The #1 blockage by far is “Everyone does not have a good idea of the decisions and actions for which they are accountable” according to a study that was reported in the Harvard Business Review. The study involved 1000 companies, governments and not-for-profits representing 125,000 people in 50 countries.

How do you get your staff clear on their accountabilities and ensure they are continually aligned with the strategy?”

Participants in our Executive Round Table workshops report using job descriptions, training workshops, communication programmes, town hall meetings,  and social events.

We have found having worked with over 2000 teams, at all levels, during the last 20 years that the most effective and efficient is to use team-based conversations specifically designed to ensure participants are clear on their roles, objectives, decision making authority levels and to connect these directly and concretely to the overall company goals and strategies.

Clients say that the clear site lines have contributed, in a big way, to their success.

What are you doing to deal with the #1 blockage?

We will be reporting on specific ways to measure and to remove wobble further in upcoming ‘Alignment Tips’.

For more information, please contact us at info@focusmanagement.ca.

At times like this, it helps to go back to basics – like definitions.  In this case, “what is a strength”?

In strategic planning (or strategy alignment, as we prefer to call it) a strength is an attribute, characteristic or asset that helps you win.  However you define “winning” (and let’s leave Charlie Sheen’s view of winning out of this discussion), a strength is something that gives the organization a tangible advantage and promotes or secures victory.  A strength allows you to:

• —    close more sales to customers
• —    provide better and/or higher quality products and services
• —    manage and/or reduce costs to increase margins

and so on.  Most importantly, in a competitive marketplace – where winning matters – a strength helps you beat the competition.

Let’s consider a couple of examples:

Is “great people” a strength?

Well, it depends on what about them is great, and what you are doing with that greatness.  Did they start off great, or did you do something with them that has made them great?

Anyone can hire great people – what are you doing with them to make them, and keep them, greater?

How about “great products”?

Maybe.  But remember that today’s “category killers” can wind up in tomorrow’s bargain bin, especially in tech-heavy segments.  Great products can help you win today; sustaining that success requires the ability to bring innovative, value-laden products to market efficiently, effectively and quickly.

Look beyond the products themselves to the processes and practices you use to imagine, design, engineer, produce and market them.  This is where true strengths – and weaknesses – can be found.

Differentiate between true strengths and “table stakes”.  Compare yourself objectively to the best of your competitors.  And always incorporate the customers’ perspective.

Wobble is the enemy. You’ll recognize it by the way it makes your organization miss goals and objectives – despite the best strategic plan you’ve ever put to paper. It’s the kind of wobble that wears away at efficiencies and effectiveness – like the wearing of poorly aligned car tires. It’s the kind of wobble that loses customers and valued employees. It fosters redundancy, duplication and inefficiency. Worst of all, wobble makes people, departments and functions move at different speeds and in different directions.

Wobble can turn business leaders into white knuckle drivers. You can’t take your eyes off the road, or your hands off the wheel, for a second…not even to make a course correction.

At FOCUS Management, we facilitate highly-productive strategic conversations geared to business success. Truly transformative conversations, where everyone is encouraged to speak their mind, express new ideas, challenge what doesn’t work, and defend what does. Great conversations provide clarity and lead to breakthrough business results. And clarity leads to alignment and mitigates organizational wobble.

The best defense against wobble is a well-designed, well-implemented strategic plan – aligned with your organization. Everyone – from the CEO to the front line employee – must be passionate about the organization, confident in the direction and committed to the goals.

Find out more about how to win the war on wobble at www.focusmanagement.ca