Strategy Implementation Tactics

DISAGREE & COMMIT: STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION Working with CEOs, I find them getting hamstrung by legacy strategy thinking: “Unless my direct report buys into the strategy, they won’t execute it.” Based on this legacy thinking they waste time persuading, motivating and convincing employees. "Once they are convinced, they will implement." But this is a trap. Trying to convince people often leads to counter-argumentation, builds resentment, stalls action, and impedes progress. I ask CEOs to use Jeff Bezos’ “disagree and commit” approach. STEP 1: Clearly have the direct report state the action they will complete, by when, & the concrete deliverable. [e.g., I will get the list of prospects uploaded by XX]. STEP 2: Acknowledge the disagreement. [e.g., "I appreciate you have stated your disagreement," or "The overall strategy is not, clear to you. Thanks for letting me know.") STEP 3: Reiterate the commitment to action and completion. (e.g., "The disagreement aside, let's make sure you get this done by XXX.") STEP 4: Set another time to discuss the disagreement and resolve lack of clarity. (e.g., "Let's meet in a few days, and continue discussing. It will improve understanding. In the meantime, let's push forward with these actions.) The shift from "persuasion & motivation" to "action despite disagreement makes the difference between endless strategy chatter and concrete progress in implementation.

Bridging the gap between strategy formulation and execution is a challenge many organisations face. To effectively translate strategic plans into actionable results, consider the following steps: ☑ Articulate Clear Objectives ↳ Define specific, measurable goals that align with your overarching strategy. ↳ Ensure all team members understand these objectives and their roles in achieving them. ☑ Foster Open Communication ↳ Encourage transparency across all levels of the organization. ↳ Regularly share progress updates and solicit feedback to identify potential obstacles early. ☑ Align Resources with Priorities ↳ Allocate necessary resources—time, budget, personnel—to strategic initiatives. ↳ Regularly assess and adjust allocations to respond to changing needs. ☑ Monitor Progress and Adapt ↳ Implement key performance indicators (KPIs) to track advancement toward goals. ↳ Be prepared to pivot strategies based on performance data and external factors. By diligently applying these practices, organizations can enhance their ability to execute strategies effectively, leading to sustained success. Ps. If you like content like this, please follow me 🙏

If we're going to be effective with the execution of our organization's strategy it's going to hinge on the skills and capabilities of the leaders and managers we entrust with accomplishing it. The difference between a good strategy and its successful implementation lies in the hands of those who consciously lead others, recognize what's happening, and don't see giving up as an option. Here is what that takes: Articulation of Vision. Effective leaders possess a clear vision of desired outcomes and communicate it compellingly, ensuring everyone understands their goals and how to achieve them. Transparent Communication. Regular, open communication is essential. Managers who keep teams informed about progress, changes, and challenges foster a culture of trust and engagement, listening to feedback and responding to concerns. Goal Alignment. Effective managers ensure individual goals align with key initiatives at every level, breaking down the strategy into actionable plans for each department, team, and individual. Resource Allocation. Successful leaders allocate and manage resources—time, budget, and talent—efficiently, investing where needed to support critical aspects of the strategy. Clear Expectations. Winning at strategy execution requires clear expectations and performance standards, defining actions, metrics, and milestones to guide teams. Accountability. Leaders inspire accountability by supporting their teams, reviewing performance, removing obstacles, and helping them get unstuck when needed. Agility. Strategies require adjustment in response to internal and external changes. Leaders who pivot quickly ensure their organization remains on track despite unforeseen challenges. Problem-Solving Skills. Effective managers anticipate obstacles and develop contingency plans, addressing issues promptly to minimize disruptions. Regular feedback loops help leaders assess progress and make necessary adjustments. Empowerment and Collaboration. Effective leaders empower their teams by delegating authority and responsibility, this builds trust, ownership, and innovation, while enhancing cross-functional collaboration. Continuous Learning. Investing in training and development enhances your team's skills and capabilities, equipping them to execute at high levels daily. We recognize that all of this represents a significant amount of work. However, integrating these attributes into a dynamic process can make them disciplined habits that can lead to the results you need. What are you currently doing to enhance your people's understanding of strategy and its execution? #CEOs #Leadership #Strategyexecution #Attribute

Closing the gap between your operational reality and your strategic vision is always a challenge. Even with a solid strategy, realizing your vision becomes much harder if you rely on a top-down, waterfall approach. Typically, plans are decided by the top, turned into initiatives, and then "communicated through the hierarchy." This approach suffers from a critical oversight - it's not grounded in the reality of the front line. For example, one company wanted to leverage its full inventory of spare parts to meet customer demand - sounds good, but not so easy when the information about the parts is spread across 4 ERP systems that don't talk to one another. Real-life barriers to getting things done, communication silos, psychological or physical safety issues, and lack of proper tooling, training, etc. all affect your ability to implement. Here are some practical tips to bridge this gap: ➡ 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞: Treat strategy like a service you provide to your team. A high-quality strategy is an act of good leadership. ➡ 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬: Your employees are the customers of your strategy. Serve them well by addressing their needs and concerns. ➡ 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: To foster new behaviors, understand the current ones. Find out why existing behaviors persist and what might prevent new ones from taking root. ➡ 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫: Clearly define the new behaviors essential for success. Make this connection explicit in your strategy. ➡ 𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Different people are in different places mentally and physically. Communicate with them where they are. ➡ 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐬: Local leaders can convey messages more effectively than centralized figures. ➡ 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Demonstrate the strategy in action. Showing is often more powerful than telling. And always remember that the strategy is not the goal - it's a tool to help you realize the goal via the potential of your people. 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬: Which of these tips resonates with you? #leadership #strategy --------------- I'm Alex Nesbitt. I help leaders connect strategy to action. DM for strategy consults. 💡 If you like this way of thinking, 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 on Strategic Thinking for Advantage. Secure a seat while you can: https://lnkd.in/gTt7BnZQ

Here's a simple, 1-page template I use to put strategy into action: (In this example, it's specific to marketing/sales) → Start with the business goal ↳ Marketing goals help achieve the business goals ↳ Key results help achieve the marketing goals ↳ Tactics help achieve the key results Here's a quick example: Business goal: Drive $100k in revenue through referral partners Marketing/Sales goal: Establish 15 referral partners in 2025 Key Results: 1 / Identify & initiate contact w/ 45 potential referral partners by end of Q1 (3:1 ratio) 2 / Successfully onboard and train 8 referral partners by end of Q2 3 / Generate $75k in revenue through the referral partner program by end of Q3 Weekly metrics to measure: - # of referral partners - Revenue generated per partner - Number of referrals per partner - Conversion rate of referrals to sales - Average deal size Keep the planning simple. And hold the team accountable to executing the heck out of it.

Your business strategy is worthless if your team can't execute it Want to know why 90% of organisations fail to execute their strategies successfully? It's because most leaders jump straight to execution without building proper foundations. The solution? The Strategy Pyramid. Here's how to use it to turn your vision into reality: 1/ Start with Purpose (Your Foundation) Your purpose is the foundation that everything else builds upon. ↳ Define your mission: Not just what you do, but why you do it. ↳ Establish your core values: They're not just words, they're your compass. ↳ Clarify your vision: Where you're heading in the long term. 2/ Develop Your Strategy (The Bridge) This is where purpose meets practical planning. ↳ Identify your strategic intent: What specific moves will win in your market. ↳ Understand your drivers: What market opportunities you'll seize. ↳ Secure your enablers: The right people, technology, and resources. 3/ Focus on Execution (Making It Real) This is where strategy becomes reality through focused action. ↳ Set clear targets: Turn big goals into specific, measurable actions. ↳ Track performance indicators: Use numbers that tell the truth. ↳ Create a strategy map: Keep everyone aligned and moving forward. Ready to build yours? ↳ Start with purpose. ↳ Add clear strategy. ↳ Execute with precision. Remember: Success isn't random. It's building your pyramid, one level at a time. The key is to start with strong foundations before rushing to action. ➡️ Tell me in the comments: What's your biggest challenge when it comes to implementing your strategy? ♻️ Share this post to help other leaders build stronger strategies. ➕ Follow me, Jen Blandos, for actionable daily insights on business, entrepreneurship, and workplace well-being.

How many strategies have you been involved in over your career? Do you recall any that were successful? Harvard conducted a study in 2005 and identified all the reasons why strategy execution fails. I believe the study was wrong. They listed out too many reasons why strategy execution fails. Most strategies and implementation plans have so many goals that they quietly suffocate due to competing priorities. The real reason execution fails is that the people on the front lines responsible for the change are already too busy. And they do not have time to "figure out" what McKinsey wrote in a strategy plan and how that translates to doing their job differently. The problem with most strategy consultants is that they don't have to implement their recommendations and get paid, regardless of whether their advice is practical or not. This means that many consultants only know about the "what" and "why," but few know about the "how." Andy Grove of Intel years ago told a young Clayton Christensen when they needed a new strategy rollout, "Tell us how to do it, not what to do. I know what to do." The "how" is the grind--where the rubber meets the road. How do we change the tires while driving down the Autobahn at 120mph? The book, "The 4 Disciplines of Execution," can help make your strategy execution successful. _________________ See the video I posted on this topic: https://lnkd.in/eDyDE6RA _________________ It has the following four disciplines: 1. SET WILDLY IMPORTANT GOALS (WIGS) Focus on one or two wildly important goals. But read on; this is just the beginning. It may seem like the end, but now we get into the HOW. 2. ACT ON LEAD MEASURES. Don't focus on lag measures, such as the monthly sales report, the quarterly operations report, or the monthly quality report. Focus on one or two LEAD measures that affect the LAG measures. Allow the department or team to determine which one or two, maybe three, LEAD measures they can influence to drive the LAG. Think of losing weight. The scale is the LAG measure. The LEAD measures are calorie counting of the food you eat and calories burned through exercise. 3. KEEP A COMPELLING SCORECARD Think of the Football or Baseball scoreboard. Only a few indicators on the board tell you if we are winning or making progress. Allow the team to develop and display it so everyone can see it. 4. CREATE A CADENCE OF ACCOUNTABILITY Each week, measure the one or two things each person must do that align with the goal. Follow these four disciplines, and your strategy execution rate of success will increase drastically. Your partner in success, Joe Murphy 📽 Stay tuned for 5 PM success videos (M-F) ➕ Join me in my quest for higher levels of performance 🔔 Ring the bell for new posts ♻️ Cool to repost Leadership Insights 🎥 video series posted ⏰ 5 PM ET Monday through Friday. _____________ 🔔 Follow me for daily posts on leadership, self-mastery, and mindset.