She took a big swig of Diet Coke. The first slide was displayed on the screen. It described the current state. Next slide. It was a vision for where she wanted the organization to go. The room was packed with her team members. She was rolling out a bold new strategy. This was the meeting to share the strategy and build consensus. If she did not get them on board the strategy would stall. Next slide. She talked through the details they had crafted as a team. The energy in the room went up dramatically. It was time to execute. Exciting days were ahead. She had prepared well for this moment by asking herself several insightful questions beforehand.
I am not a strategy expert
All The Way Leadership! believes that crafting a winning strategy is what strong leaders do. I am not a strategy expert. If you want to go deep into that topic find someone who is. Instead, I simply advise that all leaders ponder a few key questions when it comes to strategy. These insightful questions (IQs) are found below.
IQ#1- Should I create the strategy myself?
The short answer is no. Don’t go it alone. Be sure to include members of your team, and other stakeholders when creating the strategy. It is rare that you will have enough insights and ideas to craft a winning strategy all by yourself. I call this the Moses coming down from the mountain approach. Don’t do it. There is one exception – when you are on a short deadline. Sometimes the situation is dire, the building is on fire, and you need to put it out. In this case, you need to crank out the strategy all by yourself. Otherwise, include others.
Strong leaders collaborate with stakeholders when crafting the strategy
Strong leaders ask insightful questions of others when crafting their strategy. Get the big brains in the room, and ask for their input. In my career, some of the best strategic ideas have come from junior members of the team. Don’t exclude them. They tend to bring a fresh perspective to the table. The higher up in the organization that you sit, the more stakeholders you will need to include. Plan accordingly.
IQ#2 – How do I know if I have a bad strategy?
One way to confirm if your strategy is good or not is to select metrics you will track when you implement. This approach enables you to tell if it is working, or not. For example, if you craft a discounted pricing strategy to increase your overall sales, you will be able to tell shortly after implementation if it is working. If it doesn’t work, consider it the wrong strategy, and move on to something else. Results count more than opinions, but it is important that you seek input before you implement.
Strong leaders get feedback about the strategy from their stakeholders
Leaders need to get feedback from their stakeholders. Just because you codified it doesn’t mean it is good. Ask insightful questions like do they understand your vision? Does the strategy make sense? What are their thoughts about implementing it? It is critical that you get inputs from others in order to build consensus and move your team forward. Getting buy-in from others is critical for success before you start executing.
IQ#3 – What are the best ways to communicate my strategy to the team?
The third point to ponder is how you communicate your strategy to your team. My recommendation is that you walk them through it, and answer any questions they have. Don’t be surprised if you get several questions, even if you included many of them in the formulation phase. It will get real for your team the closer you get to execution. PowerPoint is the best tool I know to capture a strategy. Keep the slides to 10 or less. Anything longer is probably overly complicated and still needs work.
Strong leaders communicate their strategy consistently and creatively
It is the leader’s job to communicate consistently and creatively. Your team and other stakeholders will need to be reminded at times what the strategy is during execution, especially when they run into obstacles. Provide something creative to help stakeholders easily recall the main points. A slogan, acronym, or summary slick sheet are ways to communicate your strategy. I am a big fan of having a one-page summary that your team can carry around with them in case questions arise during implementation. If it feels a little like internal marketing. It is. The bolder the strategy the more important it is to leverage clever ways to consistently communicate it.
IQ#4 – Is it important to communicate the strategy to my boss? Why or why not?
The right answer is hell yes. This question seems like a no-brainer, yet I have seen this misstep made by leaders more times than I can count. It is vital that your boss understand and endorse your strategy. Otherwise, you risk huge missteps during execution. Case in point, the pricing strategy is an important component of any federal contracting proposal. If your team is taking an aggressive approach and the boss does not know, you will discover the disconnect when it comes time to get the approval for the bid. Hello, rework. Make sure you inform your boss and get her input. Don’t make the mistake of waiting until it is too late to find out that your boss does not concur with your strategy.
Take the time to ponder insightful questions
Strong leaders understand the importance of crafting a winning strategy. They ask insightful questions and collaborate with their stakeholders. They gather feedback and adjust accordingly. Strong leaders communicate the strategy consistently and make sure it is approved by their boss. Be that kind of leader.
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
Winston Churchill
ATW! is designed to make you a better leader
I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!