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Often during the process of strategy execution, the implementers start getting early feedback that the strategy is way off the mark. This feedback comes from the front lines : from employees, customers, suppliers, associates.
Given a bad strategy, a great execution will only speed up a business failure. What the implementers need is a mandate or a license to kill bad strategy without wasting precious resources and time. However there are reasons why a bad strategy is never shot down before it is too late .
1. Implementation is done by the lowly grunts or junior level managers and there is no process through which the 'grunts' or 'hands and legs' can communicate their feedback. Even if there are means to relay feedback , the feedback does not have the necessary credibility.
2. Strategy Planners never account for the fact that strategy could be subject to modification or failure during the process of execution . They never go out and monitor/supervise strategy-in-action
3. Strategy is supposed to be a sacred gospel. Devil advocates in senior management who question the strategy during development or execution are usually sidelined and rarely heeded to.
4. Roll out of the strategy is rarely done on a pilot basis. Usually the roll out is organization-wide and commits all the resources at the organization's command. It is important to learn from lessons from a pilot before a complete roll out needs to be planned. Often top management ego and the fabled 'need for speed' comes in the way
I think it is absolutely necessary for the implementers to be given the license to kill a bad strategy. While a lot of time is spent in strategy formulation, it is very surprising that very little is spent in testing out the strategy. No clear cut rules are defined to flag off a strategy that is not delivering the required results.
No concession is made to the possibility that the strategy could fail and if so, what would constitute to be an early warning. Worse still people who are in thick of execution are not given a license to kill a bad strategy when they see it.
Given a bad strategy, a great execution will only speed up a business failure. What the implementers need is a mandate or a license to kill bad strategy without wasting precious resources and time. However there are reasons why a bad strategy is never shot down before it is too late .
1. Implementation is done by the lowly grunts or junior level managers and there is no process through which the 'grunts' or 'hands and legs' can communicate their feedback. Even if there are means to relay feedback , the feedback does not have the necessary credibility.
2. Strategy Planners never account for the fact that strategy could be subject to modification or failure during the process of execution . They never go out and monitor/supervise strategy-in-action
3. Strategy is supposed to be a sacred gospel. Devil advocates in senior management who question the strategy during development or execution are usually sidelined and rarely heeded to.
4. Roll out of the strategy is rarely done on a pilot basis. Usually the roll out is organization-wide and commits all the resources at the organization's command. It is important to learn from lessons from a pilot before a complete roll out needs to be planned. Often top management ego and the fabled 'need for speed' comes in the way
I think it is absolutely necessary for the implementers to be given the license to kill a bad strategy. While a lot of time is spent in strategy formulation, it is very surprising that very little is spent in testing out the strategy. No clear cut rules are defined to flag off a strategy that is not delivering the required results.
No concession is made to the possibility that the strategy could fail and if so, what would constitute to be an early warning. Worse still people who are in thick of execution are not given a license to kill a bad strategy when they see it.
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