Strategy doesn’t add value to your organization. Strategic implementation does. It is not until the organization embraces and activates the work connected to the strategy that results are achieved. And this is the stage that most strategic plans fail…in implementation. Although it is a common problem, it is predictable and there is a solution! Leaders who believe their number one job after releasing a new strategy is to generate organization-wide commitment experience much higher success rates. What does that look like? It means that leaders have to offer the stakeholders three key things:
- Regular and consistent two-way communication serving as a broken record until employees understand and internalize the message
- Develop specific action steps related to strategic initiatives that captures activities, responsibilities, time lines and expected results and communicate broadly so the entire organization understands priorities and their own role in achieving them and
- Establish metrics of success.
Here is how one organization, DEMDACO, is navigating this challenge. GrowthDNA Chapter 12 DEMDACO