Strategy Clarification

The Issue

Many organizations have important elements of strategy developed but not articulated in powerful ways that create appropriate and consistent actions throughout the organization. At times, elements of strategy exist inside the heads of leaders but have not been effectively communicated to others. This results in significant missed opportunities for traction in moving forward to implement the strategy and achieve the desired results.

Our Point of View

• Even if they can articulate the strategy, employees don’t relate to strategy unless they can understand how their own roles and work connect to it.
• Strategy should be boiled down to a few simple but powerful themes, which must be artfully communicated and constantly reinforced throughout the organization.
• Strategy needs to be tested for relevance against a set of appropriate assumptions and a sound fact base to avoid unintended consequences and ensure sustainability.
• Strategy is about choices and, therefore, must be articulated in the context of what outcomes and initiatives will and won’t be pursued in the future.
• The development of strategy needs to incorporate a clear vision of the organization several years out.  This vision needs to be pulled forward to be more meaningful to employees and to demonstrate and gauge visible signs of progress.
• All communications need to be framed in the context of strategy to place the strategy consistently at the center of attention in the organization and to reinforce strategy in tangible ways.

Our Approach

We help organizations to achieve clear and effective strategy clarification through some combination of these key steps:

• Gaining an understanding of implicit or explicit strategy as it currently exists.
• Backfilling and testing elements of strategy and vision for completeness, relevance and clarity.
• Developing a strategy communication plan that includes the strategic themes, the nature and implications of strategic choices, the business case for the strategy and any related changes, and the ways that employees connect with the strategy.
• Developing long-term objectives and shorter-term milestones along the way.

Typical Benefits

• Sharper differentiation and more powerful positioning of the organization.
• Deeper and broader understanding of the strategy across the employee group.
• Better alignment of actions across the organization.
• Greater adaptability to changing conditions.
• Increased engagement of a greater number of employees.

To learn more, contact us by phone at (312) 523-2123 or by email.