Whats more important: a really superb strategy, or a mediocre strategy that people are fired up to deliver?
What is more important: to get your strategy right so that you know exactly where you are headed and then have to enrol people in coming on board?
Or a strategy that is less accurate or details but is more compelling and fires people up to deliver?
Good Answers (26)
John J.
TripleCo: Business Development, Executive Coaching & Search! "Bringing ease in changes by creating space!" LION
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Basically I do not believe in planned strategies (they don´t exist, they are invented afterwards), at least the ones that do not allow adaptation.
So, whatever works in any given situation with any given group of people is what works. All the other stuff only works in the mind of the constructor.
So, get them all moving towards a rough goal (direction) and adapt if needed. A bit like sailing the seven seas.
Any person joining afterwards on this journey will have a say in what happens next, will impact the possible group outcome. So it´s planned organic and not planned mechanic.
I suggest asking the question Which is most useful? (rather than important) The answer then becomes, it depends on what you're looking to achieve. Or alternatively, both.
If you're objective is to set out a clear strategy for people who are interested in you having a clear strategy (investors for instance) then 1 is likely to be most useful.
If, on the other hand, you're looking to inspire a team and have them contribute to and develop the strategy then definately number 2. (If they're good, they'll probably do a better job then you anyway!)
From that it follows that overall the most useful thing to do is 2, - then let the team contribute, and you end up with a much better 1 than you'd have got on your own.
Luigi M.
PM at TE4I
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Usually I get impressed by the design of a project: if it doesn't attract me (i.e. it is mediocre) I don't even consider it.
On the other hand, a superb strategy (and a strong background to support it) should itself get people interested, even if harder to pursue, because of both returning results and personal growth.
Mary
I think you are describing a vision. A compelling vision motivates people to produce joint and individual strategies for achieving that vision.
If the vision is shared the detail of the strategy is less important. The shared values will enable convergence.
In my view detail is only needed if people do not share your vision. Such as when they are hired and have to be instructed what to do.
Find people who share your vision, not those who can be programmed what to do.
Let me be provocative.
"Every" strategy is good if it is well planned , executed and controlled ; and the CEO is always on it.
A mediocre strategy that peopel are fired up about. Securing the peoples energy is paramount. Once you have that you can mold your strategy from mediocre to superb using that same energy.
I have developed a strategic planning and performance measurement system (SPPMS) that does just that. IT builds an initial strategic plan in a collaborative fashion and then continues to build on it over time so that what your company ends up with is a superb strategy. A strategic plan is a living, breathing thing. It should be very fluid and it has to be nursed over time. You cannot allow it to be formulated, printed and bound and left to collect dust on a shelf in everyone's office or cubicle.
THe SPPMS I developed does not allow that to happen.
Gurprriet S.
Senior Organization Development professional. Core competence in Leading Change, Executive Coaching, Leadership Dev.
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Mary
2 things.
1. I think you refer to Vision, it is really a Vision that is compelling and has an emotional appeal to people.
2. Once the vision is in place, it is the quality of the strategy that decides whether or not the vision is realized. Startegies by nature need to be as clear and specific as possible and must include contingency plans and backups.
Once you have the strategy in place, then it is critical to execute to that strategy. Most organizations fail not because they had a bad strategy but because of bad execution. Most organizations succeed by even copying someone else's strategy, but executing it better.
But overall, if you want people fired up, not just at the outset, but throughout the long journey to realizing the strategy, then you need:
1. A compelling vision that inspires them
2. A strategy so that they know HOW that vision is to be achieved
3. Goals that tie in to the Strategy, so they know WHAT it is they need to DO in order to execute that strategy
4. Resources in terms of money, time, people and equipment to enable them to do the above
5. Skills/capability development to help build the competencies that will enable them to deliver those actions
6. Reward, recognition and correction processes and systems to motivate and correct performance
7. An organization culture that is relevant to the context
8. Leadership that is appropriate to the context
It is the presence of all the above that will ensure that people are inspired to begin with and continue to be inspired and motivated through this journey.
Hope this helps!
Rajesh R.
Training Partner - ICMA Australia (www.cmawebline.org) at CMA (India and Europe)
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Mary, I quote Sun Tzu in "The Art of War" as "if ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril."
The purpose of strategy is to enable you to win (achieving organisational objectives). And when people can see how they can win, they will always be fired up (human nature). Strategy is derived from the match between available resources and the environmental forces. Detail is an essence of execution of strategy.
If people see a mismatch between resources and objectives (which they can clearly see), they will not get fired up. Remember the mismatch between Alexander the Great's objectives and capability of his forces in his last days.
Therefore flexibility by way of periodic review is recommended.
