The deck is not enough.
In 1914, Lawrence Sperry introduced the autopilot, and with it, the idea that we can delegate the piloting duties of flying an airplane to a set of gyroscopes, analog computers, and servos.
This technology has been a marvel for pilots, and has contributed immensely to the fantastic safety record we enjoy in global aviation. Being able to elevate pilots to systems managers has helped flight crews gain significant perspective and higher situational awareness. The downside is that when pilots need to take over, there can be a skills gap in their ability to hand fly.
The same issue is true in business. Just like the planes running on autopilot, we build resilience into our businesses with processes. Done well, these processes allow businesses to run in a predictable, profitable, and efficient manner day in and day out – largely independently from any one individual.
When we need to create and install a new strategy, there is a very strong pull to simply outline it in detail – with an assumption that the firm will pull it into place using its regular processes, functions, and operations meetings.
This happens every day in corporate settings. And it’s likely that it’s happening to you right now.
Through no fault of our own, somewhere in our leadership past, we transitioned to an unspoken belief that if we have a sufficiently compelling set of PowerPoint slides, they will pull our leadership team to install them on autopilot and beneficial results will occur.
However, regardless of the quality of the deck, the truth is this:
There is a gap between the strategy narrative that’s in that deck and clear and successful implementation.
I work with leaders whose teams have gotten stuck every day.
The unfortunate truth is that leadership has come to accept that 70% of strategic implementation comes up short as a fact.
It’s time to put a stake in the ground. It doesn’t need to be this way.
Why This Pattern Persists
In my 30 years in corporate management, and now as an advisor, I’ve seen dozens of well-scoped, high-level strategic efforts stopped in their tracks by falling victim to this pattern of thinking. To be clear, these were talented leaders, who were very good at what they did. So why does this persist?
- Strategists give in to the need to find the “perfect” strategy
- Business operations leaders resist any efforts that “degrade” performance
- Functional silos retain their best resources for more “operational” programs
- Ownership for the project is unclear
- Middle leaders and subject matter experts aren’t convinced
In short, we need to have an integrated approach to clarifying and installing strategy. Yes, we need to have a strategy for the strategy.
Many mature firms run in a matrix organization, that is subject matter experts and thought leaders in the firm report to more than one leader, and are accountable, not just for transactional tasks, but also for negotiating priorities and their team’s investment levels on a case-by-case basis. It sounds complex and it is. Matrixed leaders depend on years of experience and a clear understanding of the context they operate in to make these decisions.
When the context shifts, their ability to make good calls is greatly reduced – many times to their immense frustration.
In the absence of strong implementation leadership, these mid-senior leaders will pull the group toward the status quo.
In my work with clients, we now use a proprietary tool called STRIDE, which was built from my experience working with dozens of firms to prepare and execute a true strategic shift. For more on this process see articles here, here, and here.
A Systems Solution
This problem requires a comprehensive approach, starting with a diagnostic tool to find those top one or two areas that will present the largest challenges. We then proceed toward implementation.
The plan involves five key elements:
- First, the strategy must be clarified into a powerful, value-rich, and customer-centric hypothesis.
- Second, we need to do the collaborative work to unify sponsorship and charter cross-functional teams around the key objectives and agree on a path for the project. Breaking this down into clear initiatives is a critical milestone.
- Third, we need to align resources & capacity. Usually, the budget, talent, and ability to commit are spread across multiple stakeholders and domains. The application of top talent, unimpeded access to capital, and the ability to gain commitment for deliverables are key at this stage. To do this we need to look across the group for critical competencies and join them up via a steering team.
- Fourth, we need to engage people groups, sponsors, active team members, and the rest of the firm, each with a “what’s in it for me” message.
- Finally, we need to accelerate the team’s progress, running at a clock speed that is higher than the “core” projects of the firm. This is key to successful implementation and keeping the strategic work on the top of the agenda, and not drifting to an item deep on people’s to-do lists.
Contrast this comprehensive cross-functional approach with the linear status quo. In many firms, it’s quite common to “roll out” the strategy deck and convene a session of subject matter experts to “take actions” back to their organization to implement the new strategy.
Perhaps the PMO office is involved in creating a tight set of action items, commitments, and tracking for these actions. It usually takes about 4-6 weeks to see that much deeper integration is going to be required to get the outcomes described in the deck, and it’s much deeper than the PMO getting more specific and tighter. What is needed is true integration and very clear cross-functional sponsorship and guidance.
What it’s Not
This is not traditional change management. The kind of work I’m describing is not high-level initiatives leading to cultural change. What we are looking for is specific, P&L impacting strategic shifts in investing, leveraging, and achieving results.
How I Can Help
Every firm has a unique history, mission, and values. You’ve invested heavily to get to clarity on where you are headed. That new future deserves a customized implementation plan that integrates the people, process, and technology to make your strategic intent inevitable.
I help leaders in organizations diagnose the path for strategic implementation. This typically starts as a discussion with the sponsoring leader or operational champion about the specific context of what they are working to achieve. We use proven frameworks on the very first call that help them see strengths and blindspots, allowing them to make preemptive shifts that will save resources and time.
Depending on the needs of the firm, we can move toward a facilitated diagnostic session with a small cohort to scope out a strategy for implementation. This becomes a blueprint that sits alongside the strategy document and supports the implementation effort from 30,000 ft to runway level results.
If you’d like to have a conversation with me about a complex challenge, please email me at scott@scottpropp.com, or use this link to put a call directly on my calendar.
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