Blog #4: Taking Strategy from Development to Implementation

This week a number of our readings addressed aspects of strategy implementation and focused on different ways to go about enacting a strategy within a company/group of people. Once all the industry research and planning is done, it is up to the leaders to get things rolling. In most cases this comes in the form of organizational change, promoting new visions and goals, and working to have the right people doing work.

Organizational change is a huge part of implementing strategy within an organization. Not only because the strategy needs to be disseminated to all employees and stakeholders, but because any changes put in place or strategy plans implemented without buy-in will result in tensions and possible failure. Change is something that almost needs its own strategy and should focus on: 1) finding a few champions to promote the benefits of change, 2) giving ample time for people to become comfortable with the changes taking place, and 3) ensuring that all major stakeholders feel part of the change process. In Simon Horan and Michael Connerty’s article, Good Strategy Execution Requires Balancing 4 Tensions, some of these focus areas are highlighted with specific examples. Specifically, their article highlights the delicate balance of controlling change and implementation of strategy from a top-down or a more democratic method.

Too often strategy is presented as something that is developed in a back room and then thrust onto staff and customers as an inevitability. Without a supporting culture that asks for and benefits from that type of declarative leadership, even the best strategy is doomed to failure or at least a very slow and tumultuous launch.