Strategy Execution as an Organizational Mindset

As we all know, every single person within your organization has a specific role and value they provide.  

Executives set the direction. 

Logistics leaders identify the least costly way to achieve objectives.  

Operational excellence leaders drive efficient processes and change management.  

Department or Service line heads roll up initiatives, align them to organizational goals, and ensure they’re providing the experience for customers and patients.  

But ultimately, it’s up to strategy leaders, and the leadership team, to effectively communicate goals and priorities throughout the organization.  

But that’s tough, right? It’s easier said than done. And that’s because naturally, we put so much time and effort into planning. We put so much commitment into planning because it’s critically important.  

Everyone should also know we need to put just as much effort, if not more, into execution. But where to start?  

Make Strategy Execution a Critical Process 

The first step is defining the execution process. Often, organizations already have Project Management tools that connect certain departments or projects. In other cases, they default to excel sheets, PPT templates, and SharePoint. It’s not because these are the BEST ways, it’s because they’re the tools the organization already knows.  

But were they purpose-built for strategy execution?  

Do they provide a uniform roll-up or cross-functional view of progress?  

Fortunately, they shine at what they’re meant for. They are great at managing detailed projects and simple tracking. Unfortunately, they aren’t built for cross-functional plan management and strategy execution.  

Step 1 is to make strategy execution a critical process. If it isn’t already, strategy execution should receive the same organizational focus as planning. And the best way to do that is by creating a strong strategic management process. 

Make Strategy Execution an Organizational Mindset 

In every organization, people have roles and specialties by design. But imagine if everyone also had the same mindset that executives & strategy leaders do about strategy/plan execution.  

What could it do for the organization if that were the case? What’s the impact now because it is not?  

Do many competing priorities cause a disconnect in execution?  

Does this create a challenge to get updates on how the plans are progressing? Regardless of whether it’s growth initiatives, operational objectives, departmental updates, strategic initiatives, or the goals supporting them?  

All this is natural. It’s part of the natural maturation of any organization. But eventually, taking action can have an exciting effect.  

But what if by providing a clear line of sight into how departments impact company goals, you could improve execution AND increase employee engagement?  

What if by providing leadership a dashboard of all the moving parts we could see how our strategy is moving the needle? And what if that enabled quicker decisions?  

What if everyone also had the best practices others in their space are leveraging?  

It should be exciting to think about a few small changes that can impact your organization for the better. And I’m not talking about challenging, new changes. It’s building off the existing great processes, empowering your people to improve understanding and execution. 

Chances are, others are already making small changes. Why wait? 

About AchieveIt

AchieveIt is the platform that large organizations use to get their biggest, most important initiatives out of the boardroom and into reality. Too many great ideas never quite make it across the finish line, because there’s no real way to keep everyone on course and keep everything on track. What does it take to actually guide these initiatives all the way through to completion? You’ve got to:

1. Get everything in view – so you can see what’s happening with every initiative, at every level, from the enterprise to the individual, in real time.
2. Get everyone engaged – with an easy-to-use platform that connects your organization from the executive leadership to the project teams, keeping everyone accountable and on the same page.
3. Get every possible advantage – not only because you have the premier platform in this space, but because you can draw on the experience and best practices of our execution experts.

That’s why everyone from global corporations, to regional healthcare systems, to federal agencies have turned to AchieveIt for their Integrated Plan Management. Let’s actually do this.