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To encourage successful implementation of your strategy, you should take specific steps before, during and after your strategy sessions
Prior to your strategy sessions, you have the opportunity to lay the groundwork for successful strategy implementation. Here are your specific steps...
• Demonstrate Senior Management Commitment.
• Select the "right" planning team members.
• Gather the "right" pre-planning information.
• Solicit input from your employees.
At your strategy sessions, you and your planning team will develop each of the elements of your strategic plan. During those sessions, you'll again find opportunities to encourage successful strategy implementation. Specific steps for doing so include...
• Encourage participation.
• Develop objectives which you can track with your current reporting system.
• Develop a "balanced" list of objectives.
• Develop strategies built on your company's strengths
• Consider available resources.
• Develop a built-in monitoring system. It also assures that a key manager "owns" each strategy.
Following development of your strategies, you'll have additional opportunities to encourage implementation...
• Communicate your strategy. Tell your employees of your strategy. Especially those employees who will help with your strategy's implementation. As you conclude your strategy sessions, ask this closing question of your planning team: "Now that we've developed our strategic plan, how should we communicate it to our employees?"
• Link your strategic plan to your operational plan. Ask each manager responsible for a specific strategy to take that strategy back to his or her department. And there, ask those employees who will implement the strategy to develop detailed tactics. Implementing strategy is work. You'll do well to manage it as such.
• Monitor your progress quarterly. You've perhaps heard the saying, "If you don't measure it, it won't happen." This certainly applies to implementing strategy. With a quarterly monitoring system, you'll be well aware of your implementation progress and any associated problems. And during your quarterly monitoring meetings, you can consider your options for getting a wayward strategy back on track.
• Fine tune the process. Watch for opportunities to improve your planning process. This will help with implementation of your strategies in later years. At the third quarterly review of your strategic plan, take a little extra time to discuss the planning process.
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