ValuExecBlog

Lost in translation

There is an old saying that says: 'we judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions.' Well, it's been over a year (or has it been 2) since I last wrote on this blog and somewhere along the way, my actions and my intentions have grown like a bad marriage,  incredibly apart. They have got lost in translation. 

We recently ran a leadership/cultural workshop for a company that had been acquired by a larger company but which surprisingly was structurally left intact by the new parent. The only change being the new parent wanted our client to be more aggressive in the market with the product portfolio which had now doubled in size.

The most common phrase throughout the 2 days of workshop was:'Nothing has changed. We are still the same team. We just have more products to sell.' Somewhere along the line, something got lost in translation. Which begs the question: After acquiring a company, is it better to make changes that shake up the acquired company or is it better to make as little disruption as possible? (Assuming of course, the acquired company is not too much of a basket case.)

What are your thoughts?

Connecting vs. Engaging

Look, I am not sure where I am going with this so I would like to put it out there and get your thoughts. There is an old saying that 'people don't follow companies that have a mission - they follow companies on a mission,' which got me to thinking 'how do companies get their employees to follow strategy in much the same way that they would follow a company on a mission?

Alot has been written about employee engagement and the argument goes that if employees are to follow strategy they need to be engaged. And so, companies embark on alot of activities to keep them engaged. But, I am not sure that that is all there is to it. Having employees engaged is similar, I would argue to the company having a mission statement. It is essential but not fulfilling. People will go through the motions, get the job done and at the end of the day go home.

No, I think that for companies to get employees to follow strategy, and get behind the strategy, they need to connect with their employees. The difficulty is that to connect with employees, you have to do it individual by individual, you have to tap into the same emotions that get individuals to follow companies on a mission. Only then will employees follow and commit to strategy.

What do you think. 

Yours in execution.

ian

This is a true story

This is a true story. We were asked by the country-head of a company to help his team formulate their strategy and once done, to prepare the strategy document and the corresponding slide deck that would be presented to the country-head's CEO at a later date. All of which we did.

The slide presentation to the CEO was eventually given (by the country-head) and the strategic document handed over. The CEO loved what he saw and the country-head was applauded for his insight and given an additional number of countries to look after (no kidding). And that was to be the end of the story until one of the country-head's management team asked 'what now?' It was a question that the country-head was not expecting, nor one that he was prepared for. 'What do you mean?' he asked of his team member. 'Well, how do we make this document, these slides - in fact the strategy - come alive? How do we make this strategy mean something to the rest of the organization?' she replied. Scratching his head his response was simply to mumble 'I don't know! You do it!' And so the task of making the country's strategy come alive was left to her.

The sad thing is that all too often country-heads or MD's develop strategies and use them simply for their window dressing capabilities (i.e., to show how good the management/leader is). There is never an intention to go the next and most difficult step of making the strategy 'come alive'. If you can not bring your strategy alive and get it to mean something to your employees, it will not happen. If that is the intention - so be it but please call it for what it is - 'fluff'. Making strategies 'come alive' is not easy, but it is essential. Fortunately for the hero in our story - she has us to fall back on. 

Yours in execution,

ian  

Is Strategy Execution Losing its Juice ? (Part 2)

In Part 1 we suggested that there was an element of 'creeping conservatism' invading strategies and to that point, I came across a wonderful blog posted by Ken Bator of btcsmallbusiness entitled 'Be Daring with Your Strategy,' and is well worth a read (Be Daring with Your Strategy.) However, there is yet another reason that will add to strategy execution losing its juice and that is the tendency of companies to develop strategies by formula.

Now there are a number of reasons for this but the most common that I have come across has as its foundation what I call 'strategy by powerpoint template.' The need for business units to present their strategic plans within the confines of a template that was developed by Head Office. We all know why Head Office wants to confine business unit presentations to the same format - it is easier to follow particularly when they have to sit through a number of presentations over a 3 day period; and it also ensures that they (Head Office) can direct the information that is presented to them. However, templates have a tendency to restrict both strategic and creative thinking but also to tempt managers to consider 'dusting off' past presentations and simply change the numbers. This just doesn't work in today's economic climate.

Apart from the obvious 'strategy by template', there is yet another reason why we revert to the 'strategy by formula' mindset. And that is because we have been taught that there is a logical hiearchy to strategy formulation i.e., from setting objectives to developing initiatives followed by tactics etc - you know the formula. The process is logical, clear and as history has shown, it works (in the main, that is). But where it loses its edge, is when people spend more time thinking and arguing about the flow rather than having robust discussions on the actual strategy itself.

