Your organization probably does not have a Strategy.
Based on my consulting experience and research, I have found that what most organizations call their “strategy” is a glorified To Do List.
Here is how you can turn your To Do List into a Strategy.
Hopefully you have a Vision for your organization – an idea of what you want it to look like, ideally, in the future. If not, then get some input from a wide variety of stakeholders and create this Vision.
Then, look at your To Do List. What are the three – five items on your list that will propel you most effectively toward your future Vision? Make sure that these items are specific and measurable. The result will be Strategic Goals.
Next – look at your Strategic Goals and ask yourselves:
*What Strengths do we have that can help us achieve these Strategic Goals?
*What Weaknesses do we have that we should address in order to achieve the Strategic Goals?
*What Opportunities should we pursue in order to achieve the Strategic Goals?
*What Threats in the environment do we need to monitor so we are not derailed in our pursuit of the Goals?
Once you have identified these SWOTs, you can summarize them into a Strategy Statement that provides an overall explanation to your organization members on how you are going to:
Leverage Your Strengths, Fortify Your Weaknesses, Seize your Opportunities, and Block Your Threats as you pursue your Vision and Strategic Goals .
You can ask your team to internalize this statement and let it guide them as they create more specific Action Plans to move you forward.
This, of course, is a very brief summary. But, taking the time to move beyond a simple To Do List to a real Strategy will give your organization the focus and insight needed for high performance. For a more extensive explanation of the Strategy process, I would encourage you to read my Mission Impact book.
