A tight strategy document is of course indispensable, but a plan like that alone won't get you there. In this blog, Dolf L'Ortye, one of the founders of Summiteers, explains why you need strategy execution if you want to actually achieve change as an organization.

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Strategy execution: from idea to reality

We already wrote rather a blog about what strategy execution actually is. Setting up a strategy is one thing, but then actually bringing about change is where strategy execution comes in. Strategy execution is about connecting strategy to the organization, identifying the fit and gap, and creating engagement and support.

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When should an organization start thinking about strategy execution?

The answer to this question is quite simple: once change is no longer easy. If you are no longer able to explain what needs to be done in a few steps, if your people no longer automatically get to work on the right things, strategy execution is necessary. For example, when an organization grows — whatever the reason for it — there are often growing pains, with all the associated symptoms. Your focus is changing, your processes suddenly need to be much more streamlined, your employees are no longer on the same page, or your portfolio is expanding. In short, complexity is increasing.

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Is a new strategy not enough?

When you feel those growing pains, there will come a time when you know: now we have to do things fundamentally differently. You have to set a new direction, set a new course. If it's good, you'll stay vision forever your vision, but the strategy may change. To do that, you can hire a club of consultants or you can do it yourself. Whichever you choose, at the end of such a process, you will have a nice strategy document in your hands. And then? Then you know what things need to change, but not yet how you have to address that. That strategy must be countries in organization; the idea must move from paper to people's heads. How do you do that? Voilà, that's exactly what you do with strategy execution. You make your strategy document a reality. It is the phase where change actually takes place and where your organization experiences the transformation. In practice, we all too often see that this part is underestimated. We'll do that for a while. Anyone who has experience with complex change knows that it certainly does not go well by itself. That it can even go completely wrong. So no, you won't get there alone with a nice strategy document.

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First the destination, then the journey

Strategy execution is the moment when the organization is prepared to enter the exciting phase of change and to go on a trip. But before you travel, it's damn important to know exactly where you want to go. That lack of sharpness in the strategy and its feasibility is something we regularly encounter. A strategy then speaks in vaguities such as “happier customers”, “more flexible organization”, “optimal customer experience”. Those terms do provide some direction, but still far from enough to be executed. Such a strategy simply needs to be more concrete first. In such a case, we help organizations make the right choices and determine a razor-sharp direction. To get that done, we ask questions, sometimes ad nauseam. When is a customer a happy customer, what is the definition of a flexible organization, what does the optimal customer experience look like? There should be no confusion about where the trip is going. Of course, if you put on your backpack and hit the road tomorrow, that could well lead to a nice trip. But then you can be sure that that trip will have nothing to do with your strategy. And vice versa, that stack of paper with 'strategy' on it in the - virtual - filing cabinet is undoubtedly something you have invested heavily in, but it will only be a success story if you also invest in strategy execution.

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Need help with strategy and execution?

We are Summiteers, we create movement, make something that is complex understandable again, something big achievable, a - vague - idea concrete and make something difficult succeed. Can you use help with this? Take contact with us.

Interested, but not ready for the trip yet? Follow our LinkedIn page and get inspired.

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