Having a strategy is fine. Having a valid strategy is great. Having a valid strategy that can be executed smoothly and successfully is the best since bread and butter (and honey) for business owners/senior-top managers.
Strategy and strategic planning is a fascinating topic to the high ranks in every organization. It tickles their dreams and stimulates their imagination and creativity. Artistic design of strategy maps makes them proud and satisfied, and they may fall victim of the illusion that these strategies can be implemented easily and smoothly like many other ideas and initiatives
Wrong ! It is not like this at all when it comes to strategy implementation and execution. World-wide, there is a 50% failure rate in such initiatives, and the remaining 50% are not necessarily 100% successful. Failure (Success) is not a black and white thing, but a full spectrum of gray color. One more thing, self-claimed success (or failure) is not always true and such claims need to be validated somehow.
At Millennia-Vision, we have articulated the issue to be deep into the "culture" dimension of the MV-BTC framework methodology. This culture issue (or challenge I should say!) is the make-or-break for these strategy initiatives. Simply stated, this issue is a "gap", "crack", "disconnect line" between theory and reality, call it whatever you wish. The whole issue/challenge lies in and around this line.
Accordingly, we may find that the "top-down" push approach from higher ranks in the organization downwards diminishes in nowhere, gets sucked into operational black holes, or simply does not click or trigger anything at the lower levels in the hierarchy.
A more specific articulation of the issue/challenge according to recent research of couple hundred case studies worldwide shows the following reasons of failure for strategy implementation projects
Strategy and strategic planning is a fascinating topic to the high ranks in every organization. It tickles their dreams and stimulates their imagination and creativity. Artistic design of strategy maps makes them proud and satisfied, and they may fall victim of the illusion that these strategies can be implemented easily and smoothly like many other ideas and initiatives
Wrong ! It is not like this at all when it comes to strategy implementation and execution. World-wide, there is a 50% failure rate in such initiatives, and the remaining 50% are not necessarily 100% successful. Failure (Success) is not a black and white thing, but a full spectrum of gray color. One more thing, self-claimed success (or failure) is not always true and such claims need to be validated somehow.
At Millennia-Vision, we have articulated the issue to be deep into the "culture" dimension of the MV-BTC framework methodology. This culture issue (or challenge I should say!) is the make-or-break for these strategy initiatives. Simply stated, this issue is a "gap", "crack", "disconnect line" between theory and reality, call it whatever you wish. The whole issue/challenge lies in and around this line.
Accordingly, we may find that the "top-down" push approach from higher ranks in the organization downwards diminishes in nowhere, gets sucked into operational black holes, or simply does not click or trigger anything at the lower levels in the hierarchy.
A more specific articulation of the issue/challenge according to recent research of couple hundred case studies worldwide shows the following reasons of failure for strategy implementation projects
- Poor communication of the initiative from higher ranks down throughout the entire organization' people at the working level are simply not aware and/or not engaged early in such initiatives.
- One-way communication (top-down only) dictating top management view on the lower levels without asking for their opinion or seeking their endorsement.
- Lack of buy-in from middle-management layer; well known to be the "change agent" in the organization, either due to poor communications and/or lack of early engagement in the process.
- Unclear/Uncommitted/Insufficient articulation of the incentives/reward/payback for people at the working level of the organization. What's in it for me ? question needs to be addressed properly if such initiative is to succeed.
- Regular employee/job mentality dominating the working level even middle-management positions in the organization, best articulated as "I do my job and I get my salary end of the month" and that's it.
- Missing/Weak buy-in at the lower (working level) of the organization even if they "verbally" support the initiative.
- Missing or failing leadership role within the organization; either because of weak capabilities, lack of sincerity, failure to lead by example,
As you may notice, the whole list is basically centered on and around the "people/culture" dimension. It is not the technology, so don't get fooled with any technology or software tool that it will fix the problem for you. It is not the business processes either. these can still be mapped, analyzed, improved and streamlined ... whatever. But it is again back to the people to make it happen !
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