A great example: Apple iPhone's difference in pricing before and after launching 3G. Hope there performance is improving in Europe?
It is an interesting area of discussion and reading. See articles on McKinsey Quarterly and HBR Online.
Kind regards
Rajesh Raheja
www.accountingclassroom.com
I would run with the strategy that is engaging to the workforce. Obviously it is something that they feel connected to and empowered to support. The real trick is to articulate the superb strategy in such a way that it will resonate in the same way as the mediocre - it's all about communication. To be effective, it must have meaning to the greater workforce. Without their participation the strategy is moot. A strategy exclusive of the workforce can be counterproductive. Consider a tiered approach - the strategy is superb, but its deployment to the workforce is more tactical as presented in the mediocre, and therefore an effective stepping stone in moving toward and achieving the more superb. Good communication and reinforcement are key to making this approach work.
I would run with with superb strategy - primarily because a superb strategy will take an organization on the path to success and can knowingly fire up people to make it a success
Jeremy B.
Outsourced Chief Operating Officer; Helping entrepreneurs achieve their aspirations.
This is an interesting question.
I think any strategy that engages the leader, and which the leader uses as the basis for actions ranging from hiring to execution in all aspects of the business is a great start. The importance of strategy / vision / mission statement, or just plain old objective (i.e., whatever you want to call it) is that it brings consistency of thought and action to an organization. Of course this strategy must be communicated to all employees - and possibly to customers and vendors. And, very importantly, as relevant new information / data becomes available, the leader - must be comfortable with tweaking the strategy to ensure the best possible results.
Adrian I.
Business Process Improvement Consultant BFS S&O at Macquarie Group
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what purpose does a garden without plants serve, or a flower without fragrance, or fruit without taste?
As long as the strategy delivers sustainable, enduring profitability. Enduring is key, short term wins at the expense of long term growth / sustainability is no trade off - then choose the path that delivers results - tangible, sustainable results - remember this is business, not poetry.
A really superb Strategy!!
A good game plan executed mediocrely will always beat a Mediocre game plan executed well.
Susan S.
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., financial marketing writer.
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I love the comparison with Alexander!!
If you can't get consensus on a superb strategy, but you can get consensus on a mediocre strategy, maybe you need to combine elements of the two and some more deep thought and produce a really fine strategy that people can get behind.
Mindy G.
Creating Thought Leaders and Published Authors! 450+ clients have written great books in 90 days with The Book Midwife.
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Not sure if a really superb strategy is possible in this age of fast-paced changes. I think leaders can only do the best job they can when planning their strategy and be willing to be flexible.
Having employees fired up is essential, but they will also need to be flexible so they can move as one unit when things change.
Gary M.
Accomplished executive, leadership and strategy consultant, and business coach
Mary -
I would argue that it is impossible to have the first without the second. How can a strategy be superb if it does not compel people to deliver? Therefore, creating a solid strategy (actually value, vision and mission) is critical. It will not be great if people are not "fired up to deliver."
Therefore, you do not need the uber-great strategy ... but it must be strong enough to matter and to inspire results.
Good luck,
Gary Markin
571-232-5265
garymarkin@cox.net
Raphael O.
Accelerator for Real Business, Virtually Everywhere - TopLinked.com [venturepreneur@hotmail.com]
A mediocre strategy will bring mediocre results as much as a superb strategy without the buy-in of your people will bring mediocre results.
What's critical is to align your people behind your superb strategy, superbly execute on it and most of all stick to it, because:
- Strategy is like a chess game; the better you plan ahead the more successful it will be; and
- Strategy is like a lighthouse that guides you through darkness and stormy weather.
The question of which scenario is 'more important' relies on your situation and proposed future gains. If you currently have issues with disheartened staff and constantly low morale, but you're confident in the potential and promise of your employees, a strategey that gains their buy-in and fires them up will provide a strong base to grow in the future. If it's direction, not motivation, that your employees and the company need, then at times you're better off with a finely detailed, well planned strategy that will attract the a-game players going forward.
Lauren B.
Analyst at Social Security Administration
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I believe that a superb strategy should be of paramount concern. Some have said that getting people fired up will lead to a better developed strategy. However, it is my experience that, in order to get buy-in on a concept, you must first provide a solid goal and means for achieving that goal. If the objective and strategy are mushy or ill-defined, I would be less likely to be wholly dedicated.
Employees in an organization are presumed to know the mission and vision of their workplace. Specific strategies should be related to forwarding these objectives. Given that, I would qualify my answer by saying that employees that are critical to fulfilling the strategy should have input on developing that strategy, regardless of whether it fires them up.
