Some strategies are a great success, while others get bogged down despite the best intentions. The cause is often found in ignoring the context. Tell us in this blog Casper Hendriks, management consultant, and Lidia Swinkels, one of the founders of Summiteers, why context is so important if you want a strategy to succeed.

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The importance of context

In a previous blog Dolf already wrote about the importance of the 'how' in strategy development. A strategy that only describes the “what” is an ambition statement, but there is little else you can do with it. If you really want to achieve something, you can't do without the “how”. And that 'how' is inextricably linked to the context. Sometimes organizations already approach us with a plan in hand, but they get stuck in implementation. In other cases, there is no concrete plan at all, and there is a need for support in determining that dot on the horizon. The implementation of that dot or the planning of the way to get there depends on various factors. Depending on the specific situation and needs, a different approach is required. To determine the optimal approach, you need to understand exactly what the question is and what context the organization is in.

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Context is multifaceted

Explaining the context and taking it into account in your approach is no easy feat. That is also what Paul referred to in his blog about the importance of a plan for a plan. In a plan for a plan, you understand the context and only when you have it clear can you formulate a customized plan that delivers the desired result.

In addition, context is a broad concept. Consider specific characteristics of the organization, such as the type of organization, culture, way of working, change capacity and history in relation to demand. Sometimes it even extends beyond the boundaries of your own organization. Many companies have experienced this up close: you will have only just defined a new strategy and suddenly the corona pandemic is around the corner. At such a time, external factors influence your organization (e.g. change capacity, or massive online work) in such a way that you have to adjust your plans accordingly.

So context can be that versatile. We would like to give three more examples to illustrate the importance of context:

1. Reason and history

Often, a plan does not stand alone, and previous initiatives have already been developed that, for one reason or another, do not lead to the desired result. Understanding why this failed helps you arrive at an approach that does work. For example, if you, as a company, have already organized heist sessions three times and have tried to implement a plan from there — without success — then it makes little sense to go out on the moor again. Chances are that the association alone evokes feelings, which are probably not positive.

2. Change capacity and competences

Before you start implementing a new plan, it's crucial to evaluate how ready your team or organization is for it. Change capacity and the existing competencies determine the realistically achievable speed of implementation. An ambitious plan is good, but when it comes on top of all kinds of already ongoing (also important) initiatives, people in implementation are in a bind. Often, no sharp choices are made. While an organization's capacity for change is simply limited. It is therefore important to prioritize properly and, if necessary, to phase the plan in such a way that it is executable alongside all other current issues.

3. The 'undercurrent'

The tendency is often to resolve issues across the axis of content. An adjustment to the organizational structure or to roles and responsibilities, for example. But if you look closely, maybe the dynamics within the management team or between departments are the real problem. Then it's important to focus on that first. Not paying attention to this is going to cause a lot of friction during the process, because you will not have addressed the core.

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Red flags for standard solutions

Now that you know how diverse context can be, it's clear why we don't believe in standard “blueprints”. In fact, in our opinion, such one-size-fits-all solutions are huge. red flag. When a consultancy firm claims: “We've already done this five times with similar customers in the same sector, here's your blueprint that you just need to color in a little bit, within the lines”, all alarm bells should ring. This is because the context within your organization determines which interventions are necessary.

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Context determines what it takes for a plan to succeed

This requires customization. Sometimes you can solve a substantive issue by talking to a number of experts. But that is often not all that is needed and the context, for example, requires a change process to really move forward. This can be done, for example, by dividing the plan into phases or projects with tractors. This includes tight (project) plans that allow you, as an organization, to carry out the implementation yourself. In another context, where an MT is not on the same page, it requires that you first have the conversation with each other before you can even go into execution mode. Then completely different interventions are therefore necessary. Strategy execution is about finding solutions that meet your organization's unique challenges and needs. In a subsequent blog, we will explain this with some practical examples and what we can learn from them.

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Strategy execution is tailor-made

Strategy execution is tailor-made, where a thorough understanding of the context is essential. Only when you have insight into the context can you design a customized plan that not only takes into account content, process, and behavior, but also resonates with the target group. That is why, at Summiteers, we invest a lot of time and attention in understanding these elements. This is how we make sustainable change possible.

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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.

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