Strategy Isn't Enough by Akhilesh Gulati is an article posted on the American Society of Quality Control site (Quality Insider magazine). Gulati discusses the importance of execution and planning being in syncronization and uses a great analogy of comparing the preparation for an airplane flight with strategic planning and the actual air trip with strategic execution. He says that "a comprehensive strategic plan, will have addressed the following:
- Leadership development clarifying vision, mission, values and strategy
- Culture change (a.k.a. change management)
- Workforce training and development
- Project definition, execution, and control
The tactical plan, or shorter-term action based activities, will focus on operational excellence and waste and variation reduction across the organization through projects designed to deliver business results (e.g., inventory turns, time to delivery, quality, increased sales, market share, etc.)."
The subtitle of the article says it all: "Having a Strategy is Good, but it's the implementation that leads to results." I could not agree more!
The Goals Grid: A Tool for Clarifying Goals and Objectives by Fred Nickols. This article presents a wonderful Jahari window the author calls the Goals Grid. It is very useful for driving decisions around goals. The grid asks two questions: 1) do we have it? and 2) do we want it? In the first square, if we do have it and we do want it, then achieve. In the second square, if we do have it but we don't want it, then avoid. In the third square, if we do have it and do want it, then preserve. In the fourth square, if we do have it but don't want it, then eliminate. This seemingly simple conceptual map is brilliant in that it leads quickly to goal clarity. The author explains how to use the grid in complex systems as well as how to take into account patterns, politics and conflict. He gives several examples that are well worth the few minutes it will take to read.