In 2020 + we must shift our aspirational strategic plans into executable ones

Companies and teams working hard on high performance have come to realise that closing the gap between strategy formation and execution is now super slim. So narrow, in fact, that strategic plans are now being written in a completely executable format, to cater for leading-practice team empowerment and much-needed ongoing agility.

As of 2020, executable strategic plans fit in the ‘no excuses’ category of a high-performing team.

So how and why are they formed?

The answer is through discipline. We divide a plan in two, with a horizontal ‘line-of-discipline’ across the top third where we place our aspirational ‘words’. These are important words, consisting of our strategic narration elements – vision (where), mission or purpose (why), our services at the end of this strategic phase (what).

Below the ‘line-of-discipline’ is the how, and this is where an executable strategy plan is outstanding in its value. Each piece below the ‘line-of-discipline’ must be unique, delineated, or even ring-fence. There must be no overlap, or linkage, between one piece and the next. We must be able to place a single point of accountability to each piece (person) and a measurable value (eg dollar, percentage).

Even Bain & Company, which regularly quizzes large global teams about their strategic planning, has found that discipline is the core of good execution.

Of the hundreds of strategic processes G11Team has completed, there has been zero, yep naught, chosen to be old-school aspirational-only since 2017.

There are many reasons why you should have an executable strategic plan, here’s G11Team’s top five!

1. It’s deeply empowering: each piece of the ‘below the line’ action area of your plan is owned – like 100% owned by one point of accountability. That one person pulls in a number of members of the team responsible for achieving that piece. The accountable person will be an inspiring contribution to this one piece, right into the depth of the organisation. Even if these people aren’t contributing to the full plan, they are completely contributing to an element of it.
   
2. It’s agile yet focussed: ‘below the line’ pieces are considered more questions, rather than answers. These pieces must now be considered enticingly ‘evergreen’. This means there’s a wealth of opportunity for team members to solve problems according to the external influences of the time. The long-term direction is set, yet the way the pieces are solved is not. In this executable model, we can adapt to changing markets monthly if we so need. If there are workforce changes, as there is in our modern-day workforce, the new members can influence the ‘way’ that piece is achieved at any given time. Plus we can de-invest when we realise how much work we are doing which simply doesn’t change the dial on our strategic successes.
   
3. It minimises wasteful duplication: the art of building an executable strategic plan comes from hours of work ensuring each piece is distinct from another. In the process, we hear executives say, yes, this piece links to this piece etc. No. Like a resounding no. Each piece must be built distinctly. In one of the enterprises G11Team works with, executives have uncovered multiple opportunities of replication of leading-practice on the upside and duplication of effort on the downside. One leadership team of an international company found, through their new execution system, that three of their leaders were attending meetings to achieve the same outcome, in three different divisions, and they didn’t know each of them were doing so. This is a consistent symptom in medium to large organisations of poor strategy execution.
   
4. It keeps pulling you to the future: A feature of an executable strategic plan is the continual building of targets and tactics, typically quarter by quarter. This means we are building deliverables to achieve the strategy, rather than fattening initiatives to solve today’s problems. As one target is met, the next is set, meaning the teams don’t ever stagnate – instead, they move forward continually. And this is the true art of strategy; having a future-driven mindset. The leader, who should be continually pushing the vision, can use the executable strategic plan as the main tool to drive the leadership team, which can use the shorter term executable pieces to drive the rest of the team. The team members responsible for achieving each piece can develop their strategic skills in solving each piece of the puzzle.
   
5. You dead-set know if you are achieving, or not: having one defined and executable piece of your strategic puzzle allows for complete and utter measurement. It enables teams to know throughout the strategic journey if the whole plan is having success and if the individual pieces within the plan are of value. It creates an opportunity for celebration; monthly, quarterly, annually at along the full strategic journey. It becomes apparent if the bespoke element needs to be accelerated, or even slowed down, and we can align resources or decrease resources accordingly, at very short-term timelines. We can shift team members across pieces of the strategic puzzle, allowing for multi-disciplinary development of our workforce. And… yes… my favourite part, we can build competition within our teams to achieve our unique pieces of the puzzle, because they will be being scored all the way through. These executable processes enable achievement of an ‘accountability sweet spot’, where teams members can thrive on the right amount of performance tension.

You can change an aspirational plan into an executable plan – yet it will take some good elbow grease and a wise strategic planning consultant to facilitate this with you. An executable plan is ‘next level’ and takes a strong strategic storyline into actuality. The build phase takes time to allow for a ‘plan, do, test, redo’ mentality. The upfront effort to create an executable plan pays off ‘ten-fold’ in strategic achievement. Let’s face it – the above the ‘line of discipline’ has always been important, now we are just increasing the value of the ‘below the line’ material in present day planning. Best you get on board so you too can achieve high performance accountability within your team.