CHEAT SHEET:
Strategy Implementation
STEP 1
DEFINE YOUR STRATEGY
FRAMEWORK
You need to start with a simple
framework that introduces a strategy
lexicon that everyone can
understand and get behind.
When someone asks ‘how are our
organizational goals going’ –
everyone should be on exactly the
same page about what that actually
means. DEFINE YOUR FRAMEWORK.
Build your strategy house...
organization to agree on your vision.
You might do this in a workshop, and
we’ve written a really popular post
If You don't have a framework in
place, head over back to our blog
and search for 'frameworks'
Don't be tempted to build your
organizational goals without your
Once the team builds these, go back
and reference the focus areas...
STEP 3
DEFINE
KPIs
KPIs are one of the oldest
management tools around – because
they work. They keep you honest
about your progress, and focused on
ESTABLISH YOUR STRATEGY
your outcomes. They need to
become your beacons for
implementing strategy.
Strategy is often the first thing to be
forgotten about when the going gets
Keep them simple
choose one per focus area
STEP 2 update them often!
Get out of your 'day-to-day' and back
BUILD YOUR
If you are unsure about where to
PLAN start on KPIs, head back to our blog
and search for KPIs
Gather the leaders of the
that should also help.
Don't forget the VALUES!
Then create your focus areas.
STOP!
team.
DO THEY ALIGN?
STEP 4
RHYTHM
tough. It's important to maintain a
rhythm...
to the strategy often.
Discuss your strategy often!
Decide who will discuss.
How long will you meet for?
Which reports will be used?
Consider a strategy 'checkpoint'.
www.executestrategy.net
STEP 6
LINK PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
STEP 5
TO STRATEGY
IMPLEMENT CONSISTENT & organizations who truly succeed are
those who manage to weave strategy
SIMPLE STRATEGY REPORTS implementation into the fabric of
Consistency. their existence.
Everyone knows what to expect and
what they need to update prior to the
meeting(s).
Nothing shows people how important
strategy is more than when it impacts
their reviews and potentially even
Simplicity. their reward/remuneration.
The report should give an at-a-glance
You can invest in a performance
view of how the strategy is
management system that has these
progressing.
links built into its HR processes (like
Cascade). Or you can do it 'old
Accountability.
school', awarding those whose
Ensure that the report includes the
names of the owner of each goal efforts align with your strategy.
(accountability), as well as the names
of the people actually getting things Consider creating a 1:1 template that
done (recognition). managers can use which highlights
how a person’s goals contribute to
Insightful. the strategy.
The report needs to include not only
an overview of how the strategy
looks now, but how it’s progressing
over time. Try to include a
comparison period or graphs/charts
that show progress over time, to
ensure momentum is maintained.