So, let us drop the powerpoint templates and allow business units the freedom to be creative; let us have robust discussions on where you are today, where you want to get to and how you are going to get there, and let the flow come together how it will.

Yours in execution.

ian

Strategy Execution from the heart

You might have guessed it by now, but I am passionate about strategy execution. I feel it every time I go into a company and am told that plans are not being met because of poor execution as a result of people, or processes or even customers. We know from research that companies lose about 40% of strategy in execution, so it stands to reason that there is so much to be gained if corporate leaders simply focused on the execution of strategy. But unfortunately, research again tells us that leaders tend to spend 85% of their time on operational issues, i.e., putting out fires, rather than on execution.

With all the doom and gloom that we are reading about in the world press today, it is easy to become like the proverbial rabbit caught paralyzed in the headlights of an on-coming car, and it will take every effort to move out of the glare of the headlights and into the safety of the unknown. And that is what makes it all the more exciting. Safety can and will be found in the unknown and not in the known. Safety will be found not with what makes us comfortable but with that which makes us uncomfortable.

If companies want to survive, they will need to improve their execution. And for those of us who are passionate about execution, we will need to find alternative ways that we can bring to companies to help them execute better and faster; ways that are not complex, but are customized to suit the particular company, its people, processes and its customers. One-size will not fit all.  

Yes, Siree! I am looking forward to an exciting 2012.

Yours in execution.

ian 

Strategy Execution is like Golf

Executing strategy is like playing golf. One day, you can have a great game and the next day, just when you think you are mastering the sport - you can have a shocking round. What makes golf the ultimate experience is that no two rounds of golf are ever the same. Natural elements change; what happens between your ears changes; where your ball lands on the fairways or on the greens is never the same and your approach to the flag is never the same. But you do the best that you can with the skills and tools (your clubs, etc) that you have on the day. And so it is with strategy execution. Nothing is ever the same from one day to the next let alone from one year to the next. And so you make do with the skill sets and tools that you have. 

 Before you hit a shot in golf, you have to be aware of every element that might impact how you hit the ball and where it might land. It is the same with strategy execution. Know the course you are playing; which way the wind is blowing; which elements will come into play, what clubs are in your bag and make sure you get yourself a great caddie.

Yours in execution.

ian

Caffeine Fix #10: Draw a line in the sand!

Herewith our Caffeine Fix # 10 from the authors of 'Rework':

'You have to believe in something. You need to have a backbone. You need to know what you're willing to fight for. And then you need to show the world. We're (37Signals) willing to lose some customers if it means that others love our products intensely. That's our line in the sand.'

At Valufacture Solutions, our line in the sand is the value we create. If we don't add value - we don't charge regardless of how many hours we spend on a project.

What's your and your company's line in the sand?

Yours in execution.

ian 

Rework Caffeine Fix # 8: Scratch your own itch

Something worth thinking about as you start your day. Again from the authors of Rework at 37 Signals:

Rework Caffeine Fix # 8: Scratch your own itch:

     "The easiest, most straightforward way to create a great product or service is to make something you want to use. If you're solving someone else's problem, you're constantly stabbing in the dark. When you build what you need, you can also assess the quality of what you make quickly and directly, instead of by proxy. Best of all, this 'solve your own problem' approach lets you fall in love with what you're making."

Yours in execution,

ian   

Rework Caffeine Fix # 7: Make a Dent in the Universe

I just love this pearl of wisdom from the Authors of Rework at 37 Signals:

Rework Caffeine Fix # 7: Make a Dent in the Universe

     "To do great work, you need to feel that you're making a difference. This doesn't mean you need to find a cure for cancer. It's just that your efforts need to feel valuable. You should feel an urgency about this too. You don't have forever. This is your life's work. What you do is your legacy. If you're going to do something, do something that matters."

Yours in execution.

ian

Rework Caffeine Fix # 6: Be a Starter

What a good way to start the day with this gem from the authors of Rework:

Rework Caffeine Fix # 6: Be a Starter

     "Let's retire the term entrepreneur. Instead of entrepreneurs, let's just call them starters. Everyone should be encouraged to start his own business. You just need an idea, a touch of confidence, and a push to get started."  (Page 28)

 

Yours in execution.

ian