is in the details.
© Copyright 2015 - Mike Harlow updated 2016
- “The best way to predict the future is to create it” Peter Drucker
- “The one thing you need to know as a leader is how to provide clarity” Marcus Buckingham - Gallup
- “Strategy is a fancy word for coming up with a long-term plan and putting it into action” Ellie Pidot
- “Strategy execution is the responsibility that makes or breaks executives” Alan Branche
- “Strategy is about making choices, trade-offs; it's about deliberately choosing to be different” Michael Porter