10 Questions you have just got to ask!

As I sat across the table from the MD of a large global beverage organization, I realized that the door of opportunity was slowly closing and that it was only a matter of time before I was shown the elevator. The MD was adamant that they were executing their plans effectively; that everyone was aligned behind strategy and although he confessed to having some issues (hey! no-one's perfect) they were not related to execution. But, the whisperings around the corridors told me a different story. Morale was down; there was confusion as to what their strategy really was; and they were losing people. And still, I could see that door closing. And then, I asked the 10 questions! 10 questions that you should be asking of your company.

1. On a scale of 1:10, with 1 being 'Not very important' and 10 being 'Extremely important' - where would you rate 'Execution of Strategy?'
2. On a scale of 1:10, with 1 being 'Not at all well' and 10 being 'Excellent' - where would you rate your company on the 'Execution of Strategy?'
3. If your company were to move just 2 points on that scale, what impact would that have on revenues?
4. How do you monitor/measure how well strategy is being executed (i.e., what mechanism do you use?)
5. How often do you measure it?
6. On a scale of 1:10, with 1 being 'Not very important' and 10 being 'Extremely important' - how important is it that people throughout the whole organization are aligned behind strategy?
7. How do you measure alignment and how often?
8. What is the biggest challenge that you face regarding, a). the execution of strategy and b). getting people, resources and systems aligned behind strategy?
9. How do these challenges affect your profitability/performance?
10. If you could create the ideal solution, what would you like to improve or change?

After each question and his corresponding answers, I noticed a shift in his posture and his approach. He was now engaged. We were beginning to confront the real issues - the tangible issues of execution excellence and he could see the numbers. The door was beginning to open wider.   

ian