A couple of days ago, I came across this HBR article on strategy execution that matched with my current interest in strategy development & planning. It addresses the issue of corporate strategies failing not because of poor definition but because of poor execution and - even more important - because of the disconnect between both.
The sceptical reader may now interfere saying that transparent strategy communication has always been a top priority for successful strategy deployment. But this is not only about passive communication but about active collaboration of employees on all levels. Referring to the Nilofer Merchant, author and consultant with Rubicon Consulting, HBR makes the case for " taking strategy creation out of the board room and bringing people from all parts of the organization together, regardless of level, to think about the company's future".
Following the classical BSC approach by Kaplan and Norton, executives in many organizations "create strategies at the top of the organization and cascade them down" without letting frontline employees take ownership and feel accountable for the company's future. This top-down and exclusive approach seems to be kind of outdated in times where collaboration and entrepreneurship are key values in almost every organization.
What do you need for collaborative strategy development in todays distributed workplaces?
- common understanding on your organization's business model and strategic objectives
- common language to discuss business strategies
- ...
I will leave you with those two brain teasers for now.... don't hesitate to share your thoughts and ideas on this. I will pick them up in my next post....
Best
Katrina