This is ultimately a question about leadership! As a leader, you and your people need to know where you are (your environment), what your objective is (vision/purpose) and how you're going to achieve your objective (strategy).
If your people don't follow you, you have a problem (even if your strategy is good). Maybe they don't trust or respect you (what have you contributed to the group)? Or maybe they don't feel the need for the journey (do they understand the situation and is the objective compelling enough)? Or maybe they doubt the route (did you involve the right people to create the strategy)? Or even their own ability to play their part (do they know that they need to do, and what support/recognition they'll get)? If you can't get followship, then you really need to step down as leader.
The strategy may not be very detailed - but it must always be easy to understand and relay to everyone in the group. It could be as vague as "We can't stay here, we need to find new lands and ways of surviving" - as per Nokia's move out of the lumber business into mobile phones. And it may need to change, as either the situation changes (or your understanding of the situation changes). Maybe you were pursuing the wrong strategy, and need to change tack.
And of course you have all the other stuff to worry about, such as tactics, timing and tenacity!
This is all quite tough - certainly for commercial organisations, as very few 'strategy initiatives' ever get successfully implemented (otherwise I'd be out of a job)!
Ian Moncrieff MacMillan
Specialist at rescuing mission critical change programmes
I would add another question: how much time has the company got? In turnaround situations an unpopular and half baked strategy could be the only route to follow, or the company dies.
Mark H.
Changing how people and organizations work together
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Mary:
I would submit that a "superb" strategy that doesn't engage people or a "mediocre" strategy that does are oxymorons.
In my mind a strategy isn't brilliant unless people buy into it and it is well executed. "Brilliant" or "superb" strategies that never get people behind them are great for academic discussion, but not much else.
The inference from your question is also a strategy that was conceived by an individual or small group and then "pushed" down.
I think you can have a clear vision or value proposition, but people need to buy in rather than enroll- that is the brilliant part.
When we bring someone a "complete" solution we don't allow them to bring their creativity or energy to the role or the task at hand.
This was the premise of scientific management from Frederick W. Taylor- manager's think and people do.
I like to think I am a pretty good strategist and "big idea" guy. When I really get excited is when I see a team take my idea and tweak it, mold it, embellish it and make it "our" thing and then implement it.
I have heard managers say "if I had smarter people I could have achieved X" my response is "getting excellent performance from brilliant people is no particular achievement, moving the mean standard of performance is the sign of a great leader".
If I fail to get people to support my "brilliant" or superb strategy the failure was mine, not theirs.
strategy is from leaders
Tactical execution is from those that implement/deliver.
An excellent strategy sloppily executed is "usually" better than...
A bad strategy executed flawlessly.
You are asking in the gray area. - A mediocre strategy with excellent delivery (assume fired up) - but that begs the question - are these fired up people competent in the execution or just passionate.
My 6 and 8 year old kids can be passionate but they can't fly a plane.
There are always several roads to Rome. You can never be sure that you have found the "best" one. How do you know at the start if your strategy is superb or mediocre? It is superb if you believe in it and you, together with each team member, are convinced that success is achievable. Others might think your strategy is mediocre, but you don't give a damn. If the team is cohesive, is motivated by the journey, considers realistic the objective, has the map clearly in mind, is agreed on the means and understands the environment, then you can say that you have a superb strategy, whatever anyone else says it is.
Suzanne P.
Love your Food, Lose your Fat with BEE - Breakthrough Emotional Eating
What's a mediocre strategy? I'm not sure that I understand the premise of the question? The purpose of a mission and a strategy is to have something that everyone on the team knows, gets and is willing to stand behind - it's there to unify the team. So I don't think it matters.
If you're asking more about measures and results that to me is a different question and needs more careful reflection - i think that all those who have certain targets to achieve need to know what they are, have them as achieveable but also a stretch. We all love a challenge but a seemingly insurmountable challenge leads to giving up quickly.
So in answer i think that neither is more important they are different and elicit different responses.
Suzie Pool
Solicitor
Mary, thank you for raising a great topic. If a strategy, superb or not, is built in the ivory tower, it is unlikely to succeed. The success of the strategy can only be measured by the results achieved, i.e. by the succesful execution thereof. Why do even great strategies fail? Steven Covey identified 6 reasons:
1 Clarity: people don't understand the strategy and goals
2 Commitment: people don't buy into the strategy
3 Translation: people don't know what they need to do to achieve the goals
4 Enabling: people aren't empowered to execute
5 Synergy: people don't gey along with other team members
6 Accountability: people don't hold each other accountable for outcomes.
My view is that not only must people be fired up, but, if you address all of the 6 issues above, even a mediocre strategy will achieve the results that are planned for.
Leon Theron
