After The Strategy

Imagine your company has just invested significant time, money, and resources to shape your next strategic vision plan. After a year of working with that plan, it’s not going anywhere. There are fits and starts; the team doesn’t seem to ‘get it,’ and the plan is not paying off.

What now?

A CEO in the audience of one of my post-talk Q&As stated that they no longer do strategic planning because, in his words, “they never succeed.” He continued, “I don’t believe in strategic planning because the minute you hand the plan off to the team, it doesn’t get implemented.” He clearly wasn’t alone in this frustration as some of the audience members around him nodded in agreement.

Does that have to be the case?

In the shifting sands of today’s business world, companies large and small find themselves at a crossroads after the ink dries on their strategic plans. In working with companies ranging from Fortune 100 companies to mid-sized non-profits and small 100-person firms, time and practice have taught me that much of strategic planning is like an iceberg where the plan sits visibly atop, and the hard work of implementation sits unrecognized below the surface.

The journey from vision to action is more than a mere step; it’s a leap into a realm where the actual test begins. This leap, filled with the potential for innovation and the challenge of unpredictability, marks the start of a crucial phase: execution.

As we dive into the post-strategy phase, armed with a blend of empirical insights and stories from those who’ve navigated these waters, we uncover the essence of turning vision into action through three pivotal elements: crafting a compelling narrative, embracing adaptability, and ensuring sustainability.

The Power of Narrative
Consider for a moment a strategy so captivating that it transcends the confines of the boardroom, becoming a collective mission that unites the organization. The art of storytelling, as observed in various corporate sagas, is not merely a method of communication but a force that can galvanize teams, imbue purpose, and convert abstract visions into concrete ambitions. After all, stories are the world’s greatest technology.

Airbnb’s ascent, driven by its “Belong Anywhere” philosophy, serves as a testament to the magnetic pull of a well-crafted narrative. More than just a tagline, this philosophy became the compass guiding every strategic choice, from product design to customer experience, embedding a sense of belonging and community at its core. Through narrative, Airbnb didn’t just find a niche; it created a new paradigm in the travel domain.

The Imperative of Adaptability
The path from strategy to execution is seldom linear. Famous 19th-century German military strategist Field Marshall Helmut Von Moltke said that “no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.”

Mike Tyson put it more poetically: “Everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the face.”

No workforce has everything it needs to implement a strategy, and no strategic plan goes exactly as planned. The capacity to pivot and adapt in the face of such challenges becomes a cornerstone of successful strategy execution.

In a landscape that’s perpetually in flux, organizations must cultivate resilience and flexibility, ensuring that they can navigate the inevitable surprises and shifts that come their way. This adaptability isn’t just about survival; it’s about seizing opportunities for growth and innovation that arise in the midst of change.

Ensuring Sustainability
Finally, the journey from vision to action is about embedding sustainability into the very fabric of strategic execution. It’s about creating systems, cultures, and processes that ensure the organization can not only achieve its goals but also sustain them over time. There is no “winner” in the game of business. The best way to play the game is to keep playing…long term.

Sustainability here encompasses environmental, economic, and social dimensions, ensuring that the organization’s strategy is resilient, responsible, and responsive to the changing world.

The transition from strategy to execution is a dynamic and multidimensional challenge that requires more than just meticulous planning. It demands a compelling narrative to unite and inspire, the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances, and a commitment to sustainability.

I call my work to ensure strategic success “running along the river.” This mindset and set of services work with organizations and their teams to help create the conditions for the envisioned strategy to succeed. Through these lenses, organizations can transform their strategic visions into actionable realities, navigating the complexities of today’s business landscape with agility and purpose.

By popular demand, my team created a Greatest Hits of my most-read and shared articles. You can find them here, free for download and republishing. I speak and offer workshops on several of these article topics — so, reach out if you’re interested in learning more.

If you want a more trusting team, a culture of belonging or a magnetic brand that attracts more of the right customers, I can help. If you'd like to explore if working together makes sense, drop me a line.

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