Research shows that the biggest obstacles to effective strategy execution are directly related to this issue and include:

• The inability to manage change effectively
• Poor information sharing between individuals or business units responsible for strategy execution
• Unclear communication of accountability for execution decisions or actions
• Lack of feelings of “ownership” of a strategy among employees.¹

To avoid these obstacles and skillfully execute any strategy, vision or brand, organizations must be able to answer a definitive and credible “yes” to six important questions, which are outlined below. These questions identify key areas of focus, some of which can be addressed simultaneously. Below are a few real-world examples and tips for getting to “yes” and creating strong organizational alignment to support the strategy.

Have you created a compelling picture of the future?
Before the people in an organization can help achieve a strategy, they need to “get it.” Therefore, it’s critical to articulate the strategy in clear and simple language that all employees can quickly grasp. (No jargon!)  Messages should include the business case, or the “why” behind the change, proof points, or evidence that the organization is aligned, and clear behaviors, or what employees actually need to do differently to help accomplish the strategy.

So often in organizations, the business strategy itself gets lost in the shuffle among competing priorities, new initiatives and organizational changes. That’s why it’s also crucial to define a few clear priorities for the new strategy and to align the organization around them. For example, we worked with a global organization that was implementing a new business strategy while attempting to roll out 50 new initiatives at the same time. They decided—wisely!—to focus on just a few key, strategy-supporting priorities, align relevant new initiatives behind them, and hold off on executing the rest. This clarified the organization’s focus and made it easier for employees to understand how various activities connected to the new strategy.

Do you understand the gap between where the organization is today and where it’s going?
Common sense tells us that if you don’t know your starting point, it’ll be pretty tough to reach your destination. Through a careful and unvarnished look inward, an organization can accurately assess the distance between its current and desired states, as well as its readiness for change. This internal research should clearly identify the strengths that the organization can build on and the challenges that must be overcome. This information is also crucial to understanding the steps needed to close the large gaps (and to determine what is feasible), and where less attention is required to achieve the desired state.

Are your leaders aligned and walking the talk?
For a strategy to be executed effectively, leaders at the senior and managerial levels must articulate the strategy and model the desired behaviors in a way that is aligned and consistent. This requires that leaders understand the value of their role in engaging employees in the strategy, and that they receive the right support, education and tools to carry out that role.

One global employment services organization, for example, partnered with us to execute a new brand strategy that required a major culture change. We worked with senior leaders to define and build agreement upon the key messages and behaviors for employees. The senior leaders then charged managers throughout the organization to bring the strategy to life at the local level. Workshops were conducted in 72 countries around to world to educate managers about the strategy and provide tools to execute it with their teams.

Are your business processes aligned to help drive the strategy?
For a new strategy to be credible among employees, the environment must enable them to live that strategy. A thorough examination of leadership, decision making, and business and people processes is needed to ensure that these elements are aligned with the strategy. The key is to choose and focus on just a few things that will truly impact the strategy and can be used as proof points to demonstrate that the organization is dedicating real resources to the effort. As a result, employees will see and believe that the strategy is for real and not just a “flavor of the month” initiative.

Are your employees truly engaged in the business strategy?
When developing a plan to engage employees in the business strategy, beware of a “one size fits all” approach. Diverse groups will impact (and be impacted by) the strategy in different ways. Therefore, it’s important to do a thorough stakeholder analysis to ensure that you’ve identified the key groups, their needs and concerns with regard to the strategy, and what you need to do to address those needs.

To build greater employee commitment to your strategy, find new ways to communicate it. Diverging from a “business as usual” communication approach can grab attention, build excitement and inspire participation. Creative uses of visual communication, social media and the facilitation of employee dialogue are all great methods for involving employees in new and different ways. For example, one financial services organization launched an “Ask the CEO” campaign to help facilitate engagement in the business strategy. Employees from around the company submitted creative videos asking the CEO strategy-related questions. One group stood on a roof to ask about the company’s green initiative, while another video featured a spinning globe to ask about their global strategy. The CEO answered the questions through videos that were posted on the company’s intranet, and employees were invited to submit comments and participate in the dialogue.

Do you have a clear plan for measuring your results?
The best way to gain support for your ongoing execution efforts is to show value for the business. Determine the metrics you will use to measure the results of your execution strategy, and be sure they are connected to the business. These metrics might include customer satisfaction, employee engagement, retention, productivity or any number of areas targeted for improvement. Setting such targets ensures that the focus of this work is business-driven and results-oriented, with impact on the bottom line.

Ultimately, the key to effectively executing strategy is ensuring that everyone in the organization understands why they should pay attention and what they can do to impact bottom-line results. A well-planned approach that includes leaders who are aligned and walking the talk and a workforce that is involved and engaged is the way to get there.

We want to hear your comments! What are you doing to execute strategy in your organization?

¹ Hrebiniak, Lawrence. Making Strategy Work. Wharton School Publishing, 